Future owner of Kings Island

[BeastForever]

I've been doing some extensive history research on Kings Island (since I wasn't alive yet during those days) and it seems like they've always been getting different and new owners...

• Taft Broadcasting 1972-1984
• KECO 1984-1989
• Carl Linder 1989-1992
• Paramount 1993-2006
• Cedar Fair 2007- present
• ???? ????-????

There has been a lot of talk of Cedar Fair maybe becoming bankrupt in the next few years. If this does happen does anybody have any idea on what active companies today that could possibly own Kings Island in the future?

(I may have started a similar topic like this but it got closed.)

[Guest rcfreak339]

When Cedar Fair goes bankrupt I could see them going in the same way Six Flags did and not really give-up all of they're parks. Although in 10 years or so it's going to be fun to see who just may step up.

[BeastForever]

This is totally unrealistic but it would funny if CF and SF teamed up as a company and renamed it "Cedar Flags" or maybe, "Six Fairs." lol

[PhantomTheater]

As terpy would say, "Oh the Q's"

[Browntggrr]

Given that a potential sale of CF ended due to company value rising, and, that the economy still is on life support, I really can't see another group coming forward and making an offer.

As far as bankruptcy goes: CF has not missed any payments to date to file for any type of protection.

Given the recent refinance conditions, I believe CF has cleared the hump and is holding steady.

[BeastForever]

^NO! stop the business talk before or you'll bring too many gamevance ads!

[rotag]

if, IF, there is; all i would like to see is one that puts major emphasis on theme'n & less on how many rides we can stick in a park to become a ride mecca. (cough,coCPugh,cough)

[BeastForever]

I agree, I liked Kings Island a lot better when it was based on theme and less on as mentioned above "ride mecca" If only there was a company that delivered great thrilling rides and great theming at the same time. cough cough disney cough cough.

[HTCO]

I agree, I liked Kings Island a lot better when it was based on theme and less on as mentioned above "ride mecca"...

When was Kings Island ever based on theme?

I see CF holding on to KI as long as they can. Thats one of the reason's they bought all Paramount Parks in the first place.*

*Learned this from Terpy

[Guest rcfreak339]

From 1972 to 1993 Kings Island was heavily based on theme. Although I believe Paramount is the one at fault not Cedar Fair for Kings Island's lack in theme.

[BeastForever]

I agree, I liked Kings Island a lot better when it was based on theme and less on as mentioned above "ride mecca"...

When was Kings Island ever based on theme?

umm... Paramount!

[HTCO]

Ah yes. The days of Carl and KECO. I did forget about them. And I agree... Paramount screwed it all up.

[Guest rcfreak339]

^^What I think he meant was not "Paramount themeing"..he most likely meant themeing of the over all park. Like Rivertown, Coney Mall, Octoberfest, ect... which Paramount almost ruined during their stay.

[Browntggrr]

I agree, I liked Kings Island a lot better when it was based on theme and less on as mentioned above "ride mecca" If only there was a company that delivered great thrilling rides and great theming at the same time. cough cough disney cough cough.

I too liked KI when it was based on theme.

International Street

Octoberfest

Hanna-Barbera

Rivertown

Old Coney

Adventure Village

Unfortunatly many of those themes were lost to a company that wanted to advertise itself through naming rides after poor movies. I am happy to see CF try and get back to KI's roots of what made it a great park and not an advertising mecca.

Also: how can you possibly compare Disney to a seasonal park?

[bkroz]

Paramount made mistakes, yes. But to say they destroyed the theme of Kings Island? Pick your battles, people... Did they corporatize the park? Sure. But when we had rides like Tomb Raider, Flight of Fear, Top Gun (in its early years) even The Italian Job: Stunt Track... Don't even try to tell me the park didn't emphasize theme. Until Diamondback, Rivertown was an absolutely beautiful part of the park, one of the better "Western-y, frontier-y" areas I've seen, with a beautiful "secluded" feel. Though I love Diamondback, you'd be lying if you said that Rivertown is anything more than an open plaza with a little concrete lake in the center. They didn't even bother to replant the trees that they tore out - there's about three dogwood trees around the splashdown, nothing more. So the area will stay that way.

Action Zone sucks, yes. But I actually appreciate the idea behind it. The "movie backlot" theme with the concrete and the bright colors and the targets and the movie posters. Even the "Stunt Crew Grill" is themed to a commissary where we, as the stunt actors, can eat.

Yes, the park lost a lot of its original charm when it was bought by a large corporation. Guess what? That would've happened no matter what. If the park was owned by KECO right up until Cedar Fair bought it in 2006, it would just now start losing that themeing, but it would lose it just the same.

What it comes down to is, without every single owner Kings Island has had, we wouldn't have the park we have today. Maybe for the better, or maybe for the worse, but without Lindler, KECO, Paramount, things just would not be the way they are.

[Browntggrr]

Until Diamondback, Rivertown was an absolutely beautiful part of the park, one of the better "Western-y, frontier-y" areas I've seen, with a beautiful "secluded" feel.

So DB made Rivertown less appealing?

And TR didn't?

Really?

[bkroz]

Sure it did. And it didn't fit the theme. But it didn't physically destroy the image of the area. A little cave tucked away in the back corner, with plants all around it? Not quite as distracting as a giant red roller coaster that is added at the expense of a beautiful lake, trees throughout the entire area, blasts right through the center of "town" and more. And until Diamondback changed the foliage in the area, the Tomb Raider show-building was very much removed from view for those actually in Rivertown (and even on that note, if Paramount had built a full fiberglass Indian temple around it, wouldn't you complain even more that it ruined Rivertown?)

In other words, I certainly don't agree that Tomb Raider: The Ride destroyed the purpose of Rivertown (isolation, nature, shade, relaxation, water rides) moreso than Diamondback... The Roller Coaster Philosopher site pretty much details exactly what I thought - that Diamondback, like all of Cedar Fair's additions, acts as a big carnival ride, intrinsically built to be bigger, flashier, and noisier than anything else in the park. It's the only roller coaster at Kings Island that crosses over a midway; the only one that's not set off into the woods; the only one that's visible from most everywhere in the park, and purposefully so. For better or worse, that's how Cedar Fair constructs their rides, and its very clear that their goal was dominance of the area. Rumor has it that B&M offered a hypercoaster to Paramount and they turned it down? We can see why... It changed the whole feel of the area.

Not that today's crowd cares much about that sort of thing...

[HTCO]

You forgot the big tan building tucked behind that "little cave"

[rotag]

i still think tomb raider/crypt fit more towards oktoberfest with Adventure Express like theming. & in order to view tomb raider/ cypt's "theming" you pretty much have to go inside the giant box that sticks out like a sore thumb. yes the que has its theming on the outside along with the neat entry, but theres still no denying that big ugly brownish tan box.

[Browntggrr]

The Roller Coaster Philosopher site pretty much details exactly what I thought - that Diamondback, like all of Cedar Fair's additions, acts as a big carnival ride, intrinsically built to be bigger, flashier, and noisier than anything else in the park.

So DB is a bigger carnival ride than IJ?

Again, really?

Paramount already destroyed the KI themeing with their additions. To say that rides CF has since put in ruined anything is looking through rose-colored glasses.

[Browntggrr]

I forgot this:

It's the only roller coaster at Kings Island that crosses over a midway; the only one that's not set off into the woods; the only one that's visible from most everywhere in the park, and purposefully so.For better or worse, that's how Cedar Fair constructs their rides, and its very clear that their goal was dominance of the area. Rumor has it that B&M offered a hypercoaster to Paramount and they turned it down? We can see why... It changed the whole feel of the area.

I suppose it is a matter of opinion, but, Racer now crosses over a midway.

Also: Does SoB not count since it is SBNO? I can see it from practically anywhere in the park.

[rotag]

great, know i miss kentons/keanans keel boat canals & tiques.

[coaster_junky]

yes, paramount destroyed ki's themed area's with their additions to the park, but at least when they added something new, it had amazing theming to it, tomb raider's ride chamber/ pre-show chamber, italian job's theming, the theming in top gun's que, paramount story, ect...

since paramount has left paramount story has became the bland tower gardens, nearly all the theming as been removed from the crypt, backlot has lost it's multi-colored trains, splashdown and other water effects, ect...

both have done their fair share of damage theming wise, but don't get me wrong, i love Cedar Fair.

[KIfan73]

I always think it's funny that some people think that the park has become more "corporate" now, or when Paramount had it. Take a look at the 1972 brochure (click here); many things were either "presented" by another company, or sponsored by another company. Don't get me wrong-I would love to be able to visit the park circa 1972, but I don't think Kings Island has ever been as corporate as it was back then.

[Browntggrr]

^^ It will take time to make everything look better.

CF has had less then a handful of years to make up for what the former owners left behind, but so far, CF has done a remarkable job.

[CincyMan98]

Guys, just be happy with all the rides. If you want theme, go to Disney. You can't complain about one of many amusement parks not having good theme.

Didn't we have Diamondback last year? Are you not appreciative of that? Do we have the longest wooden coaster? Yep. Do we have the first six-inversion coaster? Mhm. Do we have a landmark coaster? Yes! Is bad theme that big of a deal? It's an amusement park for thrills, not for theme. You got season passes to ride rides, didn't you? Then be happy with it.

Sorry if that sounded rude.

[BeastForever]

Unfortunatly many of those themes were lost to a company that wanted to advertise itself through naming rides after poor movies. I am happy to see CF try and get back to KI's roots of what made it a great park and not an advertising mecca.

Also: how can you possibly compare Disney to a seasonal park?

So I'm guessing Top Gun, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, and The Italian Job were poor movies? And I wasn't comparing Disney to a seasonal park. I was pointing out how Disney delivers great thrills and great theming.

EDIT: You know what, how about we all forget about this big "theming" argument. Let's just listen to CincyMan98 and be happy with what kind rides we DO have. I apoligize for starting this thread. I just didn't know it would be a huge argument! Let's all just get back on topic of this thread, and ACTUALLY talk about what company or companies shall own KI in the future.

[LongliveKingsCobra]

I can't hear DB from over by DT. I think personally that those objective views are....ehh. DB is a great addition, River Town was dead a long time ago, I think it will only be a few more years until we get rid of all of the themed areas.

[Browntggrr]

So I'm guessing Top Gun, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, and The Italian Job were poor movies?

Those movies were decent at best.

Movies like Drop Zone, Days of Thunder, and Face- Off are all terrible.

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ Not to seem rude, but says who? By being "decent at best," is that supposed to mean that no one truly loved them?