Geauga Lake land will be sold -- in pieces

[Gordon Bombay]

CF is still happy that they eliminated a competitor, which was always their plan.... Now there's only one competitor left, Action Zone has been dismantled, The Crypt is gone, Vortex, Flight Deck, The Racer (like Raging Wolf Bobs) and Adventure Express are on their last legs......... And, as many people have posted on this very site, Soak City could be a stand alone park........

Even if closing GL was their vast conspiracy plan the whole time (which, if so, why did they even bother rebranding and operating it for a few years? Wouldn't a diabolical plot dictate that they'd just close it down when they bought it?), your argument doesn't hold up regarding Kings Island.

Crypt was a mechanical and operational nightmare that operated infrequently ever since Paramount installed the darn thing. Both PP and CF tried solutions, eventually CF cut their losses. The ride was providing no benefit.

Flight Deck, Vortex and AE being on their last legs? How would you know that? Give me a freaking break, cause you rode them and they're as rough and bumpy as other Arrow coasters from their time periods?

Also, comparing Racer to Raging Wolf Bobs is a joke, right? RWB suffered a derailment accident prior to GL's closing while The Racer has continued with good operating in recent years and receives substantial upkeep and vigilant safety oversight. You simply have no idea what you're talking about.

If CF wanted to eliminate a competitor, they wouldn't do it at the expense of sacrificing guest safety and hurting their own brand image.

[Tanna]

CF is still happy that they eliminated a competitor, which was always their plan.... Now there's only one competitor left, Action Zone has been dismantled, The Crypt is gone, Vortex, Flight Deck, The Racer (like Raging Wolf Bobs) and Adventure Express are on their last legs......... And, as many people have posted on this very site, Soak City could be a stand alone park........

I prefer to see Action Zone as being refurbished and re themed. There's a big chunk of cement in the park that's just not thrilling me.

[BB1]

CF is still happy that they eliminated a competitor, which was always their plan.... Now there's only one competitor left, Action Zone has been dismantled, The Crypt is gone, Vortex, Flight Deck, The Racer (like Raging Wolf Bobs) and Adventure Express are on their last legs......... And, as many people have posted on this very site, Soak City could be a stand alone park........

I prefer to see Action Zone as being refurbished and re themed. There's a big chunk of cement in the park that's just not thrilling me.

Place yourself some more concrete, block off a few paths, put in colored wood, and bright colored tubes, and you got yourself a Soak City.

[Browntggrr]

If CF's "plan" was to eliminate GL why not purchase the park prior to SF taking over?

Which then leads to another question: if GL was competition for CP, why would SF be willing to part with it?

[Maverick00]

I believe Dick wanted Geauga Lake many years before Six Flags. Just like how he wanted Kings Island in 2000.

[PhantomTheater]

If CF's "plan" was to eliminate GL why not purchase the park prior to SF taking over?

Which then leads to another question: if GL was competition for CP, why would SF be willing to part with it?

GL parent company Funtime Parks put itself up for sale in 1995, at which time the two highest bidders were believed to be Premier Parks and Kennywood Entertainment. CF was believed to be not interested at that time for a major expansion. Premier Parks got the company and then got greedy, by acquiring Six Flags in 1998. Then went on a buying and expansion binge everywhere, including at GL by adding 5 coasters and buying Sea World Ohio in a 2 year span. Soon Six needed cash and sold off anything that had a potential buyer, which lead CF to buy GL.

[Browntggrr]

If CF's "plan" was to eliminate GL why not purchase the park prior to SF taking over?

Which then leads to another question: if GL was competition for CP, why would SF be willing to part with it?

GL parent company Funtime Parks put itself up for sale in 1995, at which time the two highest bidders were believed to be Premier Parks and Kennywood Entertainment. CF was believed to be not interested at that time for a major expansion. Premier Parks got the company and then got greedy, by acquiring Six Flags in 1998. Then went on a buying and expansion binge everywhere, including at GL by adding 5 coasters and buying Sea World Ohio in a 2 year span. Soon Six needed cash and sold off anything that had a potential buyer, which lead CF to buy GL.

Yes, but it does not answer the question of CF's "plan" to eliminate the competition as a previous poster suggested.

[Dieseltech20]

Many object to the "gentle correction" those systems deliver.

I've often wished it worked on park linejumpers!

I'd rather they have that than be put on a chain. Nothing is more annoying than a neighbors chained up dog barking its fool head off at anything that moves.

[The Interpreter]

Many object to the "gentle correction" those systems deliver.

I've often wished it worked on park linejumpers!

I'd rather they have that than be put on a chain.....

Why not put linejumpers on a chain...unless they're living life in the Fast Lane? Plus, they'll bark less!

[Leland Wykoff]

More news on the sale in small lots:

http://www.auroraadvocate.com/news%20local/2013/04/17/geauga-lake-land-in-aurora-bainbridge-to-be-sold-in-smaller-portions

Awareness city and township are not happy about property not being put to "highest and best use" by being broken up into small pieces.

[Browntggrr]

More news on the sale in small lots:

http://www.auroraadvocate.com/news%20local/2013/04/17/geauga-lake-land-in-aurora-bainbridge-to-be-sold-in-smaller-portions

Awareness city and township are not happy about property not being put to "highest and best use" by being broken up into small pieces.

Is there another link?

I don't see where it says they are not happy.

"The city of Aurora recognizes and respects the fact that Cedar Fair is making a business decision as it relates to its divestiture of the Geauga Lake Park property."

[Oldiesmann]

Fisher added the sales strategy "might not result in the property being put to the best and highest possible use from the city's perspective."

"The city of Aurora would prefer a more integrative approach, which would allow development of the available land with more consideration of the interactive nature of all uses on the whole property," Fisher noted.

[Browntggrr]

Not agreeing with the strategy does not mean they are unhappy.

And let's face it, the strategy the last 5+ years has yielded zero results leaving vacant land. If Aurora wants the property used in a certain way, make it attractive for potential buyers by offering tax breaks or something of the sort.

[Leland Wykoff]

Former redevelopment of property at Geauga Lake is getting contentious. Cedar Fair is reported to be threatening legal action to force township to accept Meijer demands to limit uses of balance of Geauga property:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/west-geauga/index.ssf/2015/07/meijer_submits_long_list_of_es.html

[The Interpreter]

Meijer's demands are not at all unusual for shopping center tenants/owners.

Apparently, the township officials don't get out much.

[RollerNut]

Those demands are crazy, so is Cedar Fair threatening to sue.

It is also crazy that the Big Dipper is rotting way, the odds it will ever be safe for operation have to be 0% no matter where the ride stands.

[The Interpreter]

Meijer would be making a major investment. Wanting exclusivity is not all unusual or crazy.

Selling a roller coaster on one's real property without specifying a time by which it must be removed? That would be crazy.

[jsus]

Regardless of whether or not you think that Meijer's* requests are reasonable, this is a company with a proven track record that has stepped up and wants to build in your community.  Superstores like Meijer tend to spur further development in the area, both on outlots that Meijer likes to sell through its real estate arm and on neighboring parcels.

 

The city and township have had no serious offers in eight years.  Eight years.  No tax revenue (other than that of barren land).  Meijer brings with it the opportunity to start redevelopment.

 

From the tone presented in this article, it sounds as if they are completely unwilling to consider Meijer's terms or negotiate.  They might even be able to knock some of those restrictions off the list, reduce the boundary zone, or even do a more custom list where gas stations can't be within 500' but theaters only have to be 200' away, for instance.  In business, there is very often room for negotiation.  It's the same type of thing with lawsuits.  Aim for the stars, lay down everything you could possibly want, and narrow that list down to something that is mutually agreeable.

 

They don't seem to even want to work with Meijer at all.  *sigh*

 

Tire stores, though?  Never seen a Meijer that sold tires.  Hmm..

 

*The company should be referred to as "Meijer", but in this case the requests belong to Meijer

[RollerNut]

Meijer would be making a major investment. Wanting exclusivity is not all unusual or crazy..

I wasn't aware of that. The only way I can learn is by doing or being told.

[jsus]

This isn't Meijer's first rodeo.  They've got over 200 stores (source) in 6 midwestern states, having just expanded into Wisconsin earlier this year.

 

I get the feeling this isn't the first time they've made such exclusivity requests; things like that tend not to come out of nowhere.  This makes me buy into Terpy's statements that there's nothing particularly unusual about the request.

[Dieseltech20]

That is pretty much the normal deal when it comes to Meijer.

 

They are building one in my home town back in Kentucky and they submitted this same list of demands. The town has just recently gone "Wet" and they made in clear they wanted no Bars or porno shops anywhere near them.

 

The Town Council made sure to give them everything they wanted...as long as they met a couple of the cities demands.

 

They did.

 

Meijer knows what they are doing.

[shark6495]

Just like Jsus said, nothing has been on that land bringing large amounts of tax dollars in 8 years.  

Just building the property would bring people into the town for construction.  Then the new building would require people to work in that store.  The company brings in photo people for the little booth.  Trucks bring goods to the store.  Those truckers sometimes need to stop for fuel and food.  More jobs means more money to spend.  Plus just because something is agreed upon early on doesnt mean it cant be renegotiated at a later point.  

 

Isnt this the same town who didnt want to expand the highway?Which sort of hurt the park in its expansion phase?

[jsus]

That's my understanding..  That the city and/or the township fought infrastructure upgrades that would have helped support (and build) the park.

 

Now, it seems they are fighting tooth and nail against redeveloping the property for more mundane usages.

 

I don't get it.

[TheCandyManCan]

Ah good old Bainbridge:

 

"We don't want big box retailers, we want an entertainment area and plazas!" (notice how well SIX/FUN worked, and how much the city loved them during their tenure..Noones going to return there for entertainement)

 

"Ok, we'll make it mixed lot, but we really don't want to, we want entertainment!" (again, no amusement industry is going to return to Geauga or Aurora counties. Y'all squandered that enough over the years)

 

"Alright, Meijer can come in, BUT NOT THOSE DEMANDS" (Meijer is willing to literally just give you and CF money to bring something that the area will use more than an abandoned autocross parking lot, and you're squandering it. Last I checked noone is wanting to buy any acreage from Geauga Lake LLC to make anything Meijer has listed)

 

Lastly, tax dollars have been brought in. The parcels owned by Geauga Lake LLC (Cedar Fair) are quite expensive. I'd encourage everyone to view the GIS information for both counties. One parcel in Geauga County at 4 acres cost over 2000 in property taxes. Just four acres. All parcels have been taxed since ownership, and paid in full. Yes other taxes are missing out, but trust me, the cities are still making money, and sadly Cedar Fair is paying for nothing and trying to get out as they have for years. Notice how they'll sue to sell. They're ready to leave that place and not look back.

[shark6495]

Agreed but 4 acres of no use brings in 2000/yr.  If something were to be brought in, say a Meijer, then the tax rate of goods sold is 7 % (5.75 to the state 1.25 to the county).  Plus the value of the land would probably increase.... 

 

So just for fun, lets say 8 acres currently brings in 4000 for no use.

 

Lets say Meijer turns that 8 acres into a shopping center.The shopping center should cause the property tax to increase, by say twice?  So now that property is worth 8000 a year.  

 

Lets say that Meijer brings in 500,000 in sales for taxable goods in the first year.  That would be 6250 more in tax dollars for the county...

[jsus]

Of note, Meijer wants to buy approximately 41 acres.  The store itself would be ~200,000 sqft, or ~4.6 acres.  Even with a parking lot, perhaps a road/driveway setup, some green space, and a little nature preserve, there's surely 5-10 acres left that they don't need.

 

I strongly believe that they are buying enough to sell off outlots.  This would contribute toward what I mentioned earlier, that they would help spur development.  Meijer would have a vested interest in getting merchants onto those lots to recoup the investment.  Those merchants would be drawn in by the promise of an available customer base thanks to Meijer, and act as additional tax generators for the municipalities.  The result would, hopefully, be a domino effect that sells out the outlots as well as the remaining parcels owned by Cedar Fair.

 

Outlots are also a common occurrence with big box stores moving into town.  Example?  Ford's Wixom Assembly Plant is in the process of conversion to a retail development known as Assembly Park.  Menards bought more land than it needed and worked with the City of Wixom to permit certain potential uses for outlots that weren't part of the city's master plan, such as a restaurant with drive-thru, even before finding a buyer.

 

Lots of this stuff happens behind the scenes in business.  A city/township/state that wishes to bring in jobs and tax revenue will make concessions and work with businesses.

[TheCandyManCan]

Oh I know new development would bring in more taxes, I even did mention that, not sure if it was skimmed over. However, the city is still making off like a bandit with their tax money. $2k for no utilities, no infrastructure upgrades, no anything. 

 

Considering how cheap and ridiculous the city already is, it's free money into the coffers accounts.

[jsus]

Actually, the "free money" is the money that Meijer is offering.

[shark6495]

Oh I know new development would bring in more taxes, I even did mention that, not sure if it was skimmed over. However, the city is still making off like a bandit with their tax money. $2k for no utilities, no infrastructure upgrades, no anything. 

 

Considering how cheap and ridiculous the city already is, it's free money into the coffers accounts.

I understood what you meant.  Read my post in a more agreeing with you tone vs confrontational tone.  Stupid internet, cant relay the message in the way it was suppose to be...

[TheCandyManCan]

^Ain't that the truth.

 

Also, it's worth noting starting August 1st, Platinum Passholders can bring anyone to Wildwater Kingdom for FREE. 

 

Price integrity, COMPLETELY thrown out the window.

 

I think it's time is almost up.