When you get paid for exclusivity in a geographic area for a time certain, it's PURE profit--no risk, no steel, no labor, no insurance costs--just taxes.

Why go to the trouble of building another coaster for money when you can get paid NOT to? These exclusivity clauses are NOT cheap.

And when it's bought from a very valuable company.. it's a worthwhile investment. (see also B&M)

When you get paid for exclusivity in a geographic area for a time certain, it's PURE profit--no risk, no steel, no labor, no insurance costs--just taxes.

Why go to the trouble of building another coaster for money when you can get paid NOT to? These exclusivity clauses are NOT cheap.

Ah that makes sense. I never really understood how those contracts worked.

LA Times sheds some light:

 

"It now seems clear that a Six Flags contract with Rocky Mountain is likely preventing Knott's parent Cedar Fair from working with the coaster company."

 

http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-trb-joker-coaster-six-flags-discovery-kingdom-20150903-story.html

it's been awhile since Six Flags had a new B&M instillation, last one being in 2012. There's been a lot of B&M instillation's on Cedar Fair's behalf since 2008.

Cedar Fair has had a B&M install every year since 2012...

...all three of them.

Four if you count next year.

Well, if you count next year, that'd be 7 years out of the past 8...

Justaubergine Cedar Fair signed some no compete with B&M. Plus six not spending no where near what the fair is per ride.

LA Times sheds some light:

"It now seems clear that a Six Flags contract with Rocky Mountain is likely preventing Knott's parent Cedar Fair from working with the coaster company."

http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-trb-joker-coaster-six-flags-discovery-kingdom-20150903-story.html

Personally, I'm glad.

I never understood why coaster companies have exclusive contracts with a certain amusement park company. It just seems that you would want to work worldwide instead of exclusively in one corner of a continent. It just seems like you are cutting off a major revenue stream. With the window of profit for so many coaster companies is so short you would think they would strike while the iron is hot and seek their product to anyone that wants it. Exclusive contracts, at least with limited suppliers as in this case, make little sense to me.

Look at it this way. If you are only going to build so many coaters a year, and you have a company willing to pay over your asking price to make sure they get those coasters, why not do it? It takes all of the uncertainty out of your business. You know for the length of that contract, you are getting paid well and don't have to hunt for business. 

Leviathan isn't a gate coaster? I like Fury but Carowinds' new actual gate just makes the park look cheap and fair-ish. As compared to a Disney-ish Southern Plantation House, it is clear that Carowinds isn't a theme park but Rye Playland has a nice gate.

Unless I am looking at the wrong structure.