Viacom's Financial Results--2004

[Scooby_Doo]

Can't they put it on layaway?

LOL,thats funny you made my day LOL

[Ben]

If the parks are sold, I highly doubt they would keep the names.

[thejoker8388]

There would be no need to do any of those things. Cedar Fair is pumping money into Geauga with this huge water park expansion. The vision is to basically go back to the old days as Geauga Lake. Back in the day, when Geauga Lake was a family destination, they heavily advertised in the Pittsburgh area. There was a big draw there for them. Then the battle between PKI and CP, I'm sorry, but neither is a direct competitor of one another. All three parks have operated for years in the state with no problem. I think it'll certainly continue that way.

While I agree that PKI and CP aren't direct competitors they do compete over attendence from the largest city in Ohio, that being Columbus. I happen to live in Columbus and know for a fact that CP draws most of the Columbus crowds. So while although neither needs Columbus to survive it is a large area that they do battle over.

[CoastersRZ]

Ben, if the parks are sold, they would likely loose their Paramount moniker. However, they would remain the same named parks, IE Kings Island, Carowinds, Kings Dominion, Great America and Canada`s Wonderland. Personally I do not forsee Cedar Fair buying the parks. Also, I would like it if the Blackstone group bought Paramount Parks, since they own 50% of Universal Florida. But I doubt they want to risk the capital on Paramount Parks, when they might be able to buy the remaining 50% of Universal Florida from NBC/GE in the coming years. I do think that they would breing great things to PKI and the other Paramount Parks, but I think their would not be a big enough ROI due to the seasonal nature of the Paramount Parks.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming months. And also how it relates to rides such as Top Gun, Tomb Raider, and Italian Job Stunt Track. I would assume that the Parks would maintain a license contract with Paramount and Nickelodeon like they did with Hanna Barbera when KECO, and then American Financial and then Paramount bought the parks.

[Reality15]

Wow, this is getting quite interesting...

Earlier in this thread, I explained how it was very unlikely that Cedar Fair would want to buy King's Island, but now that I look at the evidence that's here, I'm beginning to get a bit suspicious.

Back when Six Flags Ohio became Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, a small rumor came out saying that Cedar Fair would be interested in buying the park. The guy that started the rumor was flamed at and was told the whole situation was unlikely. People stated that it was stupid to have two parks in the same state and basically the same reasons you guys are giving here. Of course, we all know what happened with Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, so it won't be repeated here.

Now, it looks as though that process is about to happen again. Flame me all you want, but I feel as though the second Paramount Parks are put up on the block, Cedar Fair will come in with a nice offer and buy the parks before anyone else can. The same thing happened with Knott's and Michigan's Adventure, and Cedar Fair acquired both of those within days after they went on the market.

(from the other thread) thejoker8388, giving parks capital for new rides because they're big is not how Cedar Fair works. Cedar Fair has an unwritten rule that "what you make is what you get", and therefore if a park makes a lot of money, they'll get a lot of money for new capital. If a park doesn't make much, they don't get much.

Owning Cedar Point and Geauga Lake would have very little effect on pushing Cedar Fair to buy the park. As stated, the parks are quite a distance apart (with the exception of Cedar Point <----> Geauga Lake), and if they really wanted to combine the parks they would need something in... I don't know, Columbus?

Alright, I think I'm done. Maybe something I'll do today is go through and make a little thing that would have the names changed to Cedar Fair, somewhat like they did with Geauga Lake (some new, some used). That might be fun for a Saturday activity.

Best of luck to the Paramount crew in their decision!

*~* Reality

[Jasper]

I hope they dont sell it that would take all the fun out of going to Kings Island.

[fyrfyter]

Everyone keeps talking about PKi being bought out. Everyone needs to look at the bigger picture. All the companies that are in financial constraints, would really displease their investors, if they buried the company further in debt. Even though they pick up several more parks. I would look for the Paramount Parks chain, to be bought by an outside firm. Did you see the name Goldman Sachs mentioned in the article? Big firm, with lots of money. If anything were to happen, I could definitely see an outside firm buying the Paramount group, running it for a few years, and then start chasing after other groups of parks to add to their Paramount group. There are only 2 Anheuser-Busch Parks. This group could easily buy the Paramount group, and then turn around quickly and buy up those parks as well. It makes financial sense. You buy one big group of parks to get your foot in the door, and then you start taking over smaller groups of parks to give you a larger foothold. If you can keep the group in the black at all, you come out ahead and the investors are happy. If some is good more is better, and as other companies loose out, and begin to get rid of their parks, this new company continues to grow. No matter what, from what various articles say, I would bet that before the end of this season, The group of Paramount Parks will be sold.

[Captain Picard]

I agree, I think the Paramount Parks will be sold by next season. I think they already have the buyer.

I don't think Anheuser-Busch would want it but they did say they was making PKI look more Busch like.

[PkiJake13]

^Your right Jeff Sibeirt said how they want to make the entrance and parking lot Bush Gardens like.

If they are selling them then why are they putting Itakian Job in this year? Why put such a highly themed ride in this year and sell it next year. This year there adding 2 IJST, a Nick Central, TR:FF, and a Boomerang Bay upgrade. Ithese additions have a tie in to tv or movies. Universal bought the parks, PCW AND PKI could theme the Italian Job into Fast and the Furious. I guess you could say there trying to make the parks worth more, bu then will a knew buyer want to buy a Viacom license?

-Jake

[CoastersRZ]

I would assume that the Nickelodeon license will be part of the sale agreement, seeing as how popular Nick Toons are. It will probabaly be similar to the Hanna Barbera license when KECO and later Paramount bought the parks. The question is would the owner`s buy the license to the Paramount movies and related entities. If not, then PKI`s Action Zone will have to have three major attractions renamed (Face Off, Drop Zone and Top Gun). Also, it would be really hard to retheme Tomb Raider, since that has all the props from the movie in it. It will be interesting to see what develops in the coming months to a year. Who knows, but PKI could once again become just KI.

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

Who knows, but PKI could once again become just KI.

Woohoo!

[italianchef]

Wow! This is potentially big news. If Viacom were to sell off Paramount's Parks, here is my analysis:

Universal Studios:

- Advantages:

1. They are already licensed with Nickelodeon and Hanna-Barbera in thier other parks. Hence, the kiddie parks can stay the same.

2. It is the ultimate movie park group! It would be able to tweek the movie theming of the parks from Paramount to Universal Studios.

3. It would improve the parks by getting actors to walk around that look like Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplain, etc.

4. People in those areas would flock to the parks to feel the atmosphere of Hollywood at home.

- Disadvantages:

1. It would cost them a LOT of money to build some of the rides at Paramount's Parks that they offer at their parks, such as Terminator 3D, Men in Black, etc.

Cedar Fair:

- Advantages

1. Their parks are similar to Paramount's Parks in ride offerings. It would be relatively easy to absorb the parks and assimulate them to the corporate culture.

Disadvantages:

1. They would have to replace Nickelodeon and Hanna-Barbera (which is expiring soon anyway) with Peanuts or pay to have the Nickelodeon license.

Six Flags

* As far as I can see, they have no desire for the purchase.

Busch Group

* As far as I can see, they have no desire for the purchase.

Anyway, that's just my opinion. Regardless of who purchases the parks - assuming that Paramount even sells them, they will still be awesome.

And quite frankly, if Paramount sells, I hope that Universal Studios buys PKI and transforms it to a Universal Studios in Mason. But that would be too good to be true. Terminator 3D, Back to the Future, ET, and so on in Mason. Nah! Just wishful thinking.

Have a great day!

Italian Chef

[Ben]

Six Flags

* As far as I can see, they have no desire for the purchase.

Amen to that!

[italianchef]

I would assume that the Nickelodeon license will be part of the sale agreement, seeing as how popular Nick Toons are. It will probabaly be similar to the Hanna Barbera license when KECO and later Paramount bought the parks. The question is would the owner`s buy the license to the Paramount movies and related entities. If not, then PKI`s Action Zone will have to have three major attractions renamed (Face Off, Drop Zone and Top Gun). Also, it would be really hard to retheme Tomb Raider, since that has all the props from the movie in it. It will be interesting to see what develops in the coming months to a year. Who knows, but PKI could once again become just KI.

Any company purchasing PKI would have to re-name: Top Gun, Face/Off, Congo Falls, Days of Thunder, Paramount Action Zone, Wings Diner, Preston T. Tucker's Roadside Cafe (or whatever is supposed to replace it), Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay, Bubba Gump Shrimp Shack, and quite possibly all Nickelodeon related rides and attractions as well. Since TR:TR is so perfectly correlated to the movie - it would have to go completely. That's my guess anyway.

This much I'll say, no matter who buys PKI, The Beast is in no danger of being removed or re-named.

Oddly, I'm also thinking that it might be easier for Viacom to sell off the Paramount's Parks individually than as a group due to the huge cost. That's just my opinion anyway.

Have a great off season!

Italian Chef

[Ben]

Lol, watch this all be a joke.

[CoastersRZ]

Yes, the $800 million to $1 billion is a steep amount of money. I`m sure companies like Cedar Fair would be more interested in one or two of the parks for about a fourth of the reported cost for all five. I believe that if they are sold, which seems like Viacom wants to in order to focus on its core assets, they will most likely be bought out by the former Viacom Exectutive, McGrath and his investors. The only question would then become do the parks still carry the Paramount moniker and still have the licensing of Paramount and Nickelodeon. Since it would almost be like spinning off Paramount Parks into its own seperate operating company, I could see them keeping/buying the licenses.

It definantly sounds like Viacom is for real about selling the park division. I too would like to see Cdar Fair or Universal buy the parks. Both could bring awesome changs to the park, minus the name changes. Only time will tell what the future holds for our beloved park and its owenership.

If PKI is bought out and has to get rid of the licensed rides, I do not forsee them tearing down Tomb Raider. But they will have to do some major work to that ride, or specifically buy the license for that ride, as the cost to retheme and reprogram the preshow and all the props would probably be pretty steep.

[PkiJake13]

^They could take down the themeing and building and make it a outside giant top spin. They would need to paint it and they would probably add huge foutains.

-Jake

[CoastersRZ]

Yes, but taking down the building would cost a significant amount of money.

[Captain Picard]

I think it could be like the new park in China is going to be. Viacom is not going to own it but it has the Paramount name. Viacom would still make money from it and not own it.

I would bet that Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton is this way. Hilton is the ones with the money in it and Viacom puts their name on it.

[italianchef]

If we are to have change, I hope that it's BIG change, and not an accounting change that doesn't affect the way daily operations are conducted.

Have a great off season!

Italian Chef

[thejoker8388]

^What types of changes would you like to see then Chef. I know I'd like to see PKI expand out onto more of their land but thats just me.

[italianchef]

I'd like to see Kings Island become more of a Hollywood Park, regardless of who owns it. I want to go there and see actors who resemble the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Crocodile Dundee, etc. EVERY DAY!

I want to get on rides, such as TR:TR, that have props from REAL Hollywood movies.

I want Hollywood! I want stars - or at least their imposters. I want to RIDE the movies like I have at Disney MGM Studios and Universal Studios.

And I want EVERYONE at PKI to keep their jobs. They are a great crew.

May the Force be with us!

Italian Chef

[TheKlockster]

For me - theming isn't that important. With some rides, like Italian Job and Tomb Raider - the theming makes the ride. But FACE/OFF could just as easily be called the Cincinnati Boomerang - and it would still be cool. Top Gun could be Thunder Road. What does it matter if Vortex is a big robot or a teletubby (well that might be pushing it). So I would like to see Busch Gardens or Cedar Fair take it over.

[AZ Kinda Guy]

I bet the snapper was right and everyone bashed him when he mentioned it.

Whatever...Someone with the license plate "CDR FAIR" shows up at the park over the summer and now the whole chain is POSSIBLY up for sale. I call it dumb luck...And if I'm not mistaken, that was around the time Kinzel was at the park to check out Delirium anyways.

[familyman]

I'd like to see Kings Island become more of a Hollywood Park, regardless of who owns it. I want to go there and see actors who resemble the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Crocodile Dundee, etc. EVERY DAY!

I want to get on rides, such as TR:TR, that have props from REAL Hollywood movies.

I want Hollywood! I want stars - or at least their imposters. I want to RIDE the movies like I have at Disney MGM Studios and Universal Studios.

And I want EVERYONE at PKI to keep their jobs. They are a great crew.

May the Force be with us!

Italian Chef

You have my vote. Paramount has been doing great things with the parks. If and when it happens I hope the entire chain is sold to one company and they keep the pars alive.