CoastersRZ Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 In an article that appeared in the Toledo Blade there was some interesting news about Cedar Fairs interest in at least Kings Island. After the meeting, Mr. Kinzel revealed Cedar Fair is considering buying Kings Island, an amusement park near Cincinnati that was put up for sale by its owner, CBS Corp. That park is one of five in CBS' Paramount Parks division. Read the full article here. At least we now have confirmation that they have an interest in buying Kings Island, even with them owning the other two major Ohio amusement parks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 I can't wait to see how this all unfolds. You can love or hate Cedar Fair, but you have to admit, this is all exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterXtreme Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Told you guys the Cedar Fair was going to buy PKI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincyboy0830 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Told you guys the Cedar Fair was going to buy PKI Cedar Fair is obviously the best pick to buy PKI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincyboy0830 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Cedar Point ROCKS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincyboy0830 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 I hope they buy the park . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Despite this news, I'd still be SHOCKED if CF was the loan buyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Cedar Fair is obviously the best pick to buy PKI. And You're basing this on what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPKI Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 I hope they buy the park . I hope they don't. Like WooferBear said, how do you know that's that best option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted May 20, 2006 Author Share Posted May 20, 2006 I don`t know, Busch could also be a good fit for Kings Island. It will be interesting to see what happens. I certainly do not think that Cedar Fair would be buying all five Paramount Parks. They simply won`t have the funds to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 I don`t know, Busch could also be a good fit for Kings Island. It will be interesting to see what happens. I certainly do not think that Cedar Fair would be buying all five Paramount Parks. They simply won`t have the funds to do so. I suppose that CF buying Kings Island would kinda be an assurance that I would be admitted directly into heaven. Why? Because it means that I would have put my pennance in here on Earth. Lord! First to put up with Paramount all these years and then to be purchased by a park that was our main competition (at least when I worked at the park) and rivals. It would be like the Reds being purchased by the Dodgers. <G> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKlockster Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 That would be so amazing if Cedar Fair bought it... After finally going to Cedar Point - I have to say that their rides totally own ours... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vortexdemon05 Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Paramount's Kings Island a Cedar Fair Company!!! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilMayChew Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Could someone correct me if i am wrong on this, but i saw that Cedar Point only hires 18+ people? what will happen to all the Minors at KI if CF buys the park? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 ^ CedarFair does hire minors, but they are not relied on as much at CP as KI relies on them. The workforce at GL has a makeup that resembles KI's more so than what CPs does. Would make good sense to monopolize the Ohio Market. Not to mention having a seasson pass would be spectaculare. 3 great parks in one state and not to mention the probable addition of a new ride every year or every other year. Also KI would become more or a resort like CP has. Kinzel does an excelent job running CedaFair, not to mention he is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Cross your fingers folks. CedarFair = Excelent Food Services, More Entertainment, and huge Thrill Rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted May 20, 2006 Author Share Posted May 20, 2006 Well, first of all, if Cedar Fair bought Kings Island, it would not no longer be called Paramount`s Kings Island, the name would revert back to Kings Island. Secondly, Dick Kinzel is retiring after next year. So he won`t be in control of the company for much longer. Secondly, the one thing I am concerned about with Cedar Fair is I do not believe that PKI will see a new addition every single year like they have in the past. Also, hopefully Cedar Fair (if they do buy the park) keeps WinterFest and FearFest around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastergirl Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 We went to Cedar Point today and I have to say... I think PKI could take some pointers from them. Mainly in the price of food. I think the food at Cedar Point is half the price of the food at PKI and their coasters or top notch. We rode TTD for the first time today and it was probably the best coaster I have ever been on. The rush that you get from it is AWESOME! I have never experienced anything like it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKlockster Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 They would probably keep Fearfest but not Winterfest. And they would probably add a few awesome new rides to at least bring the park back to decent, then probably do like the rest of their parks and get one ever few years. And they could put in high thrill family rides - like Paramount will not ever put in. Something like Storm Runner or Kanonen could be like a family friendly version of what Dragster is. And they could put in something like Superman Ride of Steel which goes along with their Millennium Force type coaster, on a smaller scale... The beautiful thing about Cedar Fair is that they are B&M and Intamin happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 ^ ^ ^ Yeah they could do all those things or they could update the food services, bring in more entertainment shows, and upkeep the theming of their rides better. Adding new blockbuster rides is the SixFlags solution and we see how that ended up for them. Go visit SFMM for a miserable guest experience, but great rides if they are opperating. CedarFair would improve the guest experience at KI and then drop some new blockbuster thrill rides around the park. Look at what they have and are doing with GL. I would expect the same treatment to KI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincyboy0830 Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 ^ ^ ^ Yeah they could do all those things or they could update the food services, bring in more entertainment shows, and upkeep the theming of their rides better. Adding new blockbuster rides is the SixFlags solution and we see how that ended up for them. Go visit SFMM for a miserable guest experience, but great rides if they are opperating. CedarFair would improve the guest experience at KI and then drop some new blockbuster thrill rides around the park. Look at what they have and are doing with GL. I would expect the same treatment to KI. They aren't going to drop the paramount theming when the new owner buys PKI, those are protected by paramount co. (i.e. nickelodeon universe). I read that in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted May 20, 2006 Author Share Posted May 20, 2006 Huh? They aren`t going to drop the Paramount theming because they are protected by the Paramount Co? Well for starters, Paramount is a division of Viacom International. Secondly, Nickelodeon is also a division of Viacom. CBS, the current owners of PKI and Paramount Parks used to be owned by Viacom, until it split into two companies earlier this year. Secondly, whoever buys the parks will likely be given a license agreement (for a small fee of course) to buy the rights to the Paramount and Nickelodeon names. Whether the new owner opts to buy those rights will be up to the new owner, and if they think the price is worth it. I think it would be wise for the future owner to try and secure the rights to Nickelodeon. They could pass on Paramount and CBS rights, but Nickelodeon is big with kids right now, and that is currently PKI`s prime demographic: children and their families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersNSich Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 One thing I hope does stay with the park, if Cedar Fair decides to buy KI, is the Nickelodeon licensing. I would be shocked if anything Paramount would remain though. As a refresher, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon are part of the Viacom corp, while CBS Corp. owns the Paramount Parks. Now, the only bidder that is currently in the park business, that I see interested, is Cedar Fair. There is most likely another company, not currently in the amusement park business, that is more likely to keep things "status quo," including Paramount theming and the Paramount name. My $0.02: If Cedar Fair becomes the new owner, it will be for the better of the park. More consistency, some bad, but mostly good, on the way. "Kings Island, a Cedar Fair, L.P. Park" may just get the B&M (or similar large steel of other manufacturer) that's been missing. EDIT: Once again, CoastersRZ beats me (although parts of his post are different)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Picard Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Wouldn't you like to be the one that replaces Dick Kinzel? Dick Kinzel is making the bed but the new guy gets to sleep in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragerunner Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 I think Cedar Fair has aquired the other 4 parks already and that their is a bidding war going on between Cedar Fair and Busch for Kings Island. If this is right, we shall see, I sure hope Busch wins. If Busch buys the park you will see: Better food, shopping, landscaping, theming, shows, some Clydesdales, a seperated gated waterpark, a great B&M and the ability to pay for your pass by the month. Please let Busch by the park. Cedar Fair is a good company but I am not for an amusement park monopoly in Ohio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Attack! Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 KI most definatley relies heavily on minors. If all of a sudden KI lost all their minors in the park they would barely have enough staff to run the rides let alone the food, games, and shows, How does CP get by with not many minors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Young adults from foreign countries come to spend the summer at CP. Why do you think they have all the housing. Get a lot of international college students who need a good job for the summer while college is on break, so they move into the CP dorms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted May 20, 2006 Author Share Posted May 20, 2006 I thought that it was just the rides department at Cedar Point that required employees to be 18 years of age or older. At one time, I believe the state of Ohio was considering making it law for all ride operators in the state to be 18 or older, instead of 16. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delirium13 Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 As good as a park Cedar Point is, I'm still hoping, although it seems less likely now, that Anheuser-Busch buys the park. Because as everyone else has said, they landscape beautifully, they theme stuff nicely and keep their theming working, Better Food, They add B&M rollercoasters, and they keep the overall atmosphere of their parks great. But if Cedar Fair does buy the park I hope that they take care of Kings Island like they do for Cedar Point and that they don't just buy it so they won't have to worry about competition. If they do everything like they do at Cedar Point to ings Island, then I guess it won't be bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 I really can't imagine that anyone would spend the money to purchase the park and then keep Paramount Theming. That's like McDonalds buying Wendy's and keeping it as a Wendy's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Well thats just bad business to buy a park and then let it go so you dont have to worry about competition. Make a huge investment and then let it go to crap, yep makes sense to me. CF could liscence the Nick rights like they do with Peanuts, but I doubt any of the other movie themes would stay. But honestly KI could keep their current themes just change the names and a few signs and you would still have the same experience just a some what generic form. Like they did at GL, just less theming. Anyways besides NU very few attractions have a liscenced theme at KI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.