What about Star Trek & Bonfante Gardens?

[italianchef]

The deal is done. The 5 Paramount parks will now become Cedar Fair parks. Groovy.

But what about Star Trek: The Experience? It is directly related to Paramount Pictures and it is NOT an amusement park. Though CF now owns it, does it make sense for CF to keep it? Does anyone think they will close it down or sell it? I think it was a mistake for Viacom to put it under PP's management when the company split in half last year.

Any ideas on the future of Star Trek: The Experience?

And what about Bonfante Gardens? Paramount Parks did NOT own the park, but managed it. Will Cedar Fair manage the park or does the park need to seek new management? Does anyone know?

Have a great day!

Italian Chef

[WooferBearATL]

You'll notice on the CF map that neither are listed.

[Reclaimer]

If I recall from one of the conference calls, Kinzel said they were getting the managing contract for Bonfante.

[jzarley]

ST:TE is a joint owned venture with Hilton Hotels, so it's not CF's decision alone to simply "close it down." They may decide to sell their share to another operator, but it's definitely an attraction that is brand/theme dependent.

I agree that it might have been better for Viacom to keep control of ST:TE during the split. After all, Star Trek is one of the most valuable media franchises they own.

As far as Bonfante Gardens go it's hard to say...although CF is no stranger to management contracts like this (Camp Snoopy). The cynic in me always figured that Paramount took the management contract there more to protect PGA than anything else. The last thing they wanted was SF (or CF) coming in to Bonfante and making it a direct competitor. Of course now, that doesn't seem like much of a concern...

[Vortex]

I can see Star Trek: The Experience close down. It was not that well run and keeped up. To get to Star Trek: The Experience you have to get a bus or drive to the Hitlon at the end of the strip.

[CoastersRZ]

No, ST:TE will not close down. Why? Because as it was stated before, Cedar Fair does not entirely own it. It is a joint venture between (now) CF and the Las Vegas Hilton. I`m sure that Hilton doesn`t want to loose the attraction, which is a big draw to their property on the strip.

[jzarley]

I can see Star Trek: The Experience close down. It was not that well run and keeped up. To get to Star Trek: The Experience you have to get a bus or drive to the Hitlon at the end of the strip.

...or, maybe just take the monorail that goes right through the middle of it and connects all the major hotels. Also, it's not on the Strip...it's on Paradise Rd, and directly attached to the Las Vegas Convention Center...one of the busiest in the world.

I'm not quite sure how to even address the "keeped up" comment

[italianchef]

I think that Cedar Fair will end up selling their share of Star Trek: The Experience. First off, they didn't include it on their map of parks. That alone makes me wonder. And secondly, ST: TE really doesn't fit Cedar Fair. It is a movie-based, Vegas attraction. CF is an amusement park business without any connections to Hollywood. That's my opinion anyway.

If Mr. K. is reading this email, I will gladly take Star Trek: The Experience of Cedar Fair's hands for $200. That's all I can afford.

Have a great day!

Italian Chef

[scotty]

for what its worth.... they are now on the list on cedarfair.com

[Reality15]

And what's more surprising is that the Cedar Fair releases say that they "Operate Bonfante Gardens" but "Own and Operate Star Trek Experience"... I thought STE was a joint venture with Hilton?

[CoastersRZ]

It is a joint venture. The LV Hilton owns the building in which ST:TE is in, but Cedar Fair owns all the actual equipment used in the ST:TE.