Posted on Fri, Jan. 12, 2007

Marine World ready to take on new name

VALLEJO: Industry sources say park's announcement also to include design changes

By Matthias Gafni

MEDIANEWS STAFF

The Marine World brand will soon be sleeping with the fishes.

On Wednesday, Six Flags President and CEO Mark Shapiro is scheduled to visit the Vallejo park and announce its new name - Six Flags Discovery Kingdom - industry sources said Thursday.

The corporate head will also announce a new design to the park, dividing the property into Sky, Sea and Land, sources said.

"It's the whole re-branding thing," said Tim Baldwin, a writer with Texas-based amusement park trade magazine Amusement Today.

"They're trying to capture a little niche with each part of the park offering a different experience," he said.

Six Flags officials remained tight-lipped Thursday about what they planned to announce.

"We don't want to confirm anything right now," said park spokeswoman Nancy Chan. "Everything is under a shroud of secrecy."

Speculation grew last week when park officials mailed out press fliers announcing Wednesday's press conference with Shapiro, touting a "landmark announcement."

"We are aware they intend to change the name of the park," said Jim Reikowsky, of the Vallejo Convention and Visitors Bureau, who had not yet learned the new name.

Six Flags Marine World came to Vallejo from Redwood City in 1986 as Marine World Africa USA.

In addition to the name change and new park design, the park plans on adding a Holiday in the Park event for December 2007, said Amusement Today editor/publisher Gary Slade.

"It's a themed-Christmas operation. They put up millions and millions of Christmas lights, have Christmas-themed shows, Christmas decorations," Slade said. "It's like their Halloween event (Fright Fest), but for Christmas.

"It's a good way for Six Flags to stretch the season to make more money and stretch their revenue, but at the same time it also keeps your kids employed -- offering more economic assistance to your community."

The park's plans came to light as Six Flags, Inc. announced Thursday it agreed to sell three of its water parks, including Concord's Waterworld USA, and four of its theme parks.

The Vallejo park appears safe.

"I would anticipate at this time, with them adding the holiday park and the name change that this is a park they want to hang on to," Slade said.

Reach Matthias Gafni of the Vallejo Times-Herald at mgafni@thnewsnet.com or 707-553-6825.

Name changes

Marine World Africa USA moved to Vallejo and became, successively:

• New Marine World Theme Park

• Six Flags Marine World

• Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (to debut this year)

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctime.../printstory.jsp

Nice new name. For once i like a Six F;ag's parks name. Wow i cant beleive i just said that.

As I've said, CF better watch out for Six Flags.

Folks were also excited over the change from Geauga Lake+Sea World to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. We all know how that turned out. They may have sucess with the remaining parks they own and opperate, but Six Flags and Cedar Fair are not in heated competition like they were during the Coaster Arms Race seen between SFMM and CP during the 90's and early 00's.

WooferBearATL and RailRider locked in the eternal struggle to agree to disagree about Six Flags and Cedar Fair.

And I just want to see Busch compete with both...

One of many reasons that Kings Dominion should be a nice park, and will doubtlessly get major investments in the future....competition, something the Ohio parks now face mostly only from competing forms of entertainment, not other parks.

^

Well I think you are right about KD and that Cedar Fair feels the same way. Afterall they did receive the 2nd largest capital investment this year within the firm.

Well, to a lesser extend PKI does face a little (very little based on people`s experiences that I`ve heard about) at SFKK. Granted, not all of PKI`s visitors come from the Louisville area, but I`d imagine that some guests will make the drive up 71 to the park.

But that is in by no means the same type of competition that PKD faces with Busch Gardens nearby. As stated above, PKD will continue to see investments in the park to try and persuade people to visit KD instead of Busch.