Geauga Lake Removes Two Roller Coasters

[The Interpreter]

Geauga Lake removes two roller coasters

X-Flight and Steel Venom vanish, to reappear elsewhere

By: Ryan Haidet

Posted: 4/10/07

It's a common summer tradition — spending a good ol' day at the local amusement park.

When guests arrive at Geauga Lake and Wildwater Kingdom in Aurora this summer, however, they will see that two of the 10 roller coasters are gone.

The park has announced that X-Flight and Steel Venom (formerly called Superman — Ultimate Escape) will be removed from the park.

"We believe that these two great roller coasters will be excellent additions to other Cedar Fair amusement parks," said Bryan Edwards, public relations manager for Geauga Lake and Cedar Point, in an e-mail. "In fact, X-Flight is going to be introduced at Kings Island this year."

X-Flight has already been dismantled and taken to its new home near Cincinnati. Kings Island was purchased when Cedar Fair, the owners of Geauga Lake and Cedar Point, bought all the Paramount Parks last May.

X-Flight will become Firehawk, Kings Island's 14th roller coaster. The newly painted red track is currently being rebuilt.

"Guests of Kings Island are very excited about the addition of Firehawk," Edwards said. "Response has been very positive."

X-Flight was Ohio's first and only flying roller coaster when it opened in 2001 during the Six Flags era. It stood right next to state Route 43, its green track jutting into the sky. Once at the top of the lift hill, the train would flip over, forcing riders into a flying-like position.

Steel Venom, which is currently being dismantled, was the first roller coaster of its kind. Its red and blue structure had two spikes poking more than 180 feet into the sky in a U-shaped track. Located near X-Flight, Steel Venom would blast riders 70 mph back and forth between the two spikes.

"Steel Venom is being removed from Geauga Lake and will be put into storage," Edwards said. "It will be reintroduced at another Cedar Fair Entertainment Company amusement park in the future. However, I do not have any additional information on where it will be going or when at this time."

Costly coasters

Aurora Mayor Lynn McGill said the reason for the removal is because of the cost to operate the rides.

"They're expensive rides as far as maintenance when you have 700,000 people coming to the park," McGill said. "They were put there by Six Flags, built almost on the street and they require high ridership in order to maintain them. Since they don't have high ridership at Geauga Lake, they are moving them to the Paramount Parks where they have just purchased property."

McGill said he is pleased with the decision to get the rides out of the park.

"I'm sure the people up in the Geauga Lake area and the city are happy because they won't have all that noise," McGill said. "They were loud rides. Not so much the ride being noisy but everybody screeching and yelling."

He said he's happy Cedar Fair is now in charge of Geauga Lake because Six Flags "ran a lousy park," leaving many customers unhappy with their experience.

"Cedar Fair knows how to run parks, but will it always be here? I don't know," McGill said. "They have to make money or it's not going to be here. As far as the park, it doesn't mean that much to the city of Aurora. I mean it used to, but not now. We're receiving hardly any benefit from the park - at the most, $30,000 a year. We used to receive $700,000 a year. It would be wonderful for families to come, and those seeking the rides as well as the waterpark. It would help this community as well."

The removal of the scream machines came as a surprise to some. Whether the decision was right or not is a roller coaster of opinions in itself.

Jeff Putz, chief editor and Web master at the popular CoasterBuzz.com, said he thinks the removal of the rides was the right decision.

"It doesn't surprise me that they decided to remove two coasters, because Six Flags overbuilt the park," the roller coaster enthusiast said in an e-mail. "Building big rides can score a temporary rise in attendance, but it doesn't give you any assurance that people will keep coming back. That's a mistake the former executives at Six Flags made over and over."

Changing focus

Putz, who goes to the park every other week during the season, said the rides didn't fit the park's focus.

"I think the focus on the park is the right one overall, because they've become the only game in town," Putz said. "With the right marketing approach, I think they'll be a winner in the long run. The only real problem is that the park has is its layout around that big lake. They solved this partially by moving the floating bridge right down the middle. It would be neat if they added a train or something to get people around as well."

Mike Piechuta, another visitor to the park, said he wasn't upset about the news on X-Flight, but was shocked about Steel Venom.

"I feel that Geauga Lake is heading in the wrong direction because they are a park that is overshadowed by Cedar Point, and if they want to bring in more customers then they have to have something that will appeal to people in order for them to visit the park," Piechuta said. "I think that the park is not going to last much longer and it will end up closing. This is sad because it was convenient to a lot of people that live two to three hours away from Cedar Point and now the appeal for the park has dropped even more. Hopefully with the removal of these rides they will have room to build a new coaster."

Rosie Dietz, who has been a season-pass holder at Geauga Lake for the last few years, said she was surprised, but isn't upset.

"I like Steel Venom but I think it's an overrated ride and the line is usually too long for it," Dietz said. "Plus they have a ride at Cedar Point that is exactly the same it just has a different name."

A former employee of the park, Craig Rosenthal, said he thinks the park has other intentions.

"When I heard that Steel Venom was being removed, I immediately thought that they have two ideas for the park," Rosenthal, the junior theater major said in an e-mail. "One idea being that they are getting rid of the rides and making Geauga Lake more of a waterpark rather than an amusement park. The second idea being that Cedar Fair is trying to close down Geauga Lake for good. Six Flags ruined the reputation of that park by keeping it a mess and not maintaining it properly, and when Cedar Fair moved in and took away the animals, I knew that Geauga Lake wasn't going to last long. The removal is proof of it, I think."

According to a press release from the park, the Bel Aire Express, better known as the monorail, will also be removed.

New for the season will be the 3-D movie "LEGO Racers," more pool-side cabanas, and several other new and updated attractions.

"We are planning on adding video cameras to the Thunderhawk roller coaster so guests can purchase a video of themselves riding the coaster," Edwards said. "We are also doing our routine winter maintenance to our roller coasters, including some retracking of The Villain roller coaster."

Also this year, a season pass is available that allows access to all of the Cedar Fair parks — including Kings Island.

These new attractions can be seen when Geauga Lake opens its gates on May 26.

Contact features correspondent Ryan Haidet at rchaidet@kent.edu.

http://media.www.stateronline.com/media/st...s-2830957.shtml

[Cody]

Theirs our 2008 attraction ,Steel Venom. =D

[Browntggrr]

Theirs our 2008 attraction ,Steel Venom. =D

Are you using the same sources as you have in the past?

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?...ic=8730&hl=

Rumor Smasher said on Demember 22, 2006:

I believe Son of Beast isn't in the 2007 Capital Addition... and like i said in my last post, we didn't buy X-flight it was a "inside" trade. So therefor I believe that there are two new attractions. Also im betting that Thejoker8388 couldnt tell how far 10million USD goes in the amusement parks... I want a fine example from you Thejoker8388 , I would like to add some Major thrill rides Kings Island added that are 10million usd or under

[Kennywooddude]

Why is it that everytime the news does a story on GL, they make it seem all doom and gloom like it's going to close? Their attendence was up last year even though we had a shortened season. If CF would lighten up and bring back The Haunt, then we could get the numbers and people wouldn't be all "GL is closing tomorrow because they took out two coasters..."

[thejoker8388]

Thanks for pointing that out Browntggrr. I never even saw him call me out like that but as you just showed I think it's pretty justified to say he has no idea what he's talking about. Everything that I've read suggests that Dorney will be getting Steel Venom next year.

[The Interpreter]

....especially certain zoning hearings....

[Reclaimer]

Since they don't have high ridership at Geauga Lake, they are moving them to the Paramount Parks where they have just purchased property."

(Emphasis added)

Simply uninformed, or a slip-up of sorts?

Count me in as one of the people that believes it's going to Dorney...But that quote just keeps sticking out too. Granted, it's from a person that could very well have been mistaken. Who knows.

[Kennywooddude]

It's exactly from a person who is mistaken.

[Reclaimer]

That's what I say too, but I had to throw it out there for people to chew on.

[Jasper]

Seems to me like CF is just trying to slowly but surely get rid of GL and make CP the only amusement park up that way. Kind of sad to see.

[Browntggrr]

^That is exactly what the media is trying to portray about GL.

The decisions to remove both rides were purely business related. Why have Ohio's only flying coaster in a park that draws minimal attendance? GL is a regional park, not destination park. SF tried to put in all those coasters to take away from CP and failed horribly. Might as well remove the ride and put it in a park that it will gain more attention.

[mutedarkness]

This is a lot more publicity then the park receviced since the six flags area.

[Cody]

o we will just have to see about this one! Steel Venom ftw

[mutedarkness]

thats the one im gonna miss riding...

[Cory Butcher]

I think he was just uninformed, unless of course Paramount had a park in Pennsylvania...which, to my knowledge they don't!

GL will be fine, parks all over have had trouble surviving at a little over 450,000 a year, but GL manages to pull in 700, 000 they will be fine! Heck even ole miserable Wyandot Lake next to the zoo was able to sustain for ever...until of course The zoo decided that a polar exhibit would draw in more money than old Sea Dragon and some water slides! As of now Geuaga Lake is going to be like a souped up LeSourdsville Lake with a water park. And, LeSourdsville Lake/Americana had less to draw with (aside from the history of the lake and Screechin' Eagle) than GL. Also, don't forget that for the last several years from the late 90's to 2002 when it closed for good, the park was in a very financially strapped area. It is just now that 63 is being widened and the 75 Corridor expanded. If LL could do it marginally while pulling in 400,000 in a financially strapped area, then GL can deffinately stay around at 600,000-700,000! And as long as she draws in money, she'll stay!

[King Maple The Tree King]

Theirs our 2008 attraction ,Steel Venom. =D

It's going to Dorney, the park just recently represented themselves in front of a South Whitehall Township zoning board to appeal for a temprary pardon from heigh restriction amendments on their current zoning agreement and for permission to construct a new power supply.

Rumor smashed.

[jzarley]

I think he was just uninformed, unless of course Paramount had a park in Pennsylvania...which, to my knowledge they don't!

GL will be fine, parks all over have had trouble surviving at a little over 450,000 a year, but GL manages to pull in 700, 000 they will be fine! Heck even ole miserable Wyandot Lake next to the zoo was able to sustain for ever...until of course The zoo decided that a polar exhibit would draw in more money than old Sea Dragon and some water slides! As of now Geuaga Lake is going to be like a souped up LeSourdsville Lake with a water park. And, LeSourdsville Lake/Americana had less to draw with (aside from the history of the lake and Screechin' Eagle) than GL. Also, don't forget that for the last several years from the late 90's to 2002 when it closed for good, the park was in a very financially strapped area. It is just now that 63 is being widened and the 75 Corridor expanded. If LL could do it marginally while pulling in 400,000 in a financially strapped area, then GL can deffinately stay around at 600,000-700,000! And as long as she draws in money, she'll stay!

You might want to check your facts on the Zoo's plan for the former Wyandot Lake... Your post made it sound like the Zoo was doing away with the water park...quite the contrary.

Sea Dragon will be retained as part of the revised "dry park", as well as several other dry rides. The waterpark will be completely redone with new slides and a new wave pool. The new water/amusement park will be rethemed with a Galapogos (sp?) Island theme, and will more than double in size from the previous Wyandot Lake.

It's a multi-million dollar project (scheduled to open in 2008).

http://www.funworldmagazine.com/2007/mar/f...gingStrips.html

[King Maple The Tree King]

^Thanks for pointing that out jzarley, also in regards to your post Cory Butcher, sure there are simalaritys between LeSourdsville Lake and Geuaga Lake, however their circumstances are quite different from everything regarding management, ownership, zoning, location, economy, area, and work force. There are multiple other factors that you have forgotten to take into consideration and really their circumstances are not that similar. The fate of Geauga Lake is still to be determined and how this upcoming season goes for them will be one of many things to determine that fate.

[Cory Butcher]

You might want to check your facts on the Zoo's plan for the former Wyandot Lake... Your post made it sound like the Zoo was doing away with the water park...quite the contrary.

Sea Dragon will be retained as part of the revised "dry park", as well as several other dry rides. The waterpark will be completely redone with new slides and a new wave pool. The new water/amusement park will be rethemed with a Galapogos (sp?) Island theme, and will more than double in size from the previous Wyandot Lake.

It's a multi-million dollar project (scheduled to open in 2008).

http://www.funworldmagazine.com/2007/mar/f...gingStrips.html

WOW, all I can say is their plans for Wyandot have changed drastically from what I heard in mid 2006 right around the time of aquisition! I am really happy it is getting a facelift! Obviously what they are actively doing with the Wyandot Lake is completely opposite of what I had heard. They must have decided it to be in their best interest to keep the park and upgrade it than tear it out and implement the plan that I heard of last year. Had I known that their ideas for the park changed I would have obviously left out outdated information! So i am sorry for any panic that I caused anyone and more importantly sorry to have given outdated info! I am completely suprised that the directors did a 180 from what the Wolfe's stated. For the better I guess anyways.

^Thanks for pointing that out jzarley, also in regards to your post Cory Butcher, sure there are simalaritys between LeSourdsville Lake and Geuaga Lake, however their circumstances are quite different from everything regarding management, ownership, zoning, location, economy, area, and work force. There are multiple other factors that you have forgotten to take into consideration and really their circumstances are not that similar. The fate of Geauga Lake is still to be determined and how this upcoming season goes for them will be one of many things to determine that fate.

Feel free to list those circumstances. The parks are similar in some ways and different in others, you are right, what I was pointing out is that GL is going to be the equivalent of a better Lesourdsville Lake (which of course is up to debate, but GL has a water park and more attractions, and more land). And as you pointed out, the differences are in favor of Geauga Lake staying around. Management is MUCH better due to CF's ownership. This is part of the reason why GL isnt going anywhere, in the next 5 years anyways...alot admittedly can change. Also economically, although GL's area in and around Aurora has suffered, there is still more economic prosperity than there was around LL until the last few years. The weather is one factor that is worse I guess, but for the most part GL should be better off than LL was and that should lead to it being around for some time to come! You are right however, we will see this next season.

[jzarley]

WOW, all I can say is their plans for Wyandot have changed drastically from what I heard in mid 2006 right around the time of aquisition! I am really happy it is getting a facelift! Obviously what they are actively doing with the Wyandot Lake is completely opposite of what I had heard. They must have decided it to be in their best interest to keep the park and upgrade it than tear it out and implement the plan that I heard of last year. Had I known that their ideas for the park changed I would have obviously left out outdated information! So i am sorry for any panic that I caused anyone and more importantly sorry to have given outdated info! I am completely suprised that the directors did a 180 from what the Wolfe's stated. For the better I guess anyways.

Panic?

No need for reading such drama into something when there was absolutely none there... Your facts were corrected on an internet fan site...in the big scheme of things, it's not really something you should apologize too much for...

[Cory Butcher]

Yah I just wanted to make sure the members know that Im not one of these members who just throws stuff out there to get people riled up. When Im wrong I admit it and when Im right I prove it! You know, some people on here get a bad rap for false information, I dont want to be one of those members, hence why my posts are always so long and laden with logic and support. But thanks for the support anyways I am so glad that Wyandot lake is going to be such a big part of the Columbus Zoo's plans for years to come, it deserves it! I just still am having a little trouble grasping how much their plans have changed since last I had heard, lol, I deffinately like this idea alot better! oh and uh, haha, Will Wolfe if you are reading this, thanks!

[Browntggrr]

Theirs our 2008 attraction ,Steel Venom. =D

... and another rumor smashed

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-dorney...0,4195513.story