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News: Cedar Fair may sell Great America |
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Posted at 10:22 AM EDT (1422 GMT)
 Oct. 11th, 2007 -- Via Press Release: SANDUSKY, OHIO – The San Francisco 49ers, the City of Santa Clara and Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (the owner of Great America), have had a series of meetings to discuss the 49ers’ proposed new stadium to be located on Great America’s main parking lot. The land on which Great America and the parking lot is located is owned by the City of Santa Clara but is leased to Cedar Fair through 2039.
After a careful review of the 49ers’ proposal, Cedar Fair believes that the traffic, parking and other operational problems that would be created by putting the stadium in the middle of Great America’s main parking area are insurmountable and would place the continued operation of the park at risk. Cedar Fair has analyzed information provided by the 49ers themselves regarding parking, usage dates, project footprint, and traffic flow. While other parties can weigh in on the fiscal and environmental risks that building a new stadium would bring to the residents of Santa Clara, we oppose the stadium as proposed for three basic reasons specific to the interests of Great America’s guests: 1. Unacceptable parking limitations for Great America visitors. 2. Increased congestion for Great America visitors. 3. Irreconcilable limits on Great America improvement plans. When Cedar Fair concluded that an amusement park and the stadium as proposed could not successfully coexist, Cedar Fair offered the City and the 49ers the option of redeveloping the entire parcel. The next step will be for the citizens and the City of Santa Clara to decide: should the Great America site be used for a new 49ers’ stadium or should the park continue to operate? If the City and its citizens believe that the best use of this property is for a new stadium, then Cedar Fair is willing to consider selling the remainder of its lease and all of its interest and assets to the City or 49ers for fair market value. Great America has been a favorite family destination for generations of visitors who enjoy clean, affordable, accessible entertainment. Cedar Fair is committed to maximizing the experience of our guests at Great America; the 49ers stadium as proposed is a threat to that commitment. Cedar Fair is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio, and one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world. The partnership owns and operates 11 amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels. Amusement parks in the company’s northern region include two in Ohio: Cedar Point, consistently voted “Best Amusement Park in the World” in Amusement Today polls and Kings Island; as well as Canada’s Wonderland, near Toronto; Dorney Park, PA; Valleyfair, MN; and Michigan’s Adventure, MI. In the southern region are Kings Dominion, VA; Carowinds, NC; and Worlds of Fun, MO. Western parks in California include: Knott’s Berry Farm; Great America; and Gilroy Gardens, which is managed under contract. Also included in that region is Star Trek: The Experience, a Las Vegas-based interactive adventure.
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Wes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11063
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I hope I'm wrong...but this smells like another Geauga Lake to me.
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| 10/11/2007 10:25 AM |
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raser
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2048
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Ah but they learned. This way when they leave they can say the local people decided. Makes them look soo much better...
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| 10/11/2007 10:50 AM |
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Fastdawg07
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 585
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Look, I won't blame Cedar Fair if this goes down. I'm going to blame the city of Santa Clara. The park was fine until they started selling everything off. And now that they have the chance at getting a football franchise in their city, they want to boot the amusement park. Sounds like the city wants Great America out, instead of the opposite.
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| 10/11/2007 11:21 AM |
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PANTSFREE
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1361
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Blaming CF for this is pretty dumb. The city is the one's putting them between a rock and hard place wanting to build a stadium right on top of them...
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| 10/11/2007 1:23 PM |
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Johnny Upsidedown
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1822
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Its up to the city and its people. They can decide the fate of the park as its all about tax money. Along with the staduim there have also been alot of other ideas for the property.
I would think if the price is good then they would sell.
My thought would be that given the right amount of money CF either takes the rides and ends there contracts or just sell the park all together. But all they are really selling is an established park that is only a collect of rides and buildings that are on borrowed land. So the park in running shape is a good sell, or is it a better sell to close the park, take the rides and get enough in the pocket to turn away from the park.
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| 10/11/2007 1:48 PM |
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Kyle L
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 6899
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This is not surprising if you ask me.
I live about 10 minutes from the park in San Jose, and I wouldn't be too sad to see Great America go. In the 2 years that I have lived down here I had not gone to the park once. Why? Nothing I want to re-ride. After losing Stealth Great America if you ask me has gone downhill for any coaster enthusiast in the area. Their newest coaster is Invertigo (1998). The only coaster there worth the admission price is Top Gun. In fact, my most hated coasters are at Great America: Demon, Grizzly, and Invertigo. Leaving Vortex and Top Gun, which are both incredibly mediocre B&M's compared to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom's Medusa.
The only pro sport team in the South Bay is the San Jose Sharks. They are well loved and have a 99% sell out rate. (Only one game last year did not sell out). There has been numerous talks about getting another professional sports team down in Santa Clara or San Jose, they tried to get the Oakland A's, and even the Seattle Supersonics to relocate down here. With that said, the arrival of the 49ers would fill that need for another pro sports team wanted down here, and it wouldn't affect the San Jose Sharks attendance rates too much.
I personally don't want the 49ers down here, they need to and should stay in San Francisco. As is, they sell out games to a incredibly run down stadium. I absolutely hated every single visit I had to Candlestick, 3COM and Monster Park (Yes, I went to it when it was named those). All they need is a new stadium in a better part of San Francisco (But that might be hard to find). Look at the Giants, their attendance rates were terrible in the 90's at Candlestick, they moved to a better part of town, and now they sell out almost every game.
I wonder if I get to vote in this...I like coasters, but I also like the 49ers...pretty tough decision.
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| 10/11/2007 2:01 PM |
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CP Maverick
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1081
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-----------------------------------------------------------
Quoted from Wes:
I hope I'm wrong...but this smells like another Geauga Lake to me.
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It's not. No one asked the residents of Bainbridge and Aurora. They're asking the residents of Santa Clara.
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| 10/11/2007 2:18 PM |
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Kyle L
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 6899
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If Mr. Kinzel himself makes an appearance in Santa Clara for a city council meeting to take suggestions from us Santa Clara residents, I will then suggest that we get Dominator from Geagua Lake, or blow the place.
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| 10/11/2007 2:22 PM |
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Jimmy B
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2130
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Actually Wes, this is the next Astroworld. Conflicts with an NFL team, selling the park's land to the city, parking/space constraints. All those that Astroworld faced prior to its downfall.
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| 10/11/2007 2:25 PM |
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chris7391
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2
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You read my mind, Jimmy B. The moment I heard about this story I immediately thought about how closely this resembles the sad chain of events which ultimately led to the destruction of Astroworld.
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| 10/11/2007 3:24 PM |
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coasterell
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 243
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I actually think this would be a wise business decision, unlike the Geauga Lake issue. As far as the park goes, Great America is an OK park, there is lack of safety, and rule enforcement that goes on at that park. I was not surprized about the whole issue of the child drowning in the wave pool earlier this year, as I experienced the lack of safety at the park.
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| 10/11/2007 3:26 PM |
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WildeFyre
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3027
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I really hope this park doesn't close. My dad is moving to California and I'm probably going to visit him in the upcoming summer and do a few theme park trips. I've always wanted to go to Great America...I've heard their Top Gun is one of the better ones.
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| 10/11/2007 4:37 PM |
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Wes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11063
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The reason why I say this smells of Geauga Lake is, if Cedar Fair really was that interested in keeping the park going, why even put the option on the table to sell?
If I wanted to keep my park open, I'd be fighting tooth and nail, not saying "well if the price is right, I'll sell".
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| 10/11/2007 6:06 PM |
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Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 434
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I would kepp the park. Why do they want to put the stadium where the parking lot is? Can't they put it somewhere else?
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| 10/12/2007 10:24 AM |
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PANTSFREE
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1361
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The problem is Cedar Fair really doesn't have much of a say in the matter of putting the stadium in their parking lot because the city owns the land. If the stadium is built, it will be detrimental to the park and its operations, which will cost Cedar Fair money.
If the stadium is built it will hurt the park in the long run and Cedar Fair can't stop them from building that stadium. So basically they're probably thinking they can atleast make some cash out of a park that the residents probably don't even want (atleast compared to a new stadium)...
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| 10/12/2007 10:48 AM |
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Dan G
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3555
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Quite frankly, I won't be sad to see this park go. I was there earlier this summer and I have to say, it's really gone down the crapper since I went there last. Kinda like what happened with Geauga Lake, I saw absolutely no improvement made by Cedar Fair since they took over the park earlier last year, except for maybe a few hundred more trash cans. I have to say, in comparison to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, there really isn't much at the park that is somewhat good anymore. Top Gun, arguably their best coaster, is really rough for a B&M nowadays. I came off the coaster with hurt ears. Also, most of their other coasters just are complete crap, like Demon, Grizzly, Vortex, etc. If this park disappeared, I don't think it would matter especially considering theres a park 100% better a few miles up the highway in Vallejo.
Also, just think of this in financial terms for Santa Clara. Great America only made the city 2.6 million dollars this year. Now compare that to the amount of money a city gains from having a football and/or other sports related ballpark in their city. I know for a fact that the city of Pittsburgh makes about $13 million or so every Penguins season, and they're not even the most popular franchise in town. Let's also not forget that along with this stadium, they are constructing a convention center as well, so compare the income from something like that along with the income from the money from the stadium, and I will assure you it will be a lot greater than $2.6 million dollars.
So really, for Santa Clara, the best option is to allow the 49ers to build their stadium regardless if Cedar Fair likes it or not. The revenue they receive from GA has gone down the past several years so whats the use of keeping the place open, unless they can find a way to keep it open while allowing the stadium to be built as well. I mean, its not like the park would be open every day the 49ers play, the season is already coming to an end when football season starts.
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| 10/12/2007 6:15 PM |
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Juan Pardell
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1
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Dan G. I disagree with your fiscal assessment. In fact, the City of Santa Clara's own consultant concluded that a new football stadium will yield a negative return on investment, to the City of Santa Clara, for an estimated present value dollar amount of $71 million. In other words, taxpayers will be picking up the tab for continuously subsidizing the 49ers and their billionaire owners even after the 30 year lease expires. At least Great America still makes annual payments to the city. This contradicts the 49ers proposal, in which they've refused to sign a ground lease. The lease payments made on the stadium, will merely go to pay back the bonds issued by the City of Santa Clara for subsidizing this project. And guess what? If there are any revenue shortages, who do you think will be responsible for paying that difference? That's right, the taxpayers.
Furthermore, I believe Santa Clara can do something better to enhance the amusement park, convention center and hotels, by developing a concept similar to Downtown Disney or Universal CityWalk. This will increase foot traffic and attendance. Also, management at Great America should enforce decorum similar to that of Disney Corp. Most of the workers at GA look like slobs.
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| 8/2/2008 3:28 PM |
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