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ITPS Amusement INdustry News
January 8, 2008
No where else can you find more news covering the amusement and leisure industry! When news hits, you can be certain that will deliver it to you.
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Amusement/Theme Park News
Six Flags Reports Fourth Quarter Revenue and Attendance Fourth Quarter Revenue Up 7% on Attendance Growth of 4% NEW YORK, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Six Flags, Inc. (NYSE: SIX) today announced revenue and attendance results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2007, as well as information regarding advance season pass sales for the 2008 season.
Taking the kids: Disney World 101 Mention that you're thinking of taking the kids to Orlando -- especially if you're first timers -- and you'll hear how your mother-in-law's sister's cousin scored discount tickets to Walt Disney World. Your son's first-grade teacher will fill you in on which character breakfasts her sister-in-law's aunt raved about (never mind that you know your preschooler will be terrified of the giant fuzzy creatures.)
Media Advisory - Canada's largest water amusement park to be built near Ottawa OTTAWA, Jan. 7 /CNW Telbec/ - Le Groupe Village Vacances Valcartier will be holding a news conference in Ottawa tomorrow, January 8, 2008, to unveil details regarding a multi million dollar investment towards the construction of Canada's largest water theme amusement park near Ottawa.
Jolly Roger to be included in tax reduction request OCEAN CITY -- The mayor and Town Council agreed to include Jolly Roger Amusement Parks and Games owner Buddy Jenkins and his properties in a request to the state to lower tax assessments on amusement properties. "It is very hard to move forward in a positive manner when we keep getting these shocks," Jenkins said. "Taxes are one of those."
Park goes 'Hollywood' Disney ditches MGM Studios for new moniker Disney officially launched the former Disney-MGM Studios under its new name -- Hollywood Studios -- on Monday. But tourism experts say there will be more than a name change in the future of the park.
SATIRE ALERT!!! Florida Theme Park Bans Children Orlando, Florida (IPP) - A popular theme park in Florida has decided to ban children from its parks. Only adults 18 years old or older will be admitted from now on.
Theme park for KLIA SEPANG: Passengers alighting at the KL International Airport can look forward to enjoying rides in a theme park, in a plan put forward by Malaysia Airports Berhad. Its managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad said the firm had put in a proposal to develop the KLIA land area within a 10,000ha radius to include a recreation park, business centres, offices and a theme park.
Waterpark News
Deep River Waterpark offers icy venue MERRILLVILLE -- The crystalline winter wonderland that is Deep River Ice Plaza is back for a third season of ice skating. The 14,500-square-foot ice skating rink has cooling pipes and is located under the clock tower at Deep River Waterpark. The season kicked off after Thanksgiving and continues to grow as a popular ice skating venue.
Quiksilver Revolution 2.0 to run in Malaysian wave pool Artificial Waves Attract the Real Deal as Professional Surfers head to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 January, 2008 : - - Malaysia’s land-locked city of Kuala Lumpur is about to get a blast of boarding culture with the upcoming Quiksilver Revolution 2.0 bringing an international line-up of surfers and skaters to its chlorinated shores.
Aquarium/Zoo News
Taiwan rejects Chinese pandas -- again Taiwan has rejected a theme park's second request to bring over two pandas from China, amid fears that Beijing will use the animals to win goodwill in its push for political unification, a park spokesman said on Tuesday.
Calls increase for a change to zoos' policy of self-policing As the San Francisco Zoo seeks to boost its image and security after an escaped tiger killed a teenager last month, federal and state officials acknowledge there is no way to know just how many animals escape from zoos every year because no single agency tracks the incidents. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service enforces vaguely worded animal-safety laws, but it does not keep records of escapes.
Did San Francisco give up too much control, let its zoo run wild? San Francisco leaders are considering changes to the 15-year-old agreement that turned over control of the city's zoo to a nonprofit group, effectively relinquishing the city's direct oversight of an institution that at the time faced the loss of its accreditation because of conditions that one report described as "literally disgraceful."
Vistors make '07 a record year for Oregon Zoo The black bears could take credit, but the bobcats or piglike babirusas might object. After all, any of the critters new to the Oregon Zoo, or those occupying new exhibits, might have contributed to 2007's record-breaking attendance of more than 1.5 million visitors. That's a jump of more than 56,000 visitors from 2006.
Zoo director quits before starting Shocked Salisbury officials will return to hiring process after post declined for health reasons SALISBURY -- The newly announced Salisbury Zoo director stunned city officials Monday by suddenly declining the position because of unforeseen health problems, the city administrator confirmed.
Zoo expansion put on hold The Polk County Conservation Board has pushed back a decision on whether Blank Park Zoo will be allowed to expand into a portion of the county's Fort Des Moines Park possibly delaying the expansion project by a year. The conservation board was expected to hear a proposal Wednesday from Des Moines officials on using about 16 acres of Fort Des Moines Park for the zoo's expansion.
Attendance Climbs Again at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomed 1,227,593 visitors in 2007, marking the second year in a row that attendance increased at the Zoo. The 2007 annual attendance marked a 2 percent increase over the 2006 tally of visitors, which totaled 1,203,403. In 2005, attendance was 1,119,478. The jump in attendance can be credited in large part to the popularity of the Zoo’s special events and summer attractions, according to Zoo Director Steve Taylor. In its 18th year, the eight-night Boo at the Zoo event broke its own attendance record, drawing 41,531 people. Also in 2007, the Zoo’s 125th anniversary celebration ZOObilee attracted 11,286 people on Saturday, September 15, and the second annual Noon Year’s Eve bash doubled its previous attendance by drawing 10,817 visitors on December 31. The Zoo’s biggest single-day attendance of 18,065 came on Monday, July 2. Also bolstering attendance in 2007 – drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors – were the Zoo’s dual visiting attractions over the summer. The fifteen animatronic beasts featured in DINOSAURS! attracted 213,461 from May through September, while the return of TOUCH! Amazing Rays & Sharks was experienced by 255,244. TOUCH! will return for a third summer in 2008, along with several new animal exhibits to be announced in the coming months. ---end story---
FEC/LBE/Museum News
Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede dinner theater in Orlando sold, closed Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede closed abruptly Monday afternoon when its owners told the staff of the giant dinner theater that they had sold the attraction's 13-acre site east of Walt Disney World to an undisclosed buyer. Although rumors of a sale and layoffs had circulated among employees for the past week, the company had adamantly denied as recently as Monday morning that a shutdown was in the works.
Super heroes museum hangs up capes A museum that displayed a collection of Superman, Batman and other super hero memorabilia has closed its doors. The American Super Heroes Museum in Downtown Indianapolis displayed the collection of Dane Nash of Fishers.
Other News
Disney's musical 'Toy Story' takes to the stage TORONTO - Disney officials wanted a new stage show, so they thought big. Then they thought small. And then, inflatable. The result, set to be announced today by Disney executives, is a multimillion-dollar musical version of Toy Story, the 1995 Disney-Pixar animated film that shrank moviegoers' perspective to the size of Mr. Potato Head and company.
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Contact:
Shawn M. Haas
Vice President of Retail, Operations and Information Technology
International Theme Park Services, Inc
2195 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45206
513-381-6131 Phone
513-381-2756 Fax
http://www.interthemepark.com
shawnhaas@interthemepark.com
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25 Years...
Through the good, the bad and the ugly, International Theme Park Services, Inc. (“ITPS”) continues to provide the industry with its skilled services internationally.
ITPS celebrates its 25th year in 2008 and has served over 450 projects in over 40 countries! Considered a leader in the industry by the many companies who have used ITPS’ services, ITPS is still growing and offering its knowledge and experience to every continent. Dennis Speigel, President of ITPS, is a past president of the IAAPA and remains active on their Board of Directors. He is called upon by people throughout the industry to advise and recommend on projects. A leader today and for the future, ITPS is there when you need assistance.
Feasibility, design, pre-opening planning, business audits, on-site training and management…ITPS is still leading the industry into the future.
Leisure Capital Resources
International Theme Park Services provides merger, acquisition, financial, and strategic advisory services to public and private entertainment companies that wish to acquire or sell a business, raise equity capital, raise or restructure debt, or sell real estate.
Contact: Dennis Speigel at 513-381-6131 or Howard Kahn at affiliated Leisure Capital Resources in New York at 516-621-5183.