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ITPS Amusement INdustry News
March 31, 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.
ITPS has proudly served the leisure industry since 1983. Visit http://www.interthemepark.com for more information.
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Amusement/Theme Park News
Theme Park Economics CNN LLOYD: When times are tight, your disposable income might be more likely to end up in the save column than the spend one. There's nothing wrong with saving up for a rainy day, but what about the businesses that depend on people having a little fun? Brooke Anderson looks at how the ups and downs in the U.S. economy put theme parks on a financial roller coaster.
Carowinds slashing season ticket prices Shaky economy prompts cut to lowest rate in 3 years FORT MILL -- The price tag on a season pass to Carowinds has taken a plunge down Thunder Road, as York County's largest tourist attraction looks at ways to battle the nation's roller coaster economy.
Power surge causes rides to close temporarily at Epcot A power surge causes delays when some attractions restart. The cause is unclear. A circuit breaker tripped at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park Friday morning, causing parts of the park to lose power and some of the rides to close down temporarily.
Ad agencies for ride parks have ups and downs Lee Alexicos has been in the amusement park business long enough to remember when kids actually had unscheduled time during the summer and were looking for someplace to go -- like maybe Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Now, the vice president of marketing for Cedar Fair, the world's sixth most popular amusement park chain, says the competition has changed. "Twenty-five years ago, we weren't competing against a kid that was staying home on Saturday afternoon so he could play Xbox."
Board to check Six Flags proposal The permitting saga of Six Flags New England's $7.5 million indoor roller coaster project may come to an end on Friday, with the Agawam Zoning Board of Appeals scheduled to review new plans for it. The new plans - primarily a 10-foot shift in the building's footprint - passed muster with the Planning Board on March 20 and with the Conservation Commission last Thursday.
Coyote Canyon Theme Park to Roll into Florence Another theme park is in the works southeast of the Valley. It's called Coyote Canyon and it offers plenty of thrills with a western theme. "We're in the planning stages and we have a lot of effort going on right looking for construction partners and getting the rest of our sponsorship money in place," says John Yurcaba with One Dream, One Team.
Bible Park to net county $3.8M annually: study Rutherford County will gain about $3.8 million annually in sales and property taxes from the proposed Bible Park USA, an Industrial Development Board summary report stated. The park would create 1,450 fulltime and partime jobs to add $17 million in income to residents, the report stated.
Ben & Jerry's freezes plan for theme park Ben & Jerry's Homemade appears to be backing away from plans for a big theme park at its Waterbury facility.
Eustis teen and family begin worldwide Disney theme-park tour Luck and a bit of grandmotherly advice catapulted a Eustis teenager from an Epcot ride to an around-the-world tour of all 11 Disney theme parks. Joshua Peterson, now 18, was exiting Mission: Space when he was tapped by Disney World workers as the winner of the "grand marshal world tour" prize, one of the gifts tied to the company's Year of a Million Dreams promotion.
Busch gardening How-to clinics are part of program celebrating theme park's roots Busch Gardens is planning its largest-ever event to honor the second half of its name — the gardens, that is. Held during the weekends of April 19-20 and April 26-27, "Ready, Set, GROW!" will include children's activities, talks by landscape experts and tours of the park's greenhouses and gardens.
Euro Disney in debt deal with main lenders THEME PARK operator Euro Disney said it had reached a preliminary agreement with its main lenders on a vital restructuring plan. The cash-strapped group, which is the European arm of the Walt Disney empire, said the deal would allow it to reshape existing debt and raise new debt and equity.
Aquarium/Zoo News
Up the aquarium with a leaking snorkel KING penguins will move into the Melbourne Aquarium by the end of the year if tourism company MFS Living can swim out of its subprime debt debacle. But while Melbourne prepares for the patter of happy feet, shareholders at a meeting on the Gold Coast yesterday got little reassurance about the company's ability to pay back about $185 million in short-term debt and beef up its emaciated share price.
Brothers file claim in S.F. zoo tiger attack The San Jose brothers who survived a Christmas Day tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo are taking legal action against the city, arguing that they are owed an unspecified amount of money because of the zoo's negligence. The brothers, Kulbir and Paul Dhaliwal, contend that they suffered serious injuries and emotional harm when a 243-pound Siberian tiger named Tatiana escaped its enclosure and mauled them Dec. 25. The tiger killed 19-year-old Paul Dhaliwal's close friend Carlos Sousa Jr., 17, before police shot and killed the animal.
FEC/LBE/Museum News
Imax asks court to seal lawsuit documents BRAMPTON, Ont. -- A company's right to a fair trial and the public's right to access court documents faced off in a Toronto-area courtroom on Friday. On one side, a lawyer for Imax Corp. asked an Ontario judge to seal documents in a Canadian shareholder lawsuit so they can't be used in a virtually identical U.S. class-action claim against the Toronto movie theatre-system maker.
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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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ITPS Services
ITPS provides a full spectrum of services to all types of attractions no matter the size, small to large.
Below are some of the services that ITPS' experienced team of experts can provide:
- Acquisitions / Mergers / Property Valuation / Due Diligence
- Feasibility Analysis
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Operational Planning
Attractions Development - Ride Bid/Negotiation / Ride Procurement
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Call 513-381-6131 for more information on how ITPS can assist your facility!
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.