View Full Version : Six Flags leaving OKC, parks for sale



Patrick
01-27-2006, 10:53 AM
Guys, Six Flags is leaving Oklahoma City and selling our parks.



Six Flags to leave city, sell parks

By Paul Monies
The Oklahoman

The ride is over for Oklahoma City.
Six Flags Inc. said Friday it will close its corporate offices and sell local parks Frontier City and White Water Bay after the 2006 season.
The moves are part of a restructuring effort launched by new Chief Executive Officer Mark Shapiro, who took over in December.
Six Flags said the sale of the Oklahoma City parks will be handled by The Staubach Co.
“While it’s obviously our intention to derive the highest value possible for our shareholders in this action, we fully expect that we will do so by selling them as theme parks which continue to operate as such over the long haul,” Shapiro said in a statement.
Shapiro said Six Flags needed to be based in New York.
“A strong corporate identity in New York -- a major world entertainment, media and financial capital -- is a vital component of our agenda as we position Six Flags as one of America’s leading family entertainment destinations,” he said. The company employs 37 people at its corporate offices in Oklahoma City and an additional 40 who manage Frontier City and White Water Bay.

Patrick
01-27-2006, 11:10 AM
I was afraid this would happen. Maybe the old execs from Premier Parks can get together and start all over again.

metro
01-27-2006, 11:11 AM
Bad News, city leaders let this one slip by, it's like they didn't even try to fight for this one

soonerguru
01-27-2006, 11:22 AM
This was only a matter of time. Poorly run company, IMO. It sucks to lose a company like that but the management in place here wasn't getting it done.

This is really nothing compared to losing, say, a Devon Energy or Kerr McGee.

Pretty small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. It would have been nice if the staff here was really top notch, but they really weren't. Premier Parks was just a big rollup operation; it was hardly a brand/amusement business.

It seemed like what normally happens when you have a bunch of corporate bean counters trying to run an entertainment company.

Pete
01-27-2006, 11:39 AM
It's never good to lose an HQ operation but this one was very small.

However, I'm much more worried about the fate of Frontier City and White Water.

Karried
01-27-2006, 12:29 PM
This is such a bummer... do you think someone will buy the parks and keep them open as amusement parks or will they close and we will have nothing?

TheImmortal
01-27-2006, 12:44 PM
I would like to think that someone will come in and make it a real theme park or something productive will become of it. As it is right now, I see it as a glorified carnival. I worked there for two month and it was rediculous. Management can't communicate with each other, papers and files are unorganized, and the maintenence people take shortcuts on fixing problems. Honestly I would rather see it relocated to the Adventure District, I think it would boost attendance greatly as far as tourists go. As for the current location, they could build a nice retail establishment out there like the Spring Creek area in Edmond, or maybe some kind of sports complex. I dunno.

Pete
01-27-2006, 12:48 PM
How about this scenario:

Frontier City and White Water are sold and used for other types of development.

Then, a big theme/water park buys some of their assets and builds on the Oklahoma River.

TheImmortal
01-27-2006, 12:55 PM
I think that would be awsome as long as there would be heavy landscaping and some kind of parking situation could be worked out. The last thing we need is for huge expanses of asphalt gobbling up the beauty of the riverside, such as the situation with Lower "Bricktown" But I do think it would be an interesting option to consider. Also it would be neat if the park had a water taxi stop.

BricktownGuy
01-27-2006, 01:58 PM
Its disappointing but it was expected to come soon.

I have to say management was bad that did not help out. IF only they had given it a bit more time.

I would expect some good things to come in the future as a result though.

Jay
01-27-2006, 07:57 PM
I hate to say it but I think both parks will be sold off piece-by-piece and torn down.


Neither park has the potential to be purchased by another company.


Both parks are money pits. Each is in need of drastic upgrades and new attractions. A new owner will have to have deep pockets to make each park profitable again.


I predict Frontier City will become the location of a new truck stop/travel stop or a new housing development.


I predict White Water will become the site of new retail and industrial development. I am willing to bet a dollar that the Mathis brothers are already making an offer for the land. White Water's I-40 Frontage would make a great place for a new furniture warehouse or large furniture stores.


If they do not want it. I am sure there is a commercial truck or car dealership that would not mind locating on that site.

dirtrider73068
01-27-2006, 08:11 PM
I have to agree with jay, frontier city needs alot of work to bring it up to a good park. I don't go any more for that reason cost too much to get in and half the stuff doesn't work, broke or its just a dirty place, and on top of it alot of kids and teens running around. Its just not fun to go there anymore, no new rides that are real good and fun have been built, frontier city needs some serious work, expansion and better rides, a cleaner park, and better cost of getting in the gate. Its sad to say but I am glad its going to be sold and maybe make room for something nicer since its right on the interstate. I truck stop would be good, give time for the truckers to stop and rest so they don't fall asleep behind the wheel and cause a wreck, there should be more truck stops on major interstates for that reason.


I hate to say it but I think both parks will be sold off piece-by-piece and torn down.


Neither park has the potential to be purchased by another company.


Both parks are money pits. Each is in need of drastic upgrades and new attractions. A new owner will have to have deep pockets to make each park profitable again.


I predict Frontier City will become the location of a new truck stop/travel stop or a new housing development.


I predict White Water will become the site of new retail and industrial development. I am willing to bet a dollar that the Mathis brothers are already making an offer for the land. White Water's I-40 Frontage would make a great place for a new furniture warehouse or large furniture stores.


If they do not want it. I am sure there is a commercial truck or car dealership that would not mind locating on that site.

Patrick
01-27-2006, 09:38 PM
To be honest with you, I think amusement parks are becoming a thing of the past, other than for the Disney Theme Parks. I see the major Six Flags parks staying open, but I see Six Flags selling off most of their smaller parks.

I think Frontier City and WWB will remain parks, but they'll probably be bought by someone else. Remember, both parks weren't originalyl developed by Premier Parks or Six Flags. White Water Bay used to actually be owned by a chain of parks known as White Water. One still exists in Branson, although even its owned by Silver Dollar City now. But, both used to be part of the same company. Our White Water was run much better back then. Premier Parks and then Six Flags really let the parks go.

Those parks have been deteriorating for years. This won't necessarily be a bad thing for our city.

Even if the parks are used for other uses, I'd rather see that, then have them continue to deteriorate under the hands of Six Flags.

venture
01-27-2006, 11:32 PM
Best option here is for city leaders from OKC to head up to Toledo/Sandusky, OH and visit Cedar Fair (owners of Cedar Point and other parks). They love the smaller, local parks and develop them. The best option would be for them to develop a new park near lower Bricktown along the river and shutter the two existing parks.

Kerry
01-28-2006, 08:12 AM
Did anyone notice the phrase "They need to be based in New York". I am a daily reader of the Wall Street Journal and this phrase has appeared in many stories recently. The same thing was recently said about SBC when the purchase of AT&T was completed. It appears that the powers that be in NYC are trying to reverse a trend of companies leaving the NYC area over the last 20 years. It appeas that Shapiro has bought into that line.

However, there is no logical reason for Six Flags to locate in NYC. High taxes, high rent, high cost of living still exist in NYC. I give Six Flags 2 years before they declare Chapeter 11 bankruptcy and cease to exist.

swake
01-28-2006, 08:34 AM
The high cost of living for 35 employees? Come on, for a business with revenue of over a billion dollars this is negligible.

windowphobe
01-28-2006, 08:55 AM
Part of the Six Flags empire, such as it is, had relocated to New York years ago - mostly, the financial guys, who presumably needed to be closer to the bankers.

Given Six Flags' express desire to concentrate on major-market parks, it's not surprising that they'd want to be in a media hotbed.

Kerry
01-28-2006, 08:57 AM
It's not the revenue - it's the net. The problem with Six Flags is that their net is 0. As for cost of living - it does have an impact because salaries have to be higher for employees to have the same stadard of living. Further more, NYC has a payroll tax and every dollar more in salary paid to a NYC employee is one more dollar the company has to pay in taxes.

Compaines can usually deduct expenses such as salary paid to employees as a business expense, however, with a payroll tax - companies have to pay taxes on the salary paid to employees. It is a way for some states to not let companies avoid paying taxes by shifting income to the employees.

In addition, because of the high cost of living, expenses such as food and entertainment will also be higher. Expenses for meals can only be deducted at 50%. 50% of more is still more.
So yes - a high cost of living for 35 employees will have a negitive impact on the financial performance of Six Flags. It is not the primary negative impact but it is a negative.

Kerry
01-28-2006, 09:07 AM
Part of the Six Flags empire, such as it is, had relocated to New York years ago - mostly, the financial guys, who presumably needed to be closer to the bankers.

Given Six Flags' express desire to concentrate on major-market parks, it's not surprising that they'd want to be in a media hotbed.

You guys are missing the point and buying into the New York City talking points. The worst move for Six Flags is to move to NYC. You said it yourself. They already moved part of their operation there and somehow they got into more financial trouble. If they needed to be closer to the banking guys they should have gone to Charlotte. Don't buy into the big lie about NYC.

They are moving to NYC for one reason - Shapiro is from the area. The company is doomed.

Patrick
01-28-2006, 11:00 AM
You're right Kerry. At a time when Six Flags is already short of the money, the last thing they need to do is move into fancy offices in New York.

Patrick
01-28-2006, 11:02 AM
Six Flags says 'bye

By Paul Monies
The Oklahoman

The ride is over for Oklahoma City.
http://newsok.com/images/icon_smarrow_white.gifDeveloper: Frontier City, Whitewater Bay are likely to stay amusement parks
(http://newsok.com/article/1745556/?template=home/main)http://newsok.com/images/icon_smarrow_white.gifSix Flags to fix focus on families (http://newsok.com/article/1745557/?template=home/main)
Six Flags Inc. said Friday it will close its corporate offices and sell local parks Frontier City and White Water Bay after the 2006 season ends in October.
The moves are part of a restructuring effort launched by new Chief Executive Officer Mark Shapiro. He took over in December after a boardroom shakeup orchestrated by Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder.
“Nothing is happening until the end of the season,” Shapiro said in an interview with The Oklahoman at Frontier City. “It will be business as usual and fully operational.”
Six Flags employs 35 people at its corporate offices in Oklahoma City and another 40 who manage Frontier City and White Water Bay. The parks employ roughly 680 seasonal workers.
Shapiro said some corporate employees in Oklahoma City could transfer to New York or another corporate office in Grand Prairie, Texas. Others would be laid off.
“The top line is the media capital of the world is in New York City,” Shapiro said. “This was a very difficult decision. This is where it all started. This is our hub, and a lot of people worked a lot of years here and committed themselves to growing the company.”
For more than two decades, Six Flags and its forerunners, Premier Parks and Tierco Group Inc., operated dual headquarters in New York and Oklahoma City. Former Six Flags President Gary Story remained at the company’s Oklahoma City office until his retirement for health reasons in 2003.
As the company begins to intensify its marketing and sponsorship efforts under new management, Shapiro said it just made more sense to be in New York.
“It’s inefficient to run a business with three different roofs, especially when they’re thousands of miles apart from each other,” he said.
Roy Williams, president of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, said he is disappointed - but not surprised - by the decision.
“We don’t like for that to happen, but we sort of understand the circumstances,” he said. “It wasn’t pitting one city against another, it was just a natural migration of the business.”
Six Flags hired Dallas-based real estate company The Staubach Co. to market Frontier City and White Water Bay.
Shapiro dismissed speculation that the parks would be sold to unlock their real estate values. Frontier City sits on 109 acres along Interstate 35, while White Water Bay encompasses 30 acres along Interstate 40.
“The parks will be sold with the intent of them remaining in operation,” Shapiro said.
Industry analysts said it was unlikely a large park operator such as Ohio-based Cedar Fair LP would be interested in the Oklahoma City parks. Local or regional investors are the more likely buyers, said Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“It’s going to be somebody looking to buy something at a reasonable price that has a nice cash flow with it,” Speigel said. “They’re small parks, but they’re not strategic parks within the Six Flags system.”
Speigel said he wouldn’t be surprised if Six Flags began putting some of its other, non-core parks up for sale in places such as Seattle or Denver.
Frontier City traces its roots back to 1958, when James C. Burge and several partners developed the park in northeast Oklahoma City. By the time real estate operator Tierco bought it in 1982, it had fallen into disrepair. Tierco poured money into the park, adding rides, shows and landscaping. After a reorganization in 1989, Tierco shed most of its real-estate holding to focus on theme parks. The company bought White Water Bay in 1990 and changed its corporate name to Premier Parks in 1994. Premier bought the Six Flags chain for $1.9 billion in 1998.

Patrick
01-28-2006, 11:04 AM
Six Flags to fix focus on families

By Paul Monies
The Oklahoman

Theme-park chain Six Flags Inc. plans to renew its focus on families and customer service in the upcoming season, the company’s new chief executive officer said Friday.
Mark Shapiro, who took the helm last month, said Six Flags also will intensify its marketing and sponsorship efforts. There’ll even be room for advertising mascot Mr. Six, he said.
“There’s no reason these parks can’t be a high-end supermarket of entertainment,” Shapiro said in an interview with The Oklahoman. “A place where you can interact with Xbox and iPod, a place where you can count on top-flight brands and big-name products. I’d love to use our parks as a sampler for people.”
With annual attendance at the company’s 30 parks topping 35 million, Shapiro said they can be an important venue for advertisers, especially for the hard-to-reach teenage demographic.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates holds an 11.5 percent stake in Six Flags through his Cascade Investment LLC. Shapiro said he’s planning to talk to Gates about possible sponsorship deals involving Microsoft’s Xbox 360 gaming system.
Most parkgoers spend up to 10 hours in a typical visit. But Shapiro dismissed suggestions that pushing too many products could turn the experience into one giant commercial.
“We’re not going to overcommercialize the parks,” he said. “At the same time, consumers will accept and embrace advertising that makes sense.”
Chicago-native Shapiro, 35, said he has fond memories of Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Ill. His favorite roller coaster is that park’s wooden monster, the American Eagle.
“As I walked around the park (Thursday), I was very reminiscent of the weekends I spent there with my parents and my friends,” he said. “That was the magic of the Six Flags brand. It wasn’t age-biased. I think we’ve gotten too far afield from going with your parents. We’ve become too focused on the friends and teenage groups.”
Six Flags also plans to enhance customer service. Seasonal and permanent employees up and down the corporate ladder will go through training for customer service and leadership. The company also banned smoking in parks except in designated areas. That means no more waiting in lines as someone puffs on a cigarette, Shapiro said.
“We want a clean, safe environment for our guests,” he said. “Whether you’re a smoker or not, it’s difficult to stand in line or walk around the park in a cloud of smoke. I want moms and dads to feel safe here. I want them not to have the ill-effects of second-hand smoke.”
Although it won’t happen overnight, Shapiro said he’d like each park to offer wireless payment transactions for food and concession sales. Internet cafes at the parks also are a possibility, he said.
The balance sheet remains burdened by more than $2 billion in debt, so he said Six Flags’ immediate focus will be “stretching the brand.”
“I would like to see our brand stretched to capture the families as much as the teenager and become as synonymous with family entertainment as ESPN is with sports,” said Shapiro, who rose to executive vice president of programming and production in his 12 years at ESPN.
And yes, there will be room for Mr. Six, although he might find himself with a little more free time. Love him or hate him, Shapiro said the wacky octogenarian mascot helped raise awareness for the Six Flags brand.

Patrick
01-28-2006, 11:07 AM
Frontier City, Whitewater Bay are likely to stay amusement parks, developer says

By Richard Mize
The Oklahoman

Frontier City won’t become a ghost town and Whitewater Bay won’t dry up and blow away, said a developer who tried to negotiate deals with Six Flags Inc. for properties near the the amusement and water parks.
Dick Tanenbaum of Gardner-Tanenbaum Group said he learned that both parks were good money-makers during talks that went nowhere a few years ago.
Tanenbaum developed 800,000 square feet of industrial space in his North Gate Commerce Park across Interstate 35 from Frontier City, west of I-35 between Hefner Road and NE 122.
He said he tried to negotiate development of a hotel at Hefner and I-35 on part of the 109-acre Frontier City site.
Almost next door to Whitewater Bay at 3908 W Reno Ave., Tanenbaum developed Reno Circle Center, a retail-office property at 417 Hudiburg Circle between Meridian and Portland just off Reno.
Tanenbaum said he tried to negotiate access to a strip of land between his property and Whitewater Bay, which is on about 20 acres, but nothing came of that deal, either.
Friday, after Six Flags officially announced its anticipated departure from Oklahoma City and revealed plans to sell both Frontier City and Whitewater Bay, Tanenbaum said he was sure they would remain amusement parks.
“Both parks are very profitable - their people-count, gross revenues - they were very forthcoming,” he said. “I expect it will remain as entertainment. In Oklahoma City, it’s a great time to have an entertainment venue.”
Even if someone were to want to redevelop Frontier City, he said, the cost of dirt work and utility installation on the hilly, rocky land would make industrial use unlikely.
Otherwise, the location on I-35 near Interstate 44 and not far from Interstate 40 would be desirable for redevelopment because of the “good highway exposure and accessibility,” said Randy Lacey, an industrial specialist with Grubb & Ellis-Levy Beffort.
Rugged terrain under Frontier City would make it expensive to redevelop, Lacey said. The land under White Water Bay has another kind of challenge: “That property’s probably mostly sand because of the river bed,” he said, noting that the bedrock is 30 to 40 feet beneath the surface.
If Frontier City were to be closed down or moved, housing probably wouldn’t be in the area’s future, said David Webb, broker owner of Edmond’s Century 21 Mark V Real Estate.
In Edmond, developers and officials anticipate a boom in development several miles north on I-35 around the Wal-Mart Supercenter and shipping center on the west side of the interstate at Edmond’s 15th Street.
Webb said commercial development probably would occur on the Frontier City land if the amusement park were to be shuttered, although low-income or multifamily housing might be attracted to the spot, as well.

soonerguru
01-28-2006, 05:04 PM
New York is the media empire of the planet -- and also home to Time Warner. Have you ever been there? It's not going to cost that much more to have 40 people at corporate, right?

Quit acting like OKC comes even close to New York. It doesn't. Your commentary sounds terribly ignorant.

Jay
01-28-2006, 05:53 PM
Maybe its a good thing that there selling Frontier City and White Water.

The marketing plan they have assembled for Six Flags will make people want to vomit before riding there first stomach churning ride of the day.

I can see it now ride the Microsoft XBOX Rollercoaster equipped with American Airlines barf bags, when your done there go for a ride in the Bob Roberts Toyota Bumber Cars.

Instead of each area having its own theme Six Flags will be broke up in to areas according to advertising sponsor.

writerranger
01-28-2006, 07:17 PM
I would like to see the people from Tierco (which turned into Premier) and brought back Frontier City from the abyss in the early-mid 1980s somehow buy these parks, or put together a group of investors. None of the principals of that turnaround are still affiliated with Six Flags and are both, I think, still in Oklahoma City. I cannot remember their names but they did a super job of turning Frontier City into a real theme park. Maybe they could do it all again?

BricktownGuy
01-28-2006, 10:58 PM
This in a sense could be great news. is it just me or is FC an eyesore? maybe its just me.

Kerry
01-29-2006, 08:32 PM
Based on the news articals posted by Patrick and Shapiro's comments about the "need" to be near Madison Ave, I think we all know the future of 6 Flags - one giant commercial. Jay is right on.

Mixing entertainment and advertising in a theme park isn't new though. Disney does it with GM at Epcot and there is more than enough PS2s to go around in the "Land of Tomorrow". However, while Disney gets the Test Track attration paid for it didn't work out so well for GM.

To Soonerguru - yes I have been to NYC and I know Time Warner is there. I wasn't comparing OKC to NYC. My only point is that I think moving to NYC is a bad business decision and is based on a marketing strategy probably concieved on Madison Ave to bring companies back to NYC to help fill up space vacated by Sept 11. Every economic factor that forced companies out of NYC is still there.

BricktownGuy
05-15-2006, 10:50 AM
http://www.okcpulse.com/cover_stories.htm
Under Attractions and Hotels it states:

"A major entertainment firm is showing interest in buying Frontier City, after Six Flags threw in the towel on Oklahoma's largest theme park."

Does anyone know who this "major entertainment firm" is???

Patrick
05-15-2006, 10:57 AM
Hmmmm. I don't know for sure, but think Dixie Stampede.

Nuclear_2525
05-15-2006, 04:30 PM
DISNEY?!?!



JUSTTTT kidding

venture
05-15-2006, 06:31 PM
I would say...and pray to God and hope...its Cedar Fair.

John
05-15-2006, 07:35 PM
Hmmmm. I don't know for sure, but think Dixie Stampede.

Dolly is always getting new rides at her park.

I wouldn't mind being home to Dollywood: Frontier Family Adventure.

Although Cedar Fair would be a bigger name in the amusement industry.

venture
05-15-2006, 09:00 PM
Some of this is dated...but it shows where interest has been before, and would likely still be:

http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=3994948&nav=6uy6

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_20040311/ai_n10160451

Cedar Fair essentially has already seen the financials of Six Flags...and OKC fits their market perfectly. They will definitely need to do a lot of investing in the parks here, and I would expect a consolidation of locations. They are also believers in the indoor water park model that has taken over in the Great Lakes. This would be a great addition to lower bricktown, as I've stated before.

A growing market, over 1.1 million people, and existing land with a good deal of land available...Cedar Fair should be ready to pounce. If they do step up...we are going to be in for a very exciting time.

Patrick
05-15-2006, 09:10 PM
Like I said, continue to think Dixie Stampede.

Nuclear_2525
05-15-2006, 10:16 PM
is that a hint? If you know something, QUIT KEEPING IT FROM US!!!

OklaCity_75
05-15-2006, 10:35 PM
I would not be suprised if White Water's existing location sees a demolition crew in its future.

My money is on the time frame of October maybe November.

The park needs renovation and expansion to be profitable again.

I think a better location for White Water would be along the Kilpatrick between I-40 and the Macarthur exit. You have plenty of open farm land that is ripe for the picking.

I see a automotive or heavy truck dealership in the current White Water site's future. Maybe even the possibilty of a service road to run from Portland to Macarthur.

Frontier City can be salvaged with a redesign and a face lift.

If had the money to do so I would buy Frontier City shut it down for a year and clear the whole park and start again from scratch.

The parking lot would be placed on the backside of the park with two service roads that came off both 122nd and Hefner Road.

I would make the park high traffic friendly with twice as many rides as there are now.

I would hold season pass nights twice a month that would include concerts for season pass holders only.

In the end more people would buy season passes and so the price of admission would go down.

okcpulse
05-15-2006, 11:07 PM
I personally would rather see White Water Bay be relocated next to Frontier City. Two theme parks in one place can being in a lot of tourist traffic, and can hopefully bring back the immediate area around Frontier City, which is run down and ragged.

OklaCity_75
05-16-2006, 02:58 AM
I personally would rather see White Water Bay be relocated next to Frontier City. Two theme parks in one place can being in a lot of tourist traffic, and can hopefully bring back the immediate area around Frontier City, which is run down and ragged.

I think the two parks did better when they were competitors. Back when they were two separate entities almost every summer both parks had a new attraction.

On a side note, I do not see how White Water can survive much longer in OKC. Almost every metro city has revamped their city pool(s).

Mustang, Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Del City, Edmond, and Norman all have revamped or built pools that feature a modern water park layout. A majority of them have waterslides installed on them. I want to say I have even seen a private neighborhood pool up off NW 164th that has waterslides.

To get to my point... the city pools have become competition for White Water. As time goes on more cities will be upgrading or adding pools that have a water park layout. Why would you go to White Water when you can go to the city pool three or four days in a row for the price of one afternoon at White Water?

In regards to Frontier City... the city and county should look at cleaning up that area. The first place to start is to teardown that old Red Carpet Inn nextdoor to the park.

As it stands right now, I think the park will probably be picked a part at auction and the land will be sold separately. Six Flags is still in some serious debt so I could see them selling off the park piece by piece if they had no buyers meeting their price.

okcpulse
05-16-2006, 07:13 AM
Why would you go to White Water when you can go to the city pool three or four days in a row for the price of one afternoon at White Water?

You have a good point. However, I go to White Water Bay for the major water rides. City pools wouldn't install a ride like the Bermuda Triangle that reaches 75 feet in height. A few 'gee-whiz' slides do not do it for me.

diesel
05-16-2006, 07:35 AM
I think they need to put a Thunder Valley Raceway type place where whitewater is.. Would be great exposure from the interstate to all the street racing kiddies... Would keep them off the streets and endangering your slow driving.. :)

Survey
05-16-2006, 09:45 AM
Sounds to me like Dollywood might be taking over Frontier City.

SoonerDave
05-22-2006, 02:08 PM
I've *never* understood the fascination with Frontier City. I've been there exactly twice, and it's struck me as nothing more than an absolute dump both times. An unremitting dump, at that - and a not-cheap one, either.

Front-gate admission to FC is $33, where it's $45 for SFOT. Granted, there are discounts and promotions, but at the most basic comparison, SFOT is only about 1/3 more than FC, and SFOT is *at least* ten times the park FC is...like comparing apples to alligators.

I realize not everyone wants the hassle of a three-hour drive to Arlington, but it would seem that most people plan a day at an amusement park in advance moreso than an ad-hoc thing, which means you set aside both time and money to do it. I can't imagine thinking FC would be a better destination than SFOT.

Yes, gas prices figure into it, but even my big, trusty Buick will get me 30mpg between here and SFOT, which means about 12 gallons of gas round-trip: worst case, that's about $36 for fuel. Given a choice between a $33 day at FC or a $45 day at SFOT, I'll gladly spend the extra $$ and head to Arlington.

White Water has always struck me as a bit of a disgusting little place where all sorts of kid-and-teenager-hosted-vermin meet, marry, and mulitply. I guess I'm jaundiced by the fact that an acquaintance once worked there as a lifeguard, and was glad to tell me how they had to shut down the place for two days once (costing him two days' pay) to sterilize the filtration equipment from *head lice* infestations. Apparently the health department got involved, and it was *really* ugly and *never* made the newspapers or other media.

I guess I'm naive, and also suppose that goes on at every kind of public pool place to some degree, but geez, that kinda reality pretty much soured me on the place. Yuck. At least the city pool park that's 5 mins from my house is seemingly kept *extremely* well maintained....can't fathom EVER going to WW voluntarily. Bleeecccchchhh...

-SoonerDave

okcpulse
05-22-2006, 02:52 PM
I can certainly echo your sentiments, SoonerDave. Trust me. I haven't been to Frontier City since 2002. My reason for deciding not to return? Half the rides were closed. And it doesn't stop there. The management that ran the park was extremely poor. They nickel-and-dimed the park to death. A roller coaster was purchased from Six Flags Astroworls in 1998 (before Premier Parks bought Six Flags), but the coaster was never erected at Frontier City. They decided to squeeze very square inch out of the forty acres they possibly could by erecting verticle rides, one of which is inside the premises of the Wild Cat roller coaster.

You see, in 1990-1996, Frontier City was making a real comeback. Two roller coasters were added, as well as a dozen other better quality rides. The park was re-organized in 1999, but that was only to address the park's aesthetics and safety.

But then once Six Flags was purchased, the company REALLY ran Frontier City into the ground. Heavy investments went into Six Flags over Texas, Six Flags in Georgia and Six Flags in New Jersey. In the meantime, Six Flags let the rides at Frontier City go, and management lacked vision whatsoever. Very reliable sources informed me during a conversation about Frontier City and White Water Bay that Six Flags had been diverting revenue from Frontier City and White Water Bay, as well as Elitch Gardens in Denver, to pay for expansions at the major parks.

The Titan roller coaster at Six Flags over Texas carried a hefty price tag.... just shy of $60 million. Remember, the cheapest steel coaster today is around $4 million, and that equals the size of the Silver Bullet. And New Jersey's Six Flags boasts the world's tallest roller coaster- a 400 ft. peak at the starting point. That coaster is larger than the Titan.

My point is, SoonerDave, when Six Flags was here, we got the serious shaft, and it is going to hurt for a while. Six Flags can give us this sing and dance about how Oklahoma City is too close to Dallas to compete, but I don't buy that bullcrap. We've been a self sustaining, under-rated market for over a decade.

It is my only hope that the next owner will salvage Frontier City, and turn it into something the entire state of Oklahoma can be proud of.

writerranger
05-22-2006, 05:44 PM
You see, in 1990-1996, Frontier City was making a real comeback. Two roller coasters were added, as well as a dozen other better quality rides. The park was re-organized in 1999, but that was only to address the park's aesthetics and safety. But then once Six Flags was purchased, the company REALLY ran Frontier City into the ground.

You couldn't be more right. Late '80s - Mid '90s Frontier City really was a very classy little park.

OklaCity_75
05-22-2006, 05:56 PM
I had a season pass during that time. The promotions for season pass holders were awesome.

They gave you a sports bottle and a discount food card that made going to the park very affordable.

Not to mention they had season pass nights that reserved the park strictly for season pass holders.

I know one summer I was out there almost every weekend. KJ103 was almost always having a concert or party out there. It was definitely a fun place for teenagers back then.

Wow its hard to believe my teen years were well over ten years ago.

venture
05-22-2006, 06:53 PM
Well Cedar Fair did buy someone...

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060522/BUSINESS07/60522011

Snips... >>The northwest Ohio firm, under the transaction, will pick up Canada’s Wonderland, near Toronto; Kings Island, near Cincinnati; Kings Dominion near Richmond, Va.; Carowinds, near Charlotte, N.C.; and Great America located in Santa Clara, Calif.<<

jbrown84
05-28-2006, 08:45 PM
I fervently disagree that Frontier City is an eyesore. The area to the north of it, however, is, with the abandoned Red Carpet Inn and all the trailer parks. I don't think the park should be completely gutted, but I do think it's a good idea to move the parking lot and expand northward, getting rid of that condemned motel and unused lots. The buildings and rides can use paint jobs, but are in good shape overall, and it would be a shame to rip down the mature trees that are throughout the park.

I'm excited to hear what company this is that is interested.