Originally Posted By walt01 Trekkeruss. You're probably right that with good management you can have a good park that is mostly coasters. It just seems that MM marketed to the very people that they wanted to keep away. It's just interesting that they say they don't approve of Gang bangers in the park, then put in metal detectors, in effect saying, "No we don't want you, but we'll tolerate you, as long as you tolerate our security devices." The results speak for themselves.
Originally Posted By fkurucz I wonder why SF parks are gang banger magnets? Is this a problem with Cedar Point? One reason I don't like going to Elitch Gardens is because I feel like I'm in the 'hood.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt “Magic Mountain HAS BEEN a destination for a larger segment of the market that it has been meant to appeal to. The problem is that most believe correctly that it is the wrong market to begin with.†True. The point, though, is no matter how one spins it MM is a regional park, not a major destination for tourists from around the globe. The place attracts 2-3 million people a year. How many of those visitors are people traveling from around the world specifically to ride Colossus or whatever? My guess is not very many. Moreover, the reason Six Flags went after the thrill ride market is because it was the only way to differentiate the park from all the other family based themed parks and attractions in Southern California. A Los Angeles Times article pointed out that, “Though Six Flags could invest in Magic Mountain to transform it into a family-style park, Shapiro noted that the Southern California market was already crowded with family attractions, including Walt Disney Co.'s two parks in Anaheim, Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park and Universal Studios Hollywoodâ€. As I have argued before, the overall theme park market in the region is saturated. Now you actually have the CEO of Six Flags publicly stating it. "Six Flags has a debt load of over a BILLION dollars." Actually, according to the LA Times, Six Flags' debt is $2.1 billion. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sixflags23jun23" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/busines s/la-fi-sixflags23jun23</a>,1,6055830.story?coll=la-headlines-business
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo "How many of those visitors are people traveling from around the world specifically to ride Colossus or whatever?" The UK coaster club often do a tour of the US and Magic Mountain is a top destination. For thrill seakers - Cedar Point and Magic Mountain are the 2 key destinations. We would have gone on our last So Cal trip but all the negativity on the boards and the distance from DL and San Diego (our two bases) meant we chose to do other things.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <"Six Flags has a debt load of over a BILLION dollars." Actually, according to the LA Times, Six Flags' debt is $2.1 billion. > Six Flags has a debt load of over TWO BILLION dollars.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA What would or could any other theme park company do to turn around Six Flags Magic Mountain? There has to be a certain part of any of these other organizations that says, hey, if they can't turn it around, why do we think we should be able to? A billion dollars is a heckuva lot of money. How much cash is there if they decided to sell the coasters to other parks? A drop in the proverbial bucket.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <Goldrusher: Perhaps the first "mine train" type steel coaster, and one of the best of its kind.> Just FYI, the first Six Flags park (near Dallas) had such a ride, which I rode in the late 60's. (The "runaway mine train.")
Originally Posted By leemac <<Tussaud's Group has been mentioned, but I doubt they will be able to pull off a purchase.>> Don't be too quick to dismiss Tussauds. I believe they are Dubai-owned now and they have packed their UK parks with world-class coasters in recent years to decent attendance. I wonder if there will be the same hubbub over a Dubai company buying SFMM as there was over the ports deal?
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>A billion dollars is a heckuva lot of money. How much cash is there if they decided to sell the coasters to other parks? A drop in the proverbial bucket.<< As others have mentioned the coasters will probably be sold as scrap metal. The gold mine is the real estate. Depending on its size SFMM alone could be worth 100-200 million. Elitch Gardens is much smaller than SFMM, but its located downtown next to the Pepsi Center, which makes it a pretty desireable piece of land ($50 Million ?). Throw in a few more parks and it could add up.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>Just FYI, the first Six Flags park (near Dallas) had such a ride, which I rode in the late 60's. (The "runaway mine train.")<< No doubt this ride was the inspiration for BTMRR. Of course BTMRR is much nicer.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Depending on its size SFMM alone could be worth 100-200 million." Some reports are saying $300-500 million. I'm sure that some of the assets (rides and coasters) could be salvaged for othe Six Flags parks or sold to other park operators.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Not that this is the complete reason, but I believe Rapid Transit can deposit riders at Magic Mountain but cannot at Cedar Point. That might be one cause of the "gang bangers" or kids that hang out there.
Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger MM went downhill when they evicted the trolls. They never should have done that - you do NOT want to P.O. a troll. I'm trying to remember what was in the Magic Pagoda that oc_dean mentioned. I can't remember it. The last time I was there would have been around 1978 or '79.
Originally Posted By ArchtMig >>>I'm trying to remember what was in the Magic Pagoda that oc_dean mentioned. I can't remember it. The last time I was there would have been around 1978 or '79.<<< I remember a budda-like statue that had a semi-transparent head, like the busts from Haunted Mansion, and Madam Leota. And the new Buzz Lightyear next to the giant etch-a-sketch, for that matter. The budda head had a projection of his face and mouth movements, projected from within the head. >>>"Depending on its size SFMM alone could be worth 100-200 million." Some reports are saying $300-500 million. I'm sure that some of the assets (rides and coasters) could be salvaged for othe Six Flags parks or sold to other park operators.<<< The news reports said that bare land goes for between 750,000 and a million per acre there. MM is 250 acres... that would be 250 million, tops. I don't see them getting much for the rides that can be moved... I would imagine the whole effort, after demo costs, would net not much more than $300 million.
Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger Googled Magic Pagoda right after I posted and found a description of it. Funny that I don't remember it. Found this, though: <a href="http://themepark.sitesbyrob.com/magic_mountain.htm" target="_blank">http://themepark.sitesbyrob.co m/magic_mountain.htm</a> Kinda' breaks my heart that the park declined like it has. Those were the good old days. :_(
Originally Posted By berol We had a blast in the maze and strobe light rooms in Magic Pagoda, but I tended to call it Padoga. I remember it being Buddha, maze, left over Chinatown/river, strobe room, Chinatown/river again... I think I'm forgetting a room or 2.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Magic Pagoda was a really weird attraction. Like a funhouse, but with not much going one. I remember they used to have people go into these rooms that were glass on all sides, and through some semi-magical special effects they'd seem to disappear. The Buddha character was sort of neat... Didn't stick around for very long.
