Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom closed

[Airtime]

Die Six Flags Gruppe verlängert nicht mehr den Leasing Vertrag mit Kentucky Kingdom, der Park wurde geschlossen. Offensichtlich haben die Konzepte, den Park rentabler zu machen, nicht überzeugen können. Das Highlight im Park war Chang, ein gewaltiger B&M Stand up Coaster aus dem Hause Stengel. Die Bahn wechselt zum Saisonbeginn 2010 nach Six Flags Great America in Chicago, was allerdings ungewöhnlich ist, weil dort mit Iron Wolf bereits ein B&M Stand Up Coaster steht, der übrigens die allererste Bahn von B&M überhaupt war. Wie es nun genau weitergeht ist unklar, ob noch mehr Attraktionen verpflanzt werden oder ein neuer Investor gefunden werden kann, weiß derzeit niemand. Schade ist es auch um den schönen Wasserpark, der mit Deluge, einem aufregenden Water Coaster, begeisterte. Schade drum.

Flyer zur Saison 2009:

Six Flags Kentucky 1.jpg

Six Flags Kentucky 2.jpg

Pressemitteilung:
Kentucky Kingdom Rejects Lease
Park to Close
Six Flags announced today that as it nears the scheduled end of its restructuring process, it has decided to reject its lease with the Kentucky State Fair Board relating to the Kentucky Kingdom park. In recent weeks, Six Flags had proposed a new lease arrangement to the fair board that would have enhanced the viability and future of the park. Unfortunately, those proposals were not accepted and the park will cease operations and the company will move expeditiously to re-locate employees and several of the more than 40 rides and attractions to one of its 13 other markets.

"We are deeply disappointed to be leaving such a great fan base in the greater metropolitan area of Louisville and we are grateful to the thousands of employees at Kentucky Kingdom and the millions of guests for their dedication, support and loyalty over the years," said Mark Shapiro, Six Flags President and CEO.

"This action relates solely to Kentucky Kingdom," Shapiro continued. "The substantial lease payment has been a significant hurdle for this park in recent years. Our other parks, which reside largely on company-owned land, will be completely unaffected and will open as scheduled for the full 2010 season."

[Coasterfreak]

Ich hab das auch schon auf einer anderen Seite gelesen. Sowas ist wirklich Schade . Da geht schon wieder ein Six Flags Park unter...

[Oliver]

Irgendwie hab ich de Eindruck dass Sixflags seine "Kräfte" bzw finanziellen Mittel auf die großen Parks konzentriert. Vielleicht ne neue Marketingstrategie?!

[CoasterFan]

Der Park wird evtl. 2011 wiedereröffnet.

The developer taking over Kentucky Kingdom plans to ask the Kentucky State Fair Board for a $50 million bond issue to upgrade and reopen the amusement park. Ed Hart, who was designated in May by the fair board as the park's preferred operator, told The Courier-Journal that the proposal calls for park revenue to pay off the bonds over the next 20-plus years, covering an annual debt of about $3 million.

Six Flags filed for bankruptcy in Delaware. The court is expected soon to approve agreements with the fair board under which Six Flags would end its obligations for the park.

Hart said the park's reopening is dependent on a public-private partnership and described the state's contribution as an investment in a community facility worth about $200 million. Hart plans to spend $20 million adding rides and doubling the size of the water park.

"My goal is to see Kentucky Kingdom flourish again, and it can. It will pay for itself," said Hart, who headed a group that owned Kentucky Kingdom from 1988-97. Hart sold the park in 1997, for about $80 million, to Six Flags, which closed it early this year.

Fair board president Harold Workman said the bond issue and the investment make sense, but would require approval by the General Assembly in 2011.

A new state-funded, $50,000 study by the AECOM consulting firm and paid for by the fair board and the Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet, found that revenue from a reopened Kentucky Kingdom would be around $11 million.

The study also concluded that revenues would include more than $1 million in annual lease payments from Hart, new tax revenue and money taken in by hotels and restaurants near the fairgrounds.

The study said the park's reopening would eventually create about 1,200 jobs, primarily hospitality positions and some construction employment.

Both Hart and Workman said the goal is to have the park reopened by Memorial Day 2011.

Hart proposes an initial annual lease payment to the fair board of around $1.2 million. The lease would let Hart rent about 50 acres at the expo center for theme park facilities.

Chad Carlton, Mayor Jerry Abramson's spokesman, said the theme park would be a major job creator and have a positive impact on the region's economy.

"We very much would like to see (the park) reopened as soon as is practical," Carlton said.

Hart already has paid $3 million to the fair board, which under a deal between the board and Six Flags, used $2.35 million to give to Six Flags to acquire about 20 acres of amusement park land that Six Flags owns outside the road circling the exposition center.

The rest of the $3 million will go for maintenance, security and other costs.

Quelle

[Coasterfreak]

Erst dicht, dann wieder auf, könnten die sich mal entscheiden

[Timo]

Es ist Six Flags, was erwartest du?
Dennoch schön, dass der Park wiederbelebt wird.