CEO tells future for Cedar Fair park chain

SANDUSKY (AP) — During his career, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. boss Richard Kinzel has gone from managing hot dog stands on the midway at Cedar Point to now running North America’s third-largest amusement park chain.

The company’s chief executive officer since 1986, he oversaw the acquisition of five parks from Paramount Parks Inc. in 2006. Cedar Fair parks now include: Cedar Point, in Sandusky; Kings Island, in Cincinnati; Great America, in Santa Clara, Calif.; Canada’s Wonderland, in Toronto, Canada; Kings Dominion, in Richmond, Va.; and Carowinds, in Charlotte, N.C.

Kinzel sat down with The Associated Press last week to discuss Cedar Fair’s future expansion plans, roller coasters and how technology will change the way people visit amusement parks.

Q: What have you been able to incorporate from the Paramount parks into Cedar Fair?

A: We’ve pretty much adopted their admission system. This year, for example, we’re trying to make it easier for season pass holders so they don’t have to wait in line. Our goal is to have the Hotel Breakers and Camper Village at Cedar Point cashless by 2010. You’ll be able to walk into the hotels and get a key that will be your credit card and you’ll be able to use it in some areas of the park and in the hotel.

Q: Would you be growing in terms of parks or hotels, maybe indoor water parks?

A: I think it would be just parks. We have one indoor water park now, Castaway Bay, but now there are water parks all around. I don’t think we would invest any of our money into that. If we had the money on the balance sheet, we have hotel opportunities at Kings Dominion and Carowinds and in Canada. We have plenty of land around all of those parks to make it into a resort community like Cedar Point.

Q: Is Canada’s Wonderland going to be the next big park in the chain?

A: At the end of this year, it’s probably going to be Cedar Point giving us the largest attendance and Canada’s Wonderland will be second. It really wouldn’t surprise me if Canada’s Wonderland really challenges Cedar Point this year for attendance.

Q: Will you continue to put money into the water parks?

A: Water is a cheaper alternative to rides. You have to keep putting different elements in. At Carowind’s we’re putting a wave pool in, but still you’re talking $3.5 million. It depends on the market; you have to keep refreshing.

Q: Last fall, the decision was made to remove the rides from Geauga Lake near Cleveland and operate it as only a water park this year. How tough was that decision?

A: For me, it was very difficult to do, because it was my idea, my reputation to spend $144 million to buy it. But the numbers just weren’t there. It was really the right answer to close it because it was losing money. Now our plan is to have the largest water park in the state of Ohio.

Q: Since the debut of Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in 2003, there haven’t been any new record-breaking coasters at Cedar Fair parks. Has there been a change in philosophy?

A: Cedar Point will always be the coaster capital of the world. We put Maverick in last year and that was a $21 million coaster. We had the first 200-foot-coaster, the first 300-foot-coaster, the first 400-foot-coaster, where do you go after that? We decided to try to appeal to the teens and the coaster group and put in a ride that is altogether different.