Tag Archives: Cedar Fair

Cedar Fair, Events, News and Updates, News Stories, Rides, RollerCoasters

Cedar Fair is “Coasting For Kids”

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Cedar Fair Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio – The thrill of a roller coaster ride will have a whole lot more meaning on Thursday, July 29 when Cedar Fair Entertainment Company’s (NYSE: FUN) eleven amusement parks host “Coasting For Kids 2010” to raise money for Give Kids The World Village, the nonprofit organization that provides weeklong vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

The fun-filled event is a company-wide effort. Park fans and coaster enthusiasts alike will enjoy a day filled with riding the coolest roller coasters at their favorite park over and over again. Featured rides include Gemini at Cedar Point, Shivering Timbers at Michigan’s Adventure, Jaguar at Knott’s Berry Farm and the Racer at Kings Island, with rides at the other seven parks to be announced soon. All participants are encouraged to raise at least $50 for Give Kids The World to take part – with prizes going to the top three fundraisers at each park.

All participants will receive complimentary admission to the park of their choice, a “Coasting For Kids” t-shirt and unlimited rides on the event’s featured attraction. Each participating park will also offer additional event perks unique to their location.

“Cedar Fair has been proud to partner with Give Kids The World for many years,” said Lee Ann Alexakos, Vice President Marketing and Advertising, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. “’Coasting For Kids’ is the perfect way for our guests to enjoy our parks – and help children with life-threatening illnesses.”

“We are so excited to work with Cedar Fair,” echoed Give Kids The World President, Pamela Landwirth. “We had such fun at the inaugural event at Cedar Point last year, and are looking forward to this nationwide coaster marathon at all eleven locations this year. This tremendous support for Give Kids The World will help us continue to make dreams come true for children who need it most.”

“Coasting For Kids” will take place at Cedar Point, OH; Kings Island, OH; Canada’s Wonderland, Ontario, Canada; Dorney Park, PA; Valleyfair, MN; Michigan’s Adventure, MI; Kings Dominion, VA; Carowinds, NC; Worlds of Fun, MO; Knott’s Berry Farm CA; and California’s Great America, CA. Anyone who is interested in participating can go to www.firstgiving.com/gktw, click “register for an event” and pick the park they wish to attend and take part at. All participants must raise at least $50 by Wednesday, July 28 to take part in the event on July 29. Space at each park is limited. To learn more, interested participants can call Give Kids The World at 407.396.1114 ext. 4504 or email dream@gktw.org or log on to www.gktw.org.

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: “FUN”) is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio. The Company, which owns and operates 11 amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels, is one of the largest regional amusement park operators in the world. Its parks are located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, Virginia / District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, and Toronto, Ontario. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, California under a management contract. Cedar Fair’s flagship park, Cedar Point, has been consistently voted the “Best Amusement Park in the World” in a prestigious annual poll conducted by Amusement Today newspaper.

Give Kids The World

Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) is a 70-acre, nonprofit resort in Central Florida that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. GKTW provides accommodations at its whimsical resort, donated attractions tickets, meals and more for a weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacation. With the help of many generous individuals, corporations and partnering wish-granting organizations, Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 101,000 families from all 50 states and 72 countries.

Cedar Fair, News and Updates, News Stories

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company Launches Mobile Visitor Initiatives with Hipcricket

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Cedar Fair Press Release

KIRKLAND, Wash.– Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a leader in regional amusement parks, water parks and active entertainment, has selected Hipcricket to further engage park visitors with discounts, promotions, event notifications, and more delivered via mobile devices. The solutions from Hipcricket, the one-stop mobile marketing and mobile advertising company that empowers brands, agencies and media properties to engage customers and drive sales and loyalty, are in place in eight of the Company’s amusement parks across the country.

Cedar Fair has begun integrating mobile into its overall marketing initiatives including traditional and non-traditional channels. The parks, which include Kings Island, Kings Dominion and Dorney Park, among others, are promoting their mobile clubs via Facebook, radio, email newsletters, and in-park signage. These channels leverage the power of Hipcricket’s hyperlocal 6.0 platform and prompt current and potential park visitors to opt-in and receive special offers from Cedar Fair and their local amusement parks. Cedar Point – the flagship park in the Cedar Fair system – will be rolling out its mobile strategy in July.

“We’re always looking for new ways to further connect with visitors while they’re in our parks and also in between visits,” said Lee Alexakos, vice president & corporate division head of marketing & advertising at Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. “This is the first time that we’ve launched a cross-park mobile marketing initiative and we’re pleased by how easy it is to deliver timely and relevant messages to our guests which offer special promotions, encourage repeat visits and ultimately enhance their in-park experience.”

“Mobile marketing is proven to be the best channel to not just reach customers, but to fully engage them,” said Eric Harber, president and COO at Hipcricket. “By using Hipcricket’s hyperlocal mobile marketing solutions, Cedar Fair is able to connect one-on-one with its park visitors and offer them timely and relevant information, no matter where they are.”

Hipcricket has conducted more than 65,000 mobile marketing campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands—including Macy’s, Nestle, KFC, HBO and Clear Channel—as well as hundreds of radio and television stations nationwide. Hipcricket equips clients with superior technology and services that enable them to create mobile advertising and promotional campaigns in minutes.

About Cedar Fair Entertainment Company

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: “FUN”) is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio. The Partnership, which owns and operates 11 amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels, is one of the largest regional amusement park operators in the world. Its parks are located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, Virginia / District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, and Toronto, Ontario. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, California under a management contract. Cedar Fair’s flagship park, Cedar Point, has been voted the “Best Amusement Park in the World” for 12 consecutive years in a prestigious annual poll conducted by Amusement Today newspaper.

About Hipcricket Inc.

Hipcricket Inc. is the one-stop mobile marketing and advertising company that empowers brands, agencies and media properties to engage customers, drive loyalty and increase sales. Hipcricket’s customers connect with consumers across every mobile channel, including SMS, mobile Web sites, permission-based advertising networks and branded apps. Hipcricket’s proven technology and experienced account management teams have provided measurable successes through an industry-leading 65,000 campaigns for clients such as Macy’s, Nestle, KFC, HBO and Clear Channel. The company has also created the first comprehensive permission-based mobile ad network that taps into the buying power of the mass market with industry-leading capabilities to target customers via location and highly-specific demographic information.

Hipcricket is a privately held corporation based near Seattle, Washington, with operations in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City. More information can be found at: www.hipcricket.com.

Admission, Cedar Fair, Deals, News and Updates, News Stories

Cedar Fair Announces Free Admission to Military Personnel

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Cedar Fair Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio – Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a publicly-traded leader in regional amusement parks, water parks, vacation resorts and entertainment, is pleased to announce that it will offer FREE admission to active and retired United States military personnel on Sunday and Monday of both the Memorial Day and July 4th weekends as a part of its Tribute to the Armed Forces program.

Also as a part of its Tribute to the Armed Forces program, active and retired members of the U.S military will be able to purchase discounted admission tickets for members of their immediate family (maximum of six) at a special military discount price.  The free ticket offer will be available on the Sunday and Monday of each weekend and a valid military ID must be presented.

“We wanted to do something special to honor the men and women of our Armed Forces,” stated Jack Falfas, Cedar Fair’s chief operating officer.  “These brave men and women sacrifice so much of their time with their families to help protect our country and this was our way of saying thank you to them by allowing them to save money and spend a fun-filled day together with their families.”

Tickets for this special promotion are available at each U.S.-based Cedar Fair Entertainment Company amusement and outdoor water park.  For more information, along with a complete list of participating Cedar Fair Entertainment Company parks, guests can log on to www.cedarfair.com/armedforces.

2010 Shows, Cedar Fair, News and Updates, News Stories, Shows

“Rock Band®, Live” prepares for national tour

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Cedar Fair Press Release

SANDUSKY, OHIO, APRIL 13, 2010 – Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a publicly traded leader in regional amusement parks, water parks, vacation resorts and entertainment, is gearing up for one of the most anticipated North American summer music tours.

Cedar Fair, along with MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), will present the “Rock Band®, Live” tour and show at 10 of its parks across the United States and Canada beginning in May.

Members of the media are invited to attend an exclusive sneak peek of the show in New York on Thursday and Friday, April 22 and 23. This “workshop session” will be held at the New 42nd Street Studios with performances starting at 1 p.m. each day.

During the workshop, invited Rock Band fans and special guests will see portions of the actual show and have the opportunity to comment and offer feedback to show producers. Performers, representatives from Cedar Fair, MTV Games and RWS & Associates will be available for interviews. For more information or to RSVP to this special event, please call Tony Clark at 419.627.2225.

So what is “Rock Band, Live”? This unique show combines the high-energy game play action of the popular Rock Band® video games with talented live singers from all over the country. Park guests will even have the opportunity to practice the Rock Band video game prior to each show for a chance to play the game (as the back-up band for the park performers) on stage in front of hundreds of adoring fans.

“Rock Band, Live” is a collaboration between Cedar Fair, MTV Games and RWS & Associates, a full-service entertainment firm that provides custom-produced world-class events and live shows worldwide.

Guests can rock out to two summer-long shows at Cedar Point in Sandusky and Canada’s Wonderland near Toronto. These shows will run June 5 – August 22 and May 29 – September 6, respectively.

Cedar Fair has also announced the “Rock Band, Live” national tour schedule. Exact show dates and times subject to change. See park Web sites for detailed schedules.

May 28 – 31 — Dorney Park in Allentown, Pa.
June 3 – 13 — Kings Island in Cincinnati, Ohio
June 17 – 27 — Valleyfair in Shakopee, Minn.
July 1 – 11 — Carowinds in Charlotte, N.C.
July 15 – 18 — Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo.
July 23 – August 1 — California’s Great America in Santa Clara, Calif.
August 5 – 15 — Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, Calif.
August 20 – 29 — Kings Dominion in Doswell, Va.

“This show is really going to raise the bar on family entertainment,” said Charles Bradshaw, vice president of live entertainment for Cedar Fair. “It’s unlike anything we’ve ever done at our parks. Not only can families enjoy a great live show, but they now have the chance to be a part of it with the help of the Rock Band video game. It’s literally going to rock!”

For more information on the “Rock Band, Live” show, the national tour and the summer-long shows at Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland, visit cedarfair.com/rockbandlive.

About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.

About MTV Games
MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

About RWS & Associates
RWS & Associates is an Emmy®-Award-winning full service entertainment firm headquartered in New York City. RWS provides high quality, custom-designed and pre-packaged entertainment throughout the world in theme parks, resorts, shopping centers and more.

About Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN) is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio. The Partnership, which owns and operates eleven amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels, is one of the largest regional amusement park operators in the world. Its parks are located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, Virginia / District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, and Toronto, Ontario. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, California under a management contract. Cedar Fair’s flagship park, Cedar Point, has been voted the “Best Amusement Park in the World” for twelve consecutive years in a prestigious annual poll conducted by Amusement Today newspaper.

Cedar Fair, News and Updates, News Stories

New options allow Cedar Fair to fight hostile takeover

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From the Sandusky Register…

SANDUSKY

Apollo’s takeover bid may be gone, but Cedar Fair officials already are preparing for another possible takeover attempt.

The amusement park chain has prepared a poison pill to feed any would-be predator trying to gobble up the company in a hostile takeover bid.

The company filed the poisonous rights plan this week.

It was created “to ensure that all unitholders receive fair and equitable treatment in the event of any hostile takeover attempt to gain control of the company,” Cedar Fair leaders explained in a news release.

Cedar Fair filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission explaining the rights plan would be triggered if any company acquired 20 percent of more of Cedar Fair’s outstanding units. The plan has several provisions designed to make it harder to take over Cedar Fair against the wishes of the company’s management.

Under one scenario, for example, each current unitholder would have the right to buy $20 worth of additional units for each unit the investor owns, at a price that’s essentially a two-for-one deal.

“Assuming a value of $10 per unit at such time, the holder of each valid right would be entitled to purchase four units for $20,” the document states.

Adding more units would dilute the ownership of the company attempting the takeover.

Such poison pill options are rarely exercised. The point is to force any company trying to take over Cedar Fair to negotiatiate with the company.

The provision also buys Cedar Fair time to consider its options as it attempts to deal with $1.6 billion of debt, said Jeremy Jacobs, a Cedar Fair spokesman.

“The company is aware that the credit markets seem to be improving and it’s talking with its banks in that context to see how they can address the capital structure to the benefit of unitholders,” Jacobs said.

Cedar Fair carries $1.54 billion of term debt, $640 million that matures in 2012 and $900 million that matures in 2014, said Stacy Frole, director of investor relations for Cedar Fair.

“The rights plan was not adopted in response to any specific effort to acquire control in the company,” Frole said.

Texas investment banker Geoffrey Raynor holds about 18 percent of Cedar Fair’s outstanding units, much of them through Raynor’s company, Q Funding.

On Tuesday, the same day the Apollo and Cedar Fair deal fell through, Q Funding filed an SEC document stating that it had been approached by “certain holding company bondholders” to discuss the possibility of merging Cedar Fair with Six Flags.

“It became apparent … that these holding company bondholders were likely going to control Six Flags, Inc. and, since then, there have not been any additional conversations with such bondholders,” the document said.

The document didn’t identify the bondholders and a spokesman for Q Funding declined comment.

The Reuters news agency has reported that a group led by Stark Investments is poised to take control of Six Flags under a new restructuring plan filed by the bankrupt company.

The speculation about Six Flags and Cedar Fair hasn’t hurt Cedar Fair’s unit price. The closing price Wednesday was $12.87, up 50 cents from the closing price the day before.