ITPS Amusement INdustry News 2.16.11

[Shawn Haas]



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	Wednesday February 16, 2011
	Dreamworld theme park enjoys an upswing Australia - DREAMWORLD owner Ardent Leisure has posted a $2.15 million interim net profit following a $8.95m loss last year as the US economy improved and revenue increased at its Gold Coast amusement park despite the wet weather. Click for Article Coast theme parks profit slides in the rain Australia - THE wettest summer in decades blew a storm through Village Roadshow's Gold Coast theme park earnings which fell 27 per cent during the first half of this financial year. Sea World, Movie World and Wet 'n' Wild delivered a combined $14.6 million pre-tax operating profit for Village Roadshow, compared with $20.1 million a year earlier.  Click for Article Theme Parks Keep Rolling Cedar Fair (NYSE: FUN) may have a love-hate relationship with its investors, but it must've left its thrill-seeking owners smiling with yesterday's fourth-quarter report. The regional amusement park operator posted a better-than-expected 23% spike in revenue to $129.7 million during the period. It did report a steep loss of $1.14 a share, but that included a $62.4 million one-time hit on the impairment and retirement of fixed assets. Absent the non-cash charge, Cedar Fair would have come through with an operating profit. Click for Article Palace lifts deadline for Silver Springs decision FL - The deal for Silver Springs might not be off after all. Marion County Commission Chairman Stan McClain said on Tuesday that the company operating the renowned site had softened its stance and wanted to know if it was “still in the ballpark” for cutting a deal for the county to take over the park. Click for Article Lo-Q gears up for an expansion drive; says full-year profits are up 18pct Lo-Q (LON:LOQ), the maker of virtual queuing systems for theme parks and attractions, said today it is gearing up for an expansion drive. Chief executive Tom Burnet believes targeted acquisitions in the theme, amusement and water park sectors provide “great potential” to grow the company’s global footprint. Click for Article Stay at a SeaWorld Orlando partner hotel, get VIP treatment at the theme park SeaWorld offers some exciting perks to guests who stay at certain hotels, too. These properties, which are in walking distance of the park, give the following benefits (starting March 1, 2011): Click for Article Disney's Magic Kingdom rides affected by compressor problem FL - Some rides at Disney's Magic Kingdom were "impacted'' today after one of the theme park's air compressors lost power, but all of them were up and running again before noon, Disney spokesmen said. Click for Article Coney Island favorites Ruby's, Beer Island may return next summer, though Shoot the Freak will not NY - Some longtime Boardwalk favorites could be back for one more Coney Island summer, the Daily News has learned. A deal is in the works to let businesses like Ruby's and Beer Island - facing the boot by amusement giant Zamperla - return for another season if they agree to go quietly in the fall, sources told The News. Click for Article Six Flags New England looks to hire 3,000 for Agawam park over the summer AGAWAM – Six Flags New England is looking to hire 3,000 workers for the upcoming summer season at its amusement park. It’s about the same number of people the park has hired in recent years, spokeswoman Melissa M. Pinkerton said Tuesday. Click for Article
	Kids' parties business bounces back a bit Ethan Shannon had a choice for his birthday this year: The 9-year-old could get a birthday present or have a birthday party. He chose the Game Dudes, a new children's-party business in Central Florida that combines video games and laser tag in a two-hour event that comes to you. Owner and creator Michael Carter says that, despite the still-sluggish economy, his party bus is booked almost every weekend. Click for Article Cleopatra exhibit wows previewers Cincinnati, OH - "Powerful," "stunning" and "fascinating" were some of the words that area teachers used Tuesday afternoon to describe the exhibition "Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt" at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Click for Article Morse Museum's expansion makes it the place for Tiffany Winter Park, FL - When its 12,000-square-foot wing debuts Saturday, the Morse Museum of American Art will cement its stature as the world's premier location for admiring and studying the glass creations of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Click for Article Will Dayton museum get space shuttle? WASHINGTON - Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton would receive $14 million to prepare to house one of NASA's three shuttle orbiters, under President Barack Obama's budget. Click for Article Say cheese (or act cheesy) at museum photobooth Massillon , OH - Each morning, Scot Phillips opens the large door inside the black-paneled photobooth and begins measuring chemicals and testing their temperature. In a digital age, when photos come to life with ink and toner and film-free cameras deliver instantaneous pictures that may never escape a computer hard drive, this is almost an obsolete task. Click for Article
	Seven Peaks announces acquisition of Raging Waters Utah UT - Seven Peaks announces acquisition of Raging Waters Utah -- Seven Peaks has announced the acquisition of Raging Waters Utah in Salt Lake City. Now referred to as Seven Peaks Waterpark Salt Lake, the venue affords families in the Salt Lake and Davis county area a place to engage in recreational and relationship-building activities. Click for Article Bill would boost Kalahari VA - A bill that could help Kalahari Resorts obtain financing for its massive Fredericksburg water-park resort was approved by the Virginia Senate Finance Committee yesterday. Click for Article
	Aquarium adding penguins Newport, KY - When the Newport Aquarium's renovated penguin exhibit reopens next month, it will be a playground for both people and penguins. The birds will get a new home with a rocky wall, a waterfall and an expanded ceiling while visitors will get an improved seating area, a live show and a play area. Click for Article Report: Elephant’s fatal attack on Knoxville Zoo handler was ‘intentional’ KNOXVILLE — The elephant that killed its handler at the Knoxville Zoo last month apparently committed an “intentional” attack without provocation, according to a state report released today. Zoo officials say that’s a conclusion without any proof. “Intentional is a word that I don’t know how you can say,” said Jim Vlna, the zoo’s director. “They don’t know the mind of an elephant.” Click for Article John Ball Zoo may raise admission price GRAND RAPIDS -- John Ball Zoo fees may go up by $1 this summer. A committee of the Kent County Commission recommended admission hikes for the county-owned John Ball Zoological Garden to generate an estimated $200,000 additional revenue and cover increasing expenses. Click for Article
	Marriott plans to spin off Orlando-based time-share business Marriott International has announced plans to spin off its Orlando-based time-share operations and its development business as a new, publicly-traded company later this year. Click for Article Council approves casino, gift shop BILOXI -- The City Council didn’t want to wait another week to advance plans for Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Casino & Restaurant Biloxi. The first reading of the proposal came during the 1:30 p.m. meeting Tuesday, and once that adjourned, the council opened a special meeting and approved the plan. The design calls for a sea plane hanging from the ceiling and a shrimp boat and volcano in the bar. Click for Article Carillon developer makes a bold bid to build new Pier ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Out with the inverted pyramid. In with a large sand bar that would become downtown's first functional beach in generations. Out with a current design that cedes much of its space to cars. In with more parkland, an amusement ride, a tram and a lush green lawn for an amphitheater. Click for Article
Shawn M. Haas Vice President of Retail, Operations and Information Technology International Theme Park Services, Inc 2195 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45206 513-381-6131 Phone 513-381-2756 Fax Email Shawn	For over 11 years, ITPS has been providing news updates to the industry. We continually strive to improve our offering and have made some changes to the news, beginning this week. We hope you find the changes beneficial and make it easier for you the reader to quickly find the news you want to read. Please email us for your feedback and suggestions. Thanks for reading! To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, Change Email Address, delivery issues or to send attraction, facility press releases or job openings to the daily mailing, please email Shawn. ITPS Amusement INdustry News now has advertising space available. ITPS News is the longest continuous email newsletter for the Leisure Industry. ITPS Amusement INdustry News is read by the Industry's leaders, decision makers, owners and senior management. Contact Shawn for advertising details and reasonable rates. Visit news.interthemepark.com for past editions of the news are available on our website. Click here for previous daily news updates. To search the archives of ITPS Amusement News, click here.