ITPS Amusement INdustry News 2.3.11

[Shawn Haas]



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	Thursday February 3, 2011
	SeaWorld, Busch Gardens to Open New Attractions SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment on Thursday announced the opening of 10 new attractions at its parks this year, including a new killer whale show at SeaWorlds in three cities, a cheetah-themed coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and a swim-through artificial reef at Discovery Cove in Orlando. Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services, a global consulting agency, said the new attractions "will take the edge" off the trainer death incident, but he added that he didn't think the death had much of an impact on SeaWorld attendance overall. Click for Article Killer whale trainers won't be in water for new SeaWorld show Dubbed "One Ocean," the performance will debut in late April at SeaWorld Orlando, on Memorial Day weekend at SeaWorld San Diego and in June at SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld was to announce today. It will replace the nearly 5-year-old "Believe" show as the showcase attraction in the company's marine parks. Click for Article Dorney Park lining up more thrills PA - Mum's the word on a new ride slated to join Dorney Park's lineup of belly-dropping, giggle-inducing thrillers, and park representatives say enthusiasts will have to wait until summer 2012 to try it out. Click for Article Q Funding Soliciting Change Again at Cedar Fair Q Investments is again asking unitholders to demand change at the Company. It is unfortunate that we even have to pursue this path given the strong message that unitholders resoundingly sent to the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") and management team a short while ago; however, the Company is now taking a stance that may make it one of the few, if not the only, large publicly traded companies attempting to disenfranchise unitholders completely by claiming that its unitholders do not have any right to nominate directors. Click for SEC Filing Busch Gardens Tampa Bay adds VIP options to concert series TAMPA — Facing heightened competition just as visitors feel less inclined to scrimp, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has punched up the food, beverage and entertainment offerings at its winter concert series. Click for Article Disney World passholder event to mark Expedition Everest’s 5th birthday Orlando, FL - Thrill seekers, get ready. Walt Disney World passholders are invited to a special event to celebrate the fifth birthday of Expedition Everest. Click for Article Disney parks renovate 9 attractions, other areas Anaheim, CA - Disney parks are renovating nine attractions and other areas that are temporarily closed for at least part of February. Most of the refurbishment jobs began last month and are continuing at least until March in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Click for Article Historic Playland Open on Weekends CA - Playland at Roeding Park will be open on the weekends beginning this Saturday. Barry Falke, CEO of Storyland and Playland, said two of the original rides are still in operation at the park, the little cars and the small Ferris wheel. Click for Article
	Big blow for York wheel plans UK - TOURISM bosses’ hopes of bringing a big wheel back to York have been dealt a massive blow after York Minster officials claimed it would “debase” the skyline. Click for Article Ripley's gets partial OK on exterior renovation San Antonio, TX - A city panel gave final approval to Ripley Entertainment for exterior renovations near the Alamo, but held firm on signage and 12-foot-wide sliding overhead doors. Click for Article The Adrenalin Zone in Bari, Italy Italy - There are a lot of fun things to do in the Adriatic port city of Bari, Italy: there's the Church of St. Nicholas, the Centro Storico and the LungoMare. But if AdChoices you are an adventure-seeker who thrives on thrills and potential spills, those cultural pursuits pale in comparison to the Adrenalin Zone: an "urban acrobatic park" on the outskirts of town where visitors can challenge themselves and in the process overcome fear, build confidence and have a great time. Click for Article
	Details of Toronto’s aquarium are massive Toronto, Canada - Some bait from taxpayers will help lure tens of thousands of fish — and millions of visitors — to the aquarium planned for the base of the CN Tower, the Star has learned. Approvals and design work for a long-sought aquarium have gone swimmingly since details were announced a year ago, say Ripley’s Entertainment, the City of Toronto and the federal Crown corporation that controls the three-acre parcel of land just south of the tower. Click for Article Zoo goes wild at rally for Steelers PA - The elephants at Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium got in on the action Wednesday as Steeler Nation gears up for Super Bowl XLV. They picked teams by choosing posters zoo workers held up, and then waved Terrible Towels with their trunks. Click for Article Brookfield Zoo will reopen Feb. 3 Riverside, IL - The Brookfield Zoo, 8400 W. 31st St., will reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb 3. The zoo was closed for only the second time in the zoo's 77-year history. Stuart Strahl, the CEO and president of the Chicago Zoological Society, said it was the right decision to close the zoo. Click for Article
	ASTM F24 TO MEET IN NEW ORLEANS Over 150 Global Safety Experts Anticipated ASTM F24, the committee on amusement rides and attractions, which produces global safety standards for the amusement industry, will be holding four days of meetings from February 16th through February 19th, 2011 at the Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana. Approximately fifty (50) separate meetings will be held, each one focusing on a specific safety element of the amusement industry. Meetings are open to both members and non-members of ASTM and registration is available at http://www.astm.org/. In addition to traditional sessions on issues like G forces, operations, and maintenance, some of the areas that will be focused on include nontraditional areas of growth, such as, participatory attractions like zip lines, rock wall climbing, and Zorbs. A number of meetings will be focused on water related attractions which continue to see significant growth in the resort and hotel industry. A number of sessions will be held to assist global representatives with the adoption of ASTM F24. The recently passed F24 Canada specific standard will be used as a model for other countries that have a desire to adopt F24, but have specific internal requirements that they want added to the existing standards. A newly established task group focused on Latin American adoption of F24 will meet to review the model. Len Morrissey, Director/TCO Division of ASTM International, stated, “With the success of the Canadian effort, we now have a clear path that allows any country to adopt F24 standards and still recognize specific national requirements.” Preregistration for the meeting is at the highest level ever and the host hotel is sold out; although, additional hotel options have been secured to ensure all can attend. Over 150 safety experts from all over the world are expected to attend. Jim Seay, Chairman of ASTM F24 Committee and President of Premier Rides, commented, “I am extremely pleased with the interest of our committee members in the upcoming spring meeting. Participants are coming from around the globe and that is a great statement on the passion the F24 members have for safety in the amusement industry.” ---end story---  Details and registration here. Solano County supervisors OK fairgrounds proposal CA - Solano County Supervisors opted to take the next step toward revamping the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo on Tuesday, but not before a lively discussion that included accusations of closed-door meetings and a brief recess to restore decorum. 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 10 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.