Park News
www.parkworld-online.com
The GT Coaster
ParkBloggin’
by Larry Litton
Six Flags - not just chicken tenders anymore!
1-themed ride and the GT Experience, a duelling coaster featuring cars modelled on the Ferrari F430 Spider (pictured above).
Inside the main park will be attractions including Flight Over Italy, a scenic water ride, kids driving school, race simulations, historical exhibits and a virtual factory tour. Guests will be able to unwind at the Italian food court, or a separate fine dining restaurant. A 1,300 square metre flagship store will sell all things Ferrari. Ferrari World is owned by Aldar Properties and will be run by Farah Leisure Parks Management, a joint venture between Aldar and ProFun Management Group. Andy Keeling has been appointed park manager. The park is located on Yas Island, an up and coming tourist destination and home to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Abu Dhabi was chosen as the location for the project thanks to the huge popularity of motor sports in the United Arab Emirates.
In its manifesto, BALPPA makes four key requests that it claims would be beneficial for the tourism sector and the country as a whole. These include reducing tax on admissions and income to 5% (currently 17.5%), introducing a three-year daylight saving experiment, widening the scope of lottery funding and amending the 2005 Gambling Act.
Margaret Hodge MP, minister for tourism, gave strong hints that following recent comments from the prime minister, that the issue of daylight saving was under discussion at a senior government level. BALPPA wants to put clocks forward by one hour, in line with the rest of Europe, thereby creating an extra hour of daytime and boosting tourism activity. BALPPA chief executive Colin Dawson expressed his pleasure at hearing both the minister and shadow minister Tobias Ellwood voice their support for the issue. “I have been strongly pushing this issue for the last six years and we appear to be very close to success,” he remarked. “As this was my last parliamentary lunch, it would be an amazing retirement gift if there was an announcement of consultation on a three year trial in the near future”
BALPPA member Angela Wright, from Crealy, is campaigning for daylight saving
In the last four seasons, Six Flags parks across the United States have gone through a dramatic transformation. We are cleaner and more family friendly, while our seasonal staff and leadership are thoroughly trained and more prepared than ever to provide our millions of guests with world class service. We are especially proud of the improvements we have made in our food locations. As someone who has 28 years’ experience in the restaurant business, ranging from fast food to high end dining and proprietorship, I have enjoyed the challenge immensely, and the rewards of our efforts. From lunch through to dinner, Six Flags considers our guests’ wants and cravings by supplying a menu with an assortment of options to choose from. Who can resist a funnel cake, cotton candy, or an ice cream cone dipped in sprinkles or chocolate? If there’s a healthy meal option, even better! Today parents are more conscious than ever about what their children are consuming. Theme park favorites, such as huge slices of pizza or gourmet hot dogs, are always available, but if you would prefer a Grecian Chicken Pita and a cup of fresh fruit, we have that too. While catching some sun in the waterpark, enjoy fresh hand battered cod, fried clam strips and scallops on a seafood platter. A new favourite dessert and a great finish to any meal is our gelato, featuring one-third the calories of regular ice cream. At Six Flags, we strive to be excellent in everything we do, and certainly our food service is no exception. We select only the finest produce that is at the peak of freshness and flavour. We prepare for one day’s business at a time to ensure that only the freshest ingredients are used and served each day. This may seem like the very basics of food
service, but it is a vital first step in serving outstanding products. We understand the difference between a high quality offering and processed and artificial foods.
Our change in food philosophy has been all encompassing. We are committed to serving restaurant quality meals with restaurant quality service. Whenever possible we operate display kitchens adding a show element to our new and remodelled locations. We are after all, in the business of entertaining!
Any restaurateur will tell you that you are only as good as your food and your service. Our commitment to hiring enthusiastic and talented employees and providing them with exceptional training and supervision is what has led us to where we are today.
Larry Litton has been president of Six Flags New England, Agawam, Massachusetts, since September 2006. He previously served as vice-president and general manager of Six Flags Elitch Gardens, Denver, Colorado after a 26-year career in the hospitality industry, where he won awards for his focus and success at a variety of levels.
APRIL 2010
9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48