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Will Koch
1961-2010 Will Koch, owner and president of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, passed away on June 13 at the age of 48. He died at his home from what his family believes to be complications from diabetes. “Will was not only our leader, he was our dear friend,” says Holiday World spokesperson Paula Werne. “Our park family is in mourning
for this sweet man who worked tirelessly to bring fun and happiness to so many families in the 20 years he ran the park.” Born and raised in Santa Claus, Will Koch attended Heritage Hills High School and graduated with honours from the University of Notre Dame in 1984 with a BS in Electrical Engineering. In 1986, he received a Master's degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California. Under his direction, Holiday World expanded by adding not only a waterpark, but also three major wooden rollercoasters, The Raven, The Legend and The Voyage, plus the world’s tallest water ride and longest waterslide coaster. Each year since 2006, annual attendance has topped one million visitors. In 2004, Will Koch received the Applause Award from his amusement industry colleagues. He also served on the board of IAAPA, the administrative council of the Santa Claus United Methodist Church and as president of the Lincoln Boyhood Drama Association. Will is survived by his wife, Lori, and three children, Lauren, Leah and
William. He is also survived by his mother, Pat, and siblings Dan, Kristi, Philip and Natalie.
His brother Dan, who has been named the park's new president and CEO, stresses that it will continue to be owned and operated by the Koch family “into perpetuity." A partner in the law firm Koch & Trushin in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 46-year old Dan plans regular trips to Santa Claus and daily communication with management. “Will and I have been business partners for decades,” says Dan. “I consider it an honour to step in as president. In the meantime, Will’s three children will have time to finish their education and learn more about the family business before they decide how they would like to be involved in the future.” Dan adds that his mother Pat will continue as "director of values," greeting guests at the front gate and providing motivation and guidance to staff.
The almost 25-minute performance uses nearly 1,200 programmable fountains. Jets
of water up to 200ft in height, plus a 380ft-long wall of water together with nearly 30 high-definition projectors, synchronised flame projections, lasers and other effects create a kaleidoscope of colour and spectacle. The new show is designed to take some of the pressure off the neighbouring Disneyland park during its own night show and fireworks, and give guests a reason to stay at California Adventure for longer. Audiences can enjoy World of Color up to three times nightly from a specially designed viewing area, or make a dinner reservation for a meal with an unforgettable backdrop. Also new at Disney California Adventure is a new Glow Fest, which entertains guests in the run up to Worlds of Color with dancing, music and special light effects.
Park Food by Mike Holtzman
Make F&B part of your masterplan
Most managers might not admit it, but food and beverage (F&B) is the trickiest of departments to run within an amusement park, mainly because it is the most misunderstood.
Even in the early stages of masterplans and blueprints, the box labelled “kitchen” remains a blank until the eleventh hour, and so it fails to get the attention it deserves. This column aims to put that right, giving you some important factors to consider in the planning stages of a new or established project.
Everything starts with the menu. Designed to identify the needs and wants of the guest, the menu should also determine what production, service and managerial responsibilities must be met. “You can’t be everything to everyone,” is a cliché, but when it comes to most park’s F&B operations, it’s true. If adults are but a fraction of your guests, loading up a menu with fare perceived as healthy (like salads) is likely to be an exercise in throwing out a lot of food. The cornerstone for any decent kitchen design is to know the ramifications of the menu, the equipment needed to execute and the square footage available that will influence patterns of workflow. It is
undesirable to have people running into each other while they try to do their job. It is also preferable to have them take as few steps as possible to do the work. When it comes to kitchens, size is overrated. There
have been some 500 sq ft gems, but some 2,000 sq ft turkeys. A detail as minute as which way a refrigerator door opens can influence an employee’s performance and speed of service. In a day and age of multiple deliveries per week, storage capacity is often misread in the planning phase: cubic footage is as important an issue as square footage. Excess storage often translates to a dumping ground for junk and other stuff that no one knows what to do with. Everyone agrees that a small space like that of a snack bar or concession stand has an unusually large demand on utilities, including gas, electricity and water. Changing the plumbing or electrical after the facility is built can be a deal-killer or delay to remodelling years later. To avoid this future obstacle, it is suggested that even the most basic of new snack bars be “overbuilt” from the standpoint of utilities, perhaps by as much as one-third.
The cost of installing bigger water and gas pipes and a larger electrical box (more amps) will be a smart investment, capable of servicing any future equipment needs. We must always think of our growth and potential as we plan ahead.
Mike Holtzman is president of Profitable Food Facilities in the USA, a hospitality design and consulting firm to recreational and family entertainment operations for the last 15 years. You may contact him at
mike@profitablefood.com
JULY 2010 Caption 9
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