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Goddard has been retained to provide design oversight for the entire Magic
World Russia project, while ProFun will provide operations and management consultancy. Brooks Branch and Danny Kaplan of Brand Studios will oversee overall brand and creative collaborations.
Around 80% of the parks and attractions planned will be undercover in order to operate year round Outlined so far are the following components: •Major Hollywood Studio Branded Park – Paramount and Universal are highlighted as frontrunners •Park Russia – drawing on Russian culture and folklore as well as achievements in space and Arctic exploration, film, cinematography, science and aviation •Thrill Ride Park, Extreme Sports Park and Waterparks •World Without Boundaries – special needs children’s park •Magic Family Park – dedicated to families with young children •Nanopolis Children’s Park – a role-playing “edutainment” experience where children will be able to participate in “grown up” jobs •Winter Garden Magic Fountain Park – serving as a stage for nightly entertainment and parades •St Petersburg City Street – shopping and dining experience •Amphitheater/Concert Hall
Star Flyer for Vancouver
Playland at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) in Vancouver, British Colombia, has introduced Atmosfear. The $2 million (€1.4m), 24-seater Star Flyer stands 218ft-tall (66.5m) and is one of only two rides of its kind in Canada. Hitting top speeds of 70km/h, riders are whirled 360 degrees in the air for two minutes at a time, providing the park with capacity for 500 riders an hour. The ride system works much like an elevator, with a winch motor at the base of the tower, attached through two steel ropes to the counterweight and through four steel ropes (redirected through pulley blocks in the tower’s head) to the inner frame. It has a safety disc brake and a service drum brake. During Playland’s typical summer operating hours, the park closes at 8pm, however four flood lamps have been added to illuminate the ride during the 17-day annual fair, due to held at the PNE grounds from August 20 onwards. Atmosfear is the first new ride at Playland for four years. Funtime is represented in North America by the Ride Entertainment Group.
Park Law
by Heather M Eichenbaum Esq Crisis Management
Accidents are unavoidable. Whether the fault of your park or its patrons, your initial behaviour can make all the difference to the reaction of the guest involved, their family and government regulators, as well to the public perception of your park.
All parks should have a crisis management plan and procedure in place, in writing, and practised at least once a year by key personnel who will be involved in any crisis. Here’s how to go about it. First and foremost, after any serious accident, your lawyer should immediately be retained to assist in the crisis management and investigation. As well as contacting and communicating with independent inspectors, investigators and government authorities, they may also handle press releases and other media contact. Further, if counsel retains and communicates with the independent inspector, those communications may be privileged and, therefore, protected from disclosure should a lawsuit be filed as a result of the accident. That privilege will be most beneficial if the investigation reveals park negligence as opposed to guest error. An independent inspector knowledgeable about the industry and ride involved should also be retained and brought to the site immediately. They should oversee the investigation by government authorities and conduct their own independent investigation. Additionally, they can serve as an independent voice on the park’s behalf if it is believed that the accident resulted from guest error or misconduct. You should not ignore the press or say “no comment” following any serious accident. It only looks like you’re avoiding the issue and are afraid to face what happened because you may have done something wrong. Some statement is always better than no statement – even if it is just that you are in the process of investigating the accident and will issue a press release once you have more information. Park owners and management are likely to be too emotional following a serious accident to handle the media in live press conferences or interviews. A written press release, reviewed by your park’s lawyers, can effectively relay your message without threat of questions you don’t want to be put on the spot to answer.
If a live press conference or interview is necessary, let an independent representative handle it. They will have full knowledge regarding many issues the press may ask specific to the accident at issue but can avoid broader questions posed by reporters by indicating they don’t know and will get the answer in due course. You in turn can think about why the broader question is being asked and prepare your answer accordingly. Further, if an independent representative doesn’t make a good impression with the media or the public, they can be the scapegoat in later media contact and the public is less likely to hold it against the park than if an owner or management level employee makes a poor impression. Whoever speaks on behalf of the park, all day-to-day employees should be told that they are not to speak to anyone – including but not limited to the media – about the accident. Finally, let the people you employ do their jobs. Hire professionals that you believe will have your park’s best interests at heart and then trust them. Follow their advice. They will be thinking without the same emotion and from an objective perspective while you will likely be upset and your thinking will almost certainly not be as clear or impartial.
Heather Eichenbaum is a member with Spector Gadon & Rosen PC, practising in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In addition to defending amusement venues, she also handles and provides training in crisis management. Legal counsel to and a board member of the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials in the United States, she is also a member of IAAPA, NJAA, OABA and the IISF. Should you need legal assistance, reach Heather at: +1 215 241 8856 or
heichenbaum@lawsgr.com.
AUGUST 2011 9
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