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Blackpool's new coaster continues long family friendship with Mack When Blackpool Pleasure
Beach (UK) announced plans recently for a double launch coaster from Mack Rides, it marked the pinnacle of a decades-long relationship between the Thompson and
y father [the late Geoffrey Thompson OBE DL] and Roland [Mack] were very good friends, and when Roland was building Europa-Park they
Mack families, two European park-operating dynasties and stalwarts of the
amusement industry. Here, in an exclusive piece for Park World, Pleasure Beach managing director
Amanda Thompson OBE tells us how they have stood by
“
each other through thick and thin, but why the new ride was chosen for reasons greater than just old loyalties
There's a
big difference between a family-run business and a corporate business. People notice that
Amanda Thompson OBE
spent a lot of time together. Both of them went on to become chairmen of IAAPA. I spent 13 years at the park myself, running ice shows with my company Stageworks Worldwide Productions. During that time I got to see Michael and Thomas as they were growing up, and I remember Ann-Kathrin [Roland's children] when she was a baby. I'm also friendly with the rest of the family, including Jürgen Mack and his wife Maurita, and Kurt and Christel Mack-Even and their son Markus. After my father died, Roland offered a lot of time and advice to me. He helped me think about things in a different way. We discussed various situations, including putting a gate on the park in Blackpool and ways we could alter the running of the park to make it more profitable and increase guest satisfaction. The management team in Blackpool didn't want to make it a pay-one-price attraction, even though everybody was telling us that was what we should do. I don't think whatever we did would have been right, but we certainly have been able to manage the park differently because we are gated now and have a flexible ticketing system to suit all guests. It's a totally different atmosphere – much, much more pleasant. Everybody that comes to Pleasure Beach now has a better experience. I don't think we would have been able to develop Nickelodeon Land if we hadn't done that, and also we are now a great destination for schools, whereas schools wouldn't come before because we weren't gated.
Understanding ear What Roland never said to me on any occasion was “This is what you have to do”, but I felt comfortable having
A Pleasure doing business M
Kurt Mack-Even (left) rides Sponge Bob’s Splash Bash at Blackpool Pleasure Beach alongside Miriam and Michael Mack during the opening of Nickelodeon Land in 2011
someone I could go and talk to who knew me, understood me, but wasn't necessarily on my doorstep. I have always given Roland my word that I would be there for him and his children, because he was there for me. I speak to Michael [Mack] a lot, I would say we are very good friends. I am very proud of him, and every time he tells me what he is doing I am overwhelmed by it and the fact he has created something else that is so magnificent. I was there again recently at the press launch [at Euro Attractions Show] in Barcelona [during which Europa-Park announced plans for a double flying theatre in 2017]. Michael probably thinks “Oh God, there she is again”. The way that Thomas and Michael work together is very good [Michael concentrating primarily on park operations and his interests with MackMedia/Mack Rides and Thomas managing Europa-Park's hotel and food & beverage operations]. Everything they do is done with passion, everything is built to the very best standard. It's just going to go from strength to strength at Europa-Park because it's a family business and they don't try to move into too many different areas. Whether it's putting in more hotels or building the waterpark, it's all done with great attention to detail – and it's still focused around the core business. The detail is what counts, I really believe that, and there's a big difference between a family-run business and a corporate business. People notice that.
Amanda Thompson shakes on the deal for the new coaster with Roland Mack, flanked by brother and Pleasure Pleasure Beach deputy managing director Nick Thompson (left) and Michael Mack of Mack Rides/Europa-Park
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Doing daddy proud I think my father would think our new rollercoaster was fantastic. It's going to be seriously exciting. I can honestly say that everyone Nick [Thompson, brother, Pleasure Beach deputy managing director] and I worked with along the way came up with some great plans; they were all super, all thrilling. Yet really it was our engineers at Pleasure Beach that chose the company that would build this ride, because they are the ones that will be working with it, day in, day out. Choosing Mack Rides was certainly nothing to do with the friendship that we have with the Mack family, but I am so pleased that it's worked out that way.
NOVEMBER 2016
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