Park News
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Six Flags shake up Duffy named new CEO as Reid-Anderson relinquishes roles
S John Duffey
ix Flags Entertainment Corporation's board of directors has split leadership roles by promoting John Duffey to president and CEO and relinquishing Jim Reid-Anderson of those
duties as he progresses to become the company’s executive chairman. Duffey, who was previously executive vice-president and chief financial officer of the park operator, has also been appointed a director of the company. “I am proud to have helped our team deliver record guest
satisfaction, industry-leading innovation, all-time high employee satisfaction, and our sixth consecutive year of record financial performance,” says Reid-Anderson. “Strategically and operationally, we are firing on all cylinders and I am extremely excited to mentor the company’s next-generation of leaders. John Duffey has been
Fresh start for Fantasy Island
The English seaside leisure destination Fantasy Island, in Ingoldmells outside Skegness, has a new owner. Based in Nottingham, The Mellors Group (
mellorsgroupevents.com), has taken control of the 41-acre freehold property just in time for the start of the 2016 season, which was due to begin on March 12. As well as an amusement park,
arcade and bar facilities, part of which are based inside a pyramid- topped building, the free-to-enter Fantasy Island also incorporates Europe’s largest seven-day market
and 340 static caravan pitches. Key rides include two custom-
designed Vekoma coasters, a WGH coaster and log flume, Reverchon spinning mouse, S&S tower ride and Mondial Top Scan. The Mellors family has diversified beyond its travelling fairground roots in recent
years to take on new ventures including provision of amusements at Dubai’s Global Village, “pop up” beach-themed events and Christmas markets around the UK and observations wheels and other semi-permanent sight-seeing attractions. It is also one of the key attraction partners at London’s Winter Wonderland festive spectacular at Hyde Park. “It is a very exciting time for our company as we have seen strong growth in our
events business throughout the region and abroad,” says Mellors Group managing director James Mellors. “We pride ourselves on delivering the highest standard of attractions and we have some interesting investment plans and new rides for Fantasy Island in the near future.” Founded in 1995 by entrepreneur John Woodward, who made his fortune from
holiday rentals (the Skegness area is littered with caravan parks), the development was sold to new owners in 2006, but they struggled to match the levels of investment made by their predecessor (who passed away in 2010) and the attraction was placed into administration in August 2014. Key members of the Fantasy Island staff have remained in place throughout the
administration period. During that time, the site has been refreshed, operations have been reviewed, and last season saw an increase in attendance and turnover – proving that the British seaside still holds tourist appeal. In high season, the east coast destination, which competes with other Skegness attractions including Botton’s Pleasure Beach and the adjacent Butlin’s holiday centre, entertains up to 40,000 visitors a day.
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instrumental in our past success and this is an excellent time to transition responsibilities and develop others on our management team as we continue building the Six Flags brand globally.” Filling the vacated role of chief financial officer is Marshall
Barber, who has enjoyed a 20-year career at Six Flags, serving most recently as the company’s vice-president of financial planning and analysis. In addition, the company has announced that senior vice-president of in-park services, John Bement has retired following 48 years of dedicated service. He will be replaced by David McKillips, formerly senior vice-president of corporate alliances, while Brett Petit, senior vice-president of marketing and sales, has assumed the responsibility of the corporate alliances sales team, consolidating all marketing and sales functions under one leader.
your wheel! Thanks to the folks at Bussink Design for reminding us that their R80XL observation wheel operated for the past two years in Puebla, Mexico is in fact the world’s tallest transportable observation wheel – as recognised by Guinness World Records – and not the 70m-tall Mondial ride open recently in Paris. Featuring 27 eight-passenger cabins, the 80m Bussink ride can accommodate up to 1,700 people per hour and will be heading soon to a new location to be confirmed. We are, of course, happy to put the
My wheel’s bigger than
record straight. In the meantime, the Roue de Paris wins the bragging rights for world’s tallest trailer-mounted observation wheel, accommodated as it is on just 12 trailers, six of those integrated into the main structure. Meanwhile in Spain, another transportable wheel also deserves some
recognition when it comes to height. The 42-gondola Mirador Princess by Mederyt Show Services, currently located in the port of Malaga, stands around 65m tall, eclipsing the many 60m(ish) rides around the world from Bussink, Mondial and others. But how can we really be sure of a wheel’s true height. Until someone comes along with a tape long enough for us to measure them all, maybe we will never quite be sure. In the meantime, marvel over some of the spec of the ride in Mexico at
R80XL.comWow, what a whopper!
Bussink Design’s R80XL, pictured in Puebla, Mexico, is the world’s tallest transportable Ferris wheel
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