How has Dick Kinzel been as a CEO?

1. He has made Cedar Point what it is today. Eliminated the things that needed to be replaced and filled them with the better. Made CP the coaster capital of the world, with lots of world class coasters that people travel to ride from across the country. He has made CP a resort where people will want to stay for more than one day and is obviously making a profit of that.

2. The Paramount buy was a risky move and did bring in some debt, but I think we are all glad with the outcome of the Paramount parks right now. Kings Island has been greatly improved, especially with Diamondback coming to town. Kings Dominion from what I hear used to be pretty bad and is now greatly improving with cleanliness, safety, etc. Overall I still feel that the Paramount purchase was a great idea and I'm sure Kinzel would agree. This is definetly adding money to their pockets excluding the debt.

3. The closing of GL. Now I'm not saying that I wanted it to close and I'm sure CF didn't want that to happen either. The closing in general though was a smart move with the continous decline in attendance and profit. With the closing it can help with new ride openings across the chain. From the get go, the purchase of the park seemed smart, but I just don't think CF knew what they were getting themselves into with the mess SF left. They tried, but failed. They were the ones that had to do the dirty work. On a positive note though, a lot of the good coasters are being moved around to other parks.

CPboy77 said:
1. He has made Cedar Point what it is today. Eliminated the things that needed to be replaced and filled them with the better...

Like what? Not knocking your opinion, just curious what you mean there.

I think Kinzel's light bulb was very bright for several years but now it's time for that bulb to be replaced with an energy efficient fluorescent bulb. Simple as that. The company needs some new, fresh ways of thinking.

^no pun intended, but do you realize how much money they would save going ALL flourescent bulbs instead of the regular light bulbs around the park?

That is true. Analogy's aren't always my strong point, but what I mean is that the company needs to look to the future. Things that worked in 1999 won't work in 2019.

Furthermore, something that works at Cedar Point won't always work at Knott's or Worlds of Fun.

I like Kinzel for the Magnum. It's time for a change, though, and not a fake obama "change"!

He was generally making good decisions until 2000 or so. His ego has since gotten the best of him. He bought a park thinking it was a slam dunk and failed in epic fashion. He bought a whole chain, which was a good idea, and again foolishly thought you could simply run them all like Cedar Point, shedding a huge number of awesome employees. Now he's micro-managing all over the place and being a nepotist. And he built a castle.

You know how Michael Jordan retired at the top of his game and then came back and did nothing important? It's kinda like that.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

Vince982 said:

CPboy77 said:
1. He has made Cedar Point what it is today. Eliminated the things that needed to be replaced and filled them with the better...

Like what? Not knocking your opinion, just curious what you mean there.

I think Kinzel's light bulb was very bright for several years but now it's time for that bulb to be replaced with an energy efficient fluorescent bulb. Simple as that. The company needs some new, fresh ways of thinking.

Well, basically he has done a good job over at CP making not so good areas into good areas. For example Frontier Town, back in 2005 was pretty much nothing. Kinzel added Skyhawk, took out WWL which was a great ride, but added a better ride. He also added a lot of renovations back there. Frontier Town used to always be pretty much empty people wise and now it is one of the most crowded areas of the park. You can thank Maverick for that and same goes for Skyhawk.

Then over by Macaroni's, it was a pretty dead area. Macaroni's was a good restaurant, but needed repair, so he added a whole new kid restaurant, a new kids area, and a new BMX show.

I think Dick has done an amazing job throughout his career, and he seems like a nice guy, but he is clearly losing it.

However, I'm hesitant to call for "change" just for the hell of change.

He has added some amazing coasters and whoever takes his place should continue doing this, but they should also focus on things like employee housing. From a business perspective, it's important to treat your employees well so they will perform better and come back year after year.

But with epic fails such as Geauga Lake, he really should consider retiring.

Overall, I admire him and the Company shouldn't stop doing all the good things he is known for, but he has clearly lost it in certain areas and this must be addressed.

I think Emperor Kinzel's new clothes look great. Jeff hit it head-on, he was doing great but lacks the insight, experience and curiosity to lead in 2009.

IMHO

I can't wait till his son is CEO!!!!11 :( ::Sigh::

I too think he was good to a point. He has helped Cedar Point grow to what it is today.

But as for Geauga Lake I feel that could of been done a little bit better. I remember when it was going around that Cedar Fair was going to turn it back into a small park. I was all excited for that. But they close it unexpectantly. I wonder if selling the park was ever put into consideration. I mean pull out the big coasters ( X-Flight, Steel Venom, Dominator, Thunderhawk) but leave the rest sell off the ride side but keep WWK. I feel the closing was handled wrong. When most parks closed they give warning telling people to come out get there last rides in. Six Flags they shut down Astroworld that last few weekends you know they made a profit from that. Geauga Lake was decided a week after closing. I know most rides were not taken apart yet it would have not been so hard to put them back together for one last weekend than PR would have not have been so bad. Shame

As for Paramonts I was never been to one before the buy out but I was at Canada's Wonderland this summer and it seemed to be doing great. It was mentioned at a Q&A with park reps that the upper waterfall of there mountain has not run for years but cedar fair got it going again.. Plus Behemoth. It is a wow coaster it was an ACE event and we had ERT on it after an hour and a half it was still very exciting. They helped greatly improve CW and I am sure they are doing the same else where.

Who brought in lemon chill stands? Was it Kinzel? It could only be that genius.

I think the park could use more entertainment. Visually and audibly. The in park music is lame and it really creates an atmosphere. Adult rides can and should have music that cater to adults / teens (censored if need be), waiting in line could actually be "cool" if more fans were put up, and they had bathrooms half way through. While they are at it sell alcohol in lines, make some more money.....

Like I said before, fiberglass! Fiberglass yourself crap to entertain people with. Gardens are cool, but how about a 12 foot tall garden made of fiberglass with slides coming out of roses that children can climb up? Orlando parks thrive off fiberglass and shiny coatings of paint. And they don't even cost all that much compared to coasters.

Kidcoaster, CF did actually sell Geauga Lake, just not in the way you would expect. I doubt that there was anyone serious that came forward to make an offer on the entire park, plus this occurred on the brink of the economic mess this country is in right now. CF had a better chance selling GL off in pieces rather than a whole because market value is heavier than sentimental value. The land itself was worth more than the park.

Anyway, it is time that Kinzel finally departs without a handstamp. The company could use new blood, by hiring people from the outside with a fresh set of eyes. It wouldn't be a bad idea to recruit someone from Disney. I'm still an enthusiast, but the shiny new roller coaster strategy just doens't have that same effect as it did in the past. CP had a good attempt this past season by promoting "Families Rule" on the 2008 brochure. However, it was mainly Younger Families Rule for the new Planet Snoopy. That's fine, but the park needs to stay with the Family idea by adding new attractions like a new log flume or dark ride for both adults and kids that are past the Camp/Plant Snoopy stage. There needs to be a stronger bridge of attractions between Snoopy and the roller coasters.

kylepark said:
There needs to be a stronger bridge of attractions between Snoopy and the roller coasters.

Kinzel did a fine job for many years, but the above is my main issue with him. CP had more variety in entertainment in the 70's and 80's before the coaster focus.

That, and I think the Paramount Parks purchase will prove to be a problem financialy in the future, with the company finding it difficult to sustain the distribution IMHO.

Isn't fiberglass the stuff that makes you itchy when you sit on it? We used to have a fiberglass porch and I remember it always made me itchy.

When I first became a CP fan I was 14 years old and Dick Kinzel was my hero. I was also convinced that I was going to get married to JC from N Sync. Lets just say boy how time changes things.

Dick has done a lot for Cedar Point. But I think that it is time for him to step down and let someone else take over. I have to agree with Ben though that he is awesome for bringing us Magnum. :)

The fact that people always point to him doing things for Cedar Point is in itself part of the problem. There are 11 parks and six water parks, so why is he the driving decision maker at CP? He's got a great general manager who gets it, so let him manage!

Well, at one time he was the lead at Cedar Point, but that was 20 years ago. He hasn't moved out of that mindset though, and that's the problem.

Case in point (no pun intended): this fall I saw him walking through Planet Snoopy. He stooped to pick up a piece of trash and throw it away.

Now, we've all heard how he likes to make a good example to all his employees. And it makes for a nice image. But as I watched him, it occurred to me, why is this man doing this? He's the CEO of the third largest park chain in the world, and he's picking up trash? Not that the picking up litter is beneath him as a human being, only -- isn't there something more valuable he could be doing for the company? Wouldn't the corporation be better off if he would take his limited time and spend it strategizing the chain's future or looking over financial reports or something?

Seriously, why is he still walking the park every day? It's not his job -- or it shouldn't be, at least, to individually ensure that trash is picked up at one of the parks (and not even the biggest drawing, anymore). I think this more than anything else illustrates how the man apparently is still living in the past.

All the good Dick did over the years (and I agree...he will be remembered as a major figure in the amusement industry) is being offset by some major errors that are undermining the very integrity he portends to promote.

Nepotism has NO place in today's business world and he is blatantly disregarding that.

And, as Jeff said, he has driven away dozens and dozens of key personnel with what adds up to hundreds of years of experience. I'm not saying those who work there now are not qualified but when you see that experience...and LOVE for the parks...erode it is absolutely visible to the guests in countless ways.