News: Cedar Fair fires some Geauga Lake workers

Well, soley based on the fact that they got rid of Lexi, I would 100% agree that it was not based on performance. I can't think of many other people who I would want in my marketing department. I'm also sad to see Lexi let go. If she want's to stay in this industry I'm sure she won't have any difficulties in finding a job. I'm sure Cedar Fair would even give her a good recomendation. Just a matter of how far she'd be willing to go.

Also, I can't imagin how attendance would exceed the previous 2 years attendance. Considering that cut out the Fright Fest from the end of the season, it would be tough even if the daily attendance was up overall.
*** Edited 9/9/2006 12:20:11 AM UTC by Jason Hammond***

Coasterfury said:
Last two years have brought the water park and I have a feeling in the off-season, crap corner will be cleaned up. After that, what is really so wrong with GL? It's clean, has a good collection of coasters, and a kick ass water park. If they clean up crap corner, then the next step should be to bring better food into the park.

Coasterfury I had a question? When you say crap corner, what section of the park are you referring to?

I'm fairly certain he is speaking of where the water park used to be on the Geauga Lake side of the park. I belive it was called Hurricane Hannah's. The Monorail went over it and I wouldn't be suprised if that's the real reason they closed the monorail.
*** Edited 9/9/2006 12:45:17 AM UTC by Jason Hammond***

Crap Corner is the area known as the 50's midway (X-Flight, Time Warp, Big Dipper, Headspin, Steel Venom, etc....)

I visited Geauga Lake my first time this past June. I really enjoyed the park, however, I did feel like it was much run down. From what everyone else has said, I probably didn't see it at it's worst. However, thunderhawk, one of the first coaster you come to, looked like a rusted out shipyard crane in deep need of a sanding and a paintjob. I walked right up and got on the first row seat. The seat next to me had the OTHR duck taped down. It gave me a really "secure" feeling.

Maybe relieving the Public Relations manager will allow them more money to spend on advertising and maintenance. I'm never a fan of seeing people who do their job be laid off. But if it means the survival of GL, then hopefully it was a good decision.

The other thing that hurts Geauga, they need more hotels close by.

"ARE YOU KIDDING, PEOPLE?

Did you READ the article?"

Yes i did, and i worked in the real world long enough to know that if a company really wants to keep someone they find a way. This is especially true in the small world of amusement park companies.

If the company felt they had to slim down the department and wanted to keep certain individuals they would offer them lateral moves. That's just the way it is. If they don't want you or don't care about the work you've done then they will let you go or let you walk if you're unhappy.

An amusement park claiming that one persons salary makes a whole lot of difference to the bottom line is absurd. And if $60,000 (which is generally more than the average amusement park salary, which incidentially CF is said to be one of the cheaper companies to work for) is the difference between red and black then the park has a whole lot more problems than too many marketing staffers.

Bottom line, don't believe the spin. Lexi and the rest were released because the company wanted to do it.

dr_olds said:
However, thunderhawk, one of the first coaster you come to, looked like a rusted out shipyard crane in deep need of a sanding and a paintjob.

What's sad about that is Thunderhawk (nee Serial Thriller) was repainted last year. *sighs*

Some people on this site probably know me for being somewhat of a pessimist about GL's future. This ain't helping give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. :(

gener, I agree; there are obviously other reasons.

So, can GL go in the books as being the only park without a PR person?

Still haven't heard if it was all PR types let go. Does anyone know if anyone from other departments were let go? Or is it a big secret?

Gener, according to a supervisor at the park who IMed me in response to my post, it was more than just marketing.

Unfortunately, that particular person wasn't happy with my post, and went as far as to call me an idiot. I guess some people at the park don't like seeing their customers' opinions!

-Sam

Interesting... the next question is were any of those folks transfers from other Cedar Fair properties in the past two seasons. I would guess not. Sounds to me like the "bad apples" who were unable to be assimilated were cut loose. Which makes me wonder, are there ANY people left from the original GLP? I think not. Which is a real shame. But that's just my opinion.

Is Jenn Andree still there?

I believe Jenn is still with Geauga Lake.

I really liked Lexi, but I don't think this was an emotional issue for anyone. With a shared market, it makes sense to have one PR, sales and marketing team. If they've stumbled anywhere since the acquisition, it was in the total lack of cooperation in building a vision that included both properties. Now they'll have that.

And yes, the park has a marketing problem. People where I work in Solon don't even know what the park has to offer. That sure sounds like a marketing problem to me.

Jeff, I am not saying the park doesn't have a marketing problem. What I am saying is that it is not marketing alone that the park needs to improve upon.

The park has a great waterpark, with lifeguards who are among the best in the country, but the rest of the park is lacking. I do agree with you Jeff that combining the marketting efforts for both parks is a good idea, but the park needs to fix a lot more than marketing to increase attendance. I am not saying they need to build a new ride (heck, I think they would be better off tearing down a lot of the rides), but I do think they need to do a better job with the old GLP side of the property.

-Sam

What is it lacking? I went a half-dozen times this summer and I enjoyed myself. I could pick and criticize some minor things, but they don't mean jack to the person who never walked through the gate in the first place. *** Edited 9/11/2006 7:29:04 PM UTC by Jeff***

Ok, I was wrong. I thought crap corner was the old waterpark. If it's the old 50's Midway, then I think it's fine.

When did someone see Thunderhawk recently and thought it was rusted out? I was just there last month and it looked perfectly fine to me other than some of the seats looked bad.

I've heard some complaints of TH rusting away, I don't know where they're talking about it rusting hmmm.

If I understand correctly, Lexi may be taking some sort of position with ACE.

Great! She would do great with them. She seemed to have a great relationship with the ACErs and Enthusiasts alike.