News: Sandusky officials want sit-down with Cedar Fair CEO

City officials, startled by the sudden departure last week of Cedar Fair's longtime chief counsel, will meet with the company's CEO soon.

https://pointbuzz.com/News/Story/3339

Seems like with Zimmerman in charge, there's been a not so subtle shift toward Charlotte. McClure alluded to being based in Charlotte now at the Coastermania Q&A although he joked that he'd be spending a lot of time in Sandusky over the next few weeks/months. I'm not sure where COO Tim Fischer is based (although given his history of giving away the gate and running other chains into the ground, I kind of wish he'd go back to Australia). Not really sure what Sandusky can do about any of this. You can kind of get caught up in all the feels of the fact that Cedar Fair the company was actually born out of Cedar Point and there's a long history there, but aside from having the extra taxes from the C Suite salaries and the fancy homes they own in town, I'm not sure that it really makes much difference. Cedar Fair SHOULD still do what makes sense for itself and for Cedar Point when it comes to the public/private partnerships talked about. They've done a ton over the past decade or so with BGSU, the Sports Park, etc. I assume they still work with other governments in the cities where they have properties even if the headquarters is not there.

I'm sure they will try to throw a nice tax incentive their way.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the execs want to move the HQ. Charlotte with its major hub airport, better weather year-round, and being a much larger city with all the amenities that come along with it would likely be a more attractive draw for the leadership team. Come to think of it, I'm surprised HQ has stayed as long as it has.

Being incorporated in Ohio, the corporate taxes paid could be far more significant than just the income and property taxes paid by the C-Suiters mentioned above.

If you're a talented executive, and Cedar Fair wants to attract you to the company, are you going to move to Sandusky, Ohio? I would argue that you should be able to live anywhere, but I know for sure I wouldn't move to Sandusky.

Nothing at all wrong with Sandusky. Beautiful city, and glad I live here!

Nothing wrong with it? I've been there in January, and can think of plenty of things wrong with it.

Can't think of anything wrong with January here. Relatively mild winters, not too much snow, plenty of things to do, great city to live in. Can't think of anything negative to say.

I don't know, as I don't go up there in the winter, but I am kind of suspicious of any place where they put 4' masts on the fire hydrants to keep the snowplows from running over them...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Jeff said:

Nothing wrong with it? I've been there in January, and can think of plenty of things wrong with it.

If you don't like winter, but speak for yourself. There are quite a few of us who think a snow covered Sandusky is just as beautiful as it is on a hot summer day.

I despise winter in Ohio, yes. It's cold, everything is gray for weeks on end. It's lovely for about a day. If you want a lovely winter, I invite you to visit the Rockies or the Pacific Northwest and get back to me.

Sandusky has nothing to offer if you like nice things, and corporate executives like nice things. Ouimet lived in Westlake when he was CEO. Why do you think new exec hires are Charlotte based? Charlotte is 100x what Sandusky is.

If you like it there, cool, but you need to live in other places if you want to compare.

Sandusky is great if you’re into small businesses, beer and decent food. And yes it’s making a comeback but guess what? A corporate executive doesn’t give two craps about any of that and that’s the point here.

My guess would be that a move of some kind is likely on the table, at least as an option being considered right now. I’ve lived in North Carolina myself and I’ve spent time in Charlotte and Jeff hit the nail on the head: it’s just better overall versus Sandusky.

I get it, but there is just something about a small town on a beautiful lake over a big city smack dab in the middle of a state, or in this case, 2 states. I believe that's the same reason Carrie, an executive, moved back to Sandusky.

If I had a choice between Charlotte and Sandusky, no contest. And in reality, how many people, outside of our little group here, really know (or care) that the Corporate Offices are in Sandusky? In the grand scheme of things it is not like they are going to take the park and move it. Cedar Point will still be there, 3 million + people will still make the trek every year, and Sandusky will be fine.

Which leads to my question. Does it make a difference to the city of Sandusky (or the park) where the corporate offices are?

I get why they would want them to be in Sandusky...because Cedar Point...but what type of negative impact would it have (if any) if they moved.

From the article I think the city’s fear is the lack of commitment to the local community will degrade, plus the loss of prestige of having a corporate HQ.

Jeff said:

I despise winter in Ohio, yes. It's cold, everything is gray for weeks on end. It's lovely for about a day. If you want a lovely winter, I invite you to visit the Rockies or the Pacific Northwest and get back to me.

Sandusky has nothing to offer if you like nice things, and corporate executives like nice things. Ouimet lived in Westlake when he was CEO. Why do you think new exec hires are Charlotte based? Charlotte is 100x what Sandusky is.

If you like it there, cool, but you need to live in other places if you want to compare.

Lived in plenty of other places, bud. From Lake Powell, Utah, to Jackson Hole, to Seattle. Still wouldn't trade Sandusky for any of it.

The corporate offices are on the peninsula, aren't they? I know Cedar Point isn't running out of room, but I wonder if the plot of land that building sits on is now more valuable for something Cedar Point specific, rather than company wide?

They could certainly move all of the department offices, which are scattered all over the peninsula, into one building and in turn free up a LOT of space elsewhere. Most offices are in older, harder to maintain buildings so there is that.

That being said I spent 11 years in Sandusky and if I had the choice, I'd be on team Charlotte. I love the snow and cold but I found myself having to drive out of Sandusky more and more to accomplish things when I lived there. I could only handle the Sandusky Mall a couple times a year before I needed more options for shopping.

SuperS0nicSam said:
Lived in plenty of other places, bud. From Lake Powell, Utah, to Jackson Hole, to Seattle. Still wouldn't trade Sandusky for any of it.

I'm not your bud, nor can I account for your bizarre opinion. I've lived in Seattle, and I'd take it over any part of Ohio, any time of year, and I'm a guy who has been running a Cedar Point fan site for 23 years. When I was there in January of last year for a conference at Kalahari, I couldn't get back on the plane fast enough.

I stayed in Ohio for too long, and made the mistake of moving back. That lasted 19 months. Sometimes you outgrow a place.