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If you could time travel, which business decisions would you reverse?

Also prevent Disney from buying FOX and making Disney+
Tell Frank Wells not to go on the Helicopter
Have another company besides Sunway buy Australia's Wonderland in 1997
Build Hard Rock Park in Nashville instead of Myrtle Beach
 
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The Six Flags and Premier Parks merger caused a massive shift in business operation and park caliber for Six Flags, I would argue to the worse as Premier was in the business of buying Tier 2 and Tier 3 parks, while parks original to Six Flags (or acquired) throughout the 1961 - 1997 were just, better (save Six Flags AstroWorld, which we'll just let casually fall off :P ):
  1. Six Flags Magic Mountain (California) - Acquired in 1979.
  2. Six Flags Over Texas (Texas) - Acquired in 1980.
  3. Six Flags Great Adventure (New Jersey) - Acquired in 1977.
  4. Six Flags Great America (Illinois) - Acquired in 1984.
  5. Six Flags Over Georgia (Georgia) - Acquired in 1992.
  6. Six Flags Fiesta Texas (Texas) - Acquired in 1992.
Premier Parks brought a lot of parks to the marriage in 1997, but parks that subsequently bounced around in ownership, were sold off, or just closed outright.

With a tinge of revisionist history, Six Flags did have an earnest theme park root, and I'd like to think improvement of the existing park empire, rather than expansion, may have lead to a different outcome that made for even better coaster selection.

But hey, the inevitable conclusion for capitalism according to Marx is the commoditization of everything, which the Cedar Fair/Six Flags merger sadly proved. 🫠

They also owned Six Flags St. Louis (Missouri)- Built in 1971, Also SFOT was built in 1961 and SFOG was built in 1967
 
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⏪#3 SeaWorld buys Six Flags Ohio (Geauga Lake)

In our timeline: In the early 00s, SeaWorld initially offers Six Flags to purchase the dry park formerly known as Geauga Lake, which happened to sit across the lake SW Ohio. Said dry park had only recently joined the Six Flags umbrella through a topsy-turvy series of acquisitions & reverse mergers.
BUT, Six Flags responds with a counter-offer and bought marine park SeaWorld Ohio to create an infamous & short-lived massive resort (SFWoA). By 2004, this whole investment strategy piled up on Six Flags' already ballooning debt.

So Mr Six's corporation sells its failed Ohio venture to rival Cedar Fair in 2004. Reversing to its initial name Geauga Lake, the park is mercilessly closed down for good only three years later, in 2007.
Six Flags eventually filed for bankruption. Its coaster building spree brutally halted - though RMC ensured a steady stream of more budget-friendly additions & thus more than keeping fan interest in the chain.

What IFs?
  • SeaWorld gradually brings proven successful products from its Williamsburg & Tampa parks. Imagine a SeaWorld Ohio with a B&M Hyper and/or Dive, Inverted or Floorless in place of a currently vacant abandoned plot. (though plans to convert to a public park are announced)

  • Would the cash flow from the Six Flags Ohio sale delay or avoid the chain's filing for bankruptcy altogether?
    • Would Six Flags have refrained from (in hindsight, perhaps ill-advised) decisions like demolishing & selling Astroworld, or selling all its European locations?
  • Assuming SeaWorld Ohio'd be a success, how would that affect Cedar Point's investments from 2001 onwards?
    • Side-note, all the second-hand coasters that Cedar Fair parks (Kings Island, Carowinds, etc.) inherited from purchasing Geauga Lake would never come to be?

How about if SeaWorld and Six Flags never merged instead? Spend that $110m on park infrastructure for more food places, shops, and bathrooms.
 
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