So I was doing some research around our own SRR and then got curious to the current location of our own Zodiac. A Google search of that then lead to this...

http://www.wonderlandhistory.net/

Maybe its just me. But I never knew Taft built a park in Australia modeled off of Canada's Wonderland and in some part KI. Interesting to see what happened to a park that closes. Also, helps put into perspective how lucky we are that KI has stayed open with good and bad owners.

What would have happened to Paramount's Kings Island, if CF didnt buy the chain...

Google, as a registered trademark, is always capitalized here.

Had not Cedar Fair bought Kings Island, any of several other operators would have.

Had CBS kept Kings Island and operated it the way THEY were....

Paging Bill Mefford...

Google, as a registered trademark, is always capitalized here.

Had not Cedar Fair bought Kings Island, any of several other operators would have.

Had CBS kept Kings Island and operated it the way THEY were....

That is sort of where I was going with my original statement. Reading up on the park, its interesting to read that the company who bought it last sort of let it run on cruise control. Maybe more interested in the land versus the park.

Was it during the CBS era that KI sold the camp ground? When did it lose the golf course land?

Paging Bill Mefford...

I did a Google search, but that name does not signal anything to me... I feel like it should though

He was the VP of communications for Taft Broadcasting and helped to open and run Sydney's Wonderland. I actually just had lunch with him like an hour ago. I shot him an email linking to your post. He'll have all the answers.

Google, as a registered trademark, is always capitalized here.

Had not Cedar Fair bought Kings Island, any of several other operators would have.

Had CBS kept Kings Island and operated it the way THEY were....

That is sort of where I was going with my original statement. Reading up on the park, its interesting to read that the company who bought it last sort of let it run on cruise control. Maybe more interested in the land versus the park.

Was it during the CBS era that KI sold the camp ground? When did it lose the golf course land?

Paging Bill Mefford...

I did a Google search, but that name does not signal anything to me... I feel like it should though

Construction for the Lodge began in 2004 or 2005 if I remember right. I wanna say just before CBS?

As a brief explanation to tag along with Ryan's post........Posted by Ryan himself.....

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php/topic/24082-the-immortal-bill-mefford/

CBS or Viacom sold the campground, retaining a 16 percent interest, which Cedar Fair refused to buy.

Mr. Carl Lindner's Great American Financial bought all the lands that KECO could sell, including the golf course, and the other property across I-71. When Paramount bought the park, Lindner's affiliates retained that land across the road.

CBS or Viacom sold the campground, retaining a 16 percent interest, which Cedar Fair refused to buy.

Mr. Carl Lindner's Great American Financial bought all the lands that KECO could sell, including the golf course, and the other property across I-71. When Paramount bought the park, Lindner's affiliates retained that land across the road.

I had completely forgotten about that post!

Pics or it didn't happen, right?

Soooo I should have done a KIC search and not Google... Thanks for the info. Looks like I might be the only one who didnt know about the Wonderland downunder....

Follow up questions, why was Wonderland sold off away from the other Taft parks?

Taft only had a small stake in Wonderland Sydney and sold that to other Australian Investors rather than Viacom.

Zodiacs current location is unknown. It was taken down, loaded into containers and vanished.

I remember Meff mentioning that the Americans had a three year commitment to Wonderland and then they sold it to the Aussies. Maybe that was the plan all along.

If Cedar Fair didn't buy KI, it'd be Six Flags Cincinnati.

*shudder*

Why shudder?

That day may still come, sooner than you think.

Plus, Flags was NOT a bidder for Paramount Parks.

Why shudder?

That day may still come, sooner than you think.

Plus, Flags was NOT a bidder for Paramount Parks.

Flags was not in a position to buy anything in 2006.

But if they were... you'd better believe they wanted Kings Island. From what I understand, that almost happened in like 1996.

Terp?

Why shudder?

That day may still come, sooner than you think.

Plus, Flags was NOT a bidder for Paramount Parks.

I want KI to stay Cedar Fair. Six Flags doesn't like to spend a boatload of money on coasters, like how Cedar Fair dropped $24,000,000 on Banshee this year. Though the prices would be cheaper, I couldn't stand to see it happen.

If Cedar Fair didn't buy KI, it'd be Six Flags Cincinnati.

*shudder*

I actually feel like they'd attach the Six Flags name to the beginning of it. After all, it's Six Flags Magic Mountain, not Six Flags Los Angeles; or Six Flags Great Adventure, not Six Flags New Jersey.

Or they could do "Kings Island: A Six Flags Park" like they did with Great Escape and La Ronde. Although I read that SIX is not allowed to use DC and Time Warner characters in parks that aren't branded "Six Flags _____."

I would've loved to ride Zodiac. Why was it removed from KI in the first place?