TM Amusement Parks and rumors about them (Newport, Pigeon Forge: for sale, buying)

[tntornadox]

This has been a rumor for as long as I can remember, as far back as the early 90s- Six Flags Tennessee was to open in Kodak, due to the rise of Dollywood and the National Park as a huge tourist venue... well, it never happened.

Six Flags will never build a new park, ever. They are almost bankrupt at this point. Disney is very very very much a long shot.. they wouldn't build another Magic Kingdom in Tennessee... maybe something along the lines of Disney's America or something. (Search wikipedia for Disney's America, a failed theme park in Virginia).

I would love to see another theme park come to the area, but, sadly, I don't see it happening..

[daniellefort]

Well i never heard the Six Flags rumor coming to TN but Six Flags did just buy Dollywood. My in laws will not be renewing their Dollywood passes which they have had for umpteen years because it's all going to change. More rides are going to pop up and all the old cars and country shows will be going away which is the only reason my in laws go there.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by daniellefort

Well i never heard the Six Flags rumor coming to TN but Six Flags did just buy Dollywood. My in laws will not be renewing their Dollywood passes which they have had for umpteen years because it's all going to change. More rides are going to pop up and all the old cars and country shows will be going away which is the only reason my in laws go there.

Where did you hear the Six Flags bought Dollywood? There's nothing at the corporate web sites for either Dollywood or Six Flags that says that, and nothing about that has been in the local news, either. In fact, Six Flags has been selling off properties lately because, as a previous poster said, the company has been teetering on bankruptcy.

[daniellefort]

well my father in law told me this. He has been a regular at Dollywood for many years and some people he knows personally who work in the back offices told him that on his last trip there a few months ago. Maybe the sale hasn't gone fully through yet, i don't know but that's what he was told is that Six Flags is buying it. Most of the country shows and antique things will be going he was told. He said he won't be going to Dollywood anymore because of that. I think he said it's going to be run by Six Flags but will still be named Dollywood so really it may not be an advertised thing. Just change of ownership with Dolly's name still on it but what we'll see is a change in what the park offers.

[tntornadox]

Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country make up the most profitable portion and operation of their parent company- Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. (Herschend Family Entertainment)

A sale simply would never happen, as long as Pete Herschend and Dolly Parton are still alive and kicking, trust me.

Their values and ethics as a company have been instilled in their properties, I feel that another operator could not effectively run Dollywood any better than it is right now. Disney itself could not run Dollywood any better than Herschend is, at the moment. They have alot invested in the park, including the new attraction and connection loop path for next year. ($6 million project)

[knoxgarden]

Originally Posted by daniellefort

well my father in law told me this. He has been a regular at Dollywood for many years and some people he knows personally who work in the back offices told him that on his last trip there a few months ago. Maybe the sale hasn't gone fully through yet, i don't know but that's what he was told is that Six Flags is buying it. Most of the country shows and antique things will be going he was told. He said he won't be going to Dollywood anymore because of that.

I don't see that happening at all. It would be all over the papers and news here. Wouldn't be surprised if Dollywood was looking at buying some Six Flags property or there may be something going on with Dollywood properties in Branson, Mo.
Parton is too good a businesswoman to sell such a successful property.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by knoxgarden

I don't see that happening at all. It would be all over the papers and news here. Wouldn't be surprised if Dollywood was looking at buying some Six Flags property or there may be something going on with Dollywood properties in Branson, Mo.
Parton is too good a businesswoman to sell such a successful property.

I agree completely. As long as Dolly Parton is alive, I cannot imagine her ever selling out, particularly after all the problems Six Flags has had lately.

Chalk this up as another urban myth like Disney coming to the Smoky Mountains.

[daniellefort]

I found this article online which looks like Six Flags already bought Dollywood a while back and is trying to sell to help their debt.

Bids for Six Flags may be low

this is the clip that i found in the article..

"We are looking at selected Six Flags properties and doing research," said Lisa Rau, a spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Herschend, an operator or partner in theme parks in seven states, including Dolly Parton's Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. Six Flags unveiled plans to sell the parks in June. Bids were due Nov. 7.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by daniellefort

I found this article online which looks like Six Flags already bought Dollywood a while back and is trying to sell to help their debt.

Bids for Six Flags may be low

this is the clip that i found in the article..

"We are looking at selected Six Flags properties and doing research," said Lisa Rau, a spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Herschend, an operator or partner in theme parks in seven states, including Dolly Parton's Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. Six Flags unveiled plans to sell the parks in June. Bids were due Nov. 7.

Danielle, you misread that article. It says that Herschend, which already operates Dollywood, is considering buying some Six Flags properties. It does not say that Herschend is selling Dollywood to Six Flags. Later in the article it mentions the Six Flags properties that Herscheld is considering buying:

"Besides the Federal Way park, the others for sale are in Los Angeles; Denver; Houston; Concord, Calif.; and Buffalo, N.Y."

[daniellefort]

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH.... Well i'll blame TNTORNADOX for even bringing up the Six Flag thingy. I just threw in my 2 cents of what my father in law was told by the workers there.

Anyways, to get back to topic which i think CHEVY and I resolved...about the I40 bypass in Newport.