Six Flags DUBAILAND?

[PcMan]

OK Now its Cedar Fairs turn, Looks like a road trip in the next few years who's in ?
all these parks in just a few miles from each other.   Disney will be losing some visitors = lower prices for me to go

www.albawaba.com/en/countries/UAE/223106

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080304/nytu085.html?.v=101

Tatweer and Six Flags Announce Strategic Alliance to Develop Thrill Theme Parks in the Arab World and Beyond
Tuesday March 4, 10:59 am ET
DUBAILAND(R) to Host First Six Flags Theme Park Outside Of North America

UBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tatweer, a member of Dubai Holding, announced today a strategic alliance with US-based Six Flags, Inc. (NYSE: SIX - News), the world's largest theme park company, to develop thrill-driven theme parks across the Arab world.

The highlight of the strategic alliance will be the development of Six Flags DUBAILAND?, a five million square feet multi-billion dirham theme park within the world's largest tourism, leisure and entertainment destination.

The first Six Flags project to be developed outside of North America, the theme park comes as part of Tatweer's tactical contribution to Dubai Strategic Plan 2015, which aims to develop the emirate into a leading global hub for tourism and leisure.

Featuring its signature line-up of thrill and themed adventure rides and attractions, Six Flags DUBAILAND? will boast world renowned entertainment franchises such as the children's musical group Wiggles and professional skateboarder Tony Hawk. The park's unique components will complement Six Flags' award-winning productions and original programming, such as Operation Spygirl, the 'Big E' Entertainment Award recipient at the 2007 IAPAA Trade Show and Convention.

Tatweer and Six Flags DUBAILAND? also will work together to integrate their expertise to create new concepts across the region, such as Six Flags theme and water parks, branded restaurants, hotels and retail outlets that will holistically offer unique travel and vacation opportunities for tourists, families and visitors worldwide.

For the theme park project, Six Flags will conceptualize and oversee the master plan based on its history in that arena, which includes the development, ownership and management of 21 parks across North America. Groundbreaking is expected in 2009. Additionally, the Six Flags Corporate Alliance division will represent DUBAILAND? for international corporate sponsorship opportunities.

Saeed Al Muntafiq, Executive Chairman of Tatweer, said: "The addition of Six Flags, one of the world's most reputed leisure and entertainment companies, to our burgeoning portfolio complements DUBAILAND's? value proposition as an unrivalled tourism destination. It is a privilege for Tatweer to be selected by Six Flags as its regional partner and DUBAILAND? as the destination to host the first Six Flags theme park outside of North America."

Six Flags DUBAILAND? will join the elite repertoire of Tatweer owned world class projects at DUBAILAND? destination such as BAWADI?, The Tiger Woods Dubai, Universal Studios DUBAILAND?, DreamWorks Animation Park, Hit Entertainment and Global Village.

Al Muntafiq added: "The new alliance with yet another global leisure and entertainment leader such as Six Flags consolidates Tatweer's commitment to becoming a leading global tourism, leisure and entertainment investor, and a key contributor to the tourism objectives of Dubai Strategic Plan 2015."

Mark Shapiro, President and CEO of Six Flags, said: "This is a historic day for our company. Expanding Six Flags beyond our current North American borders validates the growing strength and momentum of our brand. Through this partnership with Tatweer, we now have the opportunity to create a world-class theme park destination that will allow guests from around the globe to experience Six Flags' unique combination of thrills and entertainment."

The three billion sq feet DUBAILAND?, a member of Tatweer, comprises projects that include DreamWorks Animation Park, Universal Studios DUBAILAND?, BAWADI?, Global Village, and projects that are under advanced stages of development including Dubai Sports City, Motor City, Falcon City, Dubai Heritage Vision, and Al Barari. The Polo and Equestrian Club and City of Arabia are currently in the initial stages of infrastructure work.

info on Dubai and how fast its growing and all its prograss \/
http://robinseeds.blogspot.com/2007/09/dubai.html

related news \/

Does Dubai pose a threat to Orlando?

http://gadvupdates.com/forums/index.php/topic,2132.msg21637.html#msg21637

[Dubya91]

I still dont think this is a good idea, SIX has been there and done that already...(Europe)

[rjholla2003]

This just in: Europe is part of North America. Thhs should be a good move since I believe SIX isn't fronting the capital. Should be mainly profit

[David Jr]

Monkey see, monkey do .

I could make a dozen jokes about this right now.

[PcMan]

I still dont think this is a good idea, SIX has been there and done that already...(Europe)

"As with Universal and Busch Entertainment, Six Flags plans to license its concepts and products and run the park,
but not develop or own it. Tatweer will put up the capital and actually own the park."

So like RJ said this is a good thing.

[Dubya91]

Ahhh, just a logo to catch the eye, I see, so there can only be gain out of this

[PcMan]

Mark Shapiro, Six Flags chief executive, and Saeed Al Muntafiq, executive chairman of Tatweer.\/


Six Flags entered into a 25-year agreement with Dubai company Tatweer to lend its expertise, brand and characters to the project in return for an annual rights fee, according to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of violating disclosure rules regarding public companies.

Six Flags is taking the Wiggles and Tony Hawk to the Middle East.

On Tuesday, the theme-park company announced plans for a 5 million-square-foot theme park in Dubai as part of its strategic al- liance with Tatweer, a member of Dubai Holding. The alliance could lead to several Six Flags parks across the Arab world, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Speed said.

"They want a Six Flags park that is high on thrill and leverages the Six Flags brand," said Speed, who was in Dubai for the announcement. The company expects to break ground on the Dubailand park in 2009 and open in 2011.

Six Flags is not alone in its expansion into the Middle East. Universal Studios and a DreamWorks Animation park are also part of Dubailand, and last week, Busch Gardens announced that it is building a theme-park complex on a man-made island off Dubai that will include a SeaWorld.

What is Dubailand?

In 2003, Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced an ambitious project to build Dubailand, a 3 billion-square-foot leisure and tourist destination.

The development includes several theme parks, resorts, shopping malls and restaurants, most which are still in the planning or construction phases. Although there are 22 projects, including the Tiger Woods Dubai resort and Dubai Outlet City, only two are open: the Dubai Autodrome and Dubai Heritage Vision, an exhibition that celebrates Middle Eastern culture.

The project's goal is to bring 40,000 visitors daily to Dubai by 2015, the Dubailand Web site said. Dubailand will cost almost $64 billion to complete, the site said.

The deal with Six Flags

Although Six Flags Dubailand will have the theme park's name, Six Flags won't own or operate the park once it opens in 2011, Speed said. Tatweer will pay for construction, design and operations.

Essentially, Tatweer is paying Six Flags an exclusivity fee and for master planning and design work, Speed said. Once the park opens, Six Flags will receive an annual licensing fee based on revenue, attendance and guest spending per capita. Six Flags will not put any capital into building the park aside from internal costs, he said.

The deal "is basically an ongoing, high-margin revenue stream that enables us, quite frankly, to leverage our brand internationally," Speed said. He would not discuss financial details of the deal with Tatweer or how it would affect the company's balance sheet in 2008.

Six Flags' global foray

This is not the first time Six Flags has expanded overseas.

In 1998, Six Flags' then-parent, Premier Parks, bought six theme parks in France and Belgium from a European operator, Walibi, then added Warner Bros. Movie World in Germany. Six years later, the company sold those seven parks at a loss of $290 million.

When asked about possibly expanding abroad in December, Six Flags Chief Executive Mark Shapiro said that this time the company would not be spending any money, as it is just licensing the brand. "These are start-from-scratch parks," Shapiro said, declining to name countries it was considering.

[overlord]

I still dont think this is a good idea, SIX has been there and done that already...(Europe)

"As with Universal and Busch Entertainment, Six Flags plans to license its concepts and products and run the park,
but not develop or own it. Tatweer will put up the capital and actually own the park."

So like RJ said this is a good thing.

So they get part of the income and all that good stuff but don't have to worry about all the finer stuff like park operations correct?

[rjholla2003]

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/03/05/six-flags-will-dust-itself-off-in-dubai.aspx
Co-sign!

Six Flags Could Dust Itself Off in Dubai

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/03/05/six-flags-will-dust-itself-off-in-dubai.aspx

Rick Aristotle Munarriz
March 5, 2008

Just when you thought that Dubai had brokered way too many deals to import stateside amusement park concepts into the United Arab Emirates, along comes Six Flags Dubailand.

Dubai Holding's Tatweer is forming a strategic alliance with Six Flags (NYSE: SIX) to bring the chain's signature brand of scream-machine thrills to the Arab world, with the first park set to break ground in Dubai next year.

The Dubailand project is starting to turn into a haven for theme-park lovers. Universal Studios and DreamWorks Animation (NYSE: DWA) have already inked deals for licensed parks in the Dubailand complex that will include theme parks, eco-tourism projects, shopping malls, restaurants, and residential units. Even Marvel (NYSE: MVL) has a licensed superhero park going up in Dubai.

Just last week, Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) announced that it had licensed its four theme-park concepts -- Sea World, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove, and the recently christened Aquatica waterpark -- as a stand-alone concept called Worlds of Discovery Dubai.

Six reasons to wave six flags
The Dubailand project promises to be breathtaking. It's not just the American properties that are getting an Arabian spin. The venture features things like an indoor snow dome and an enclosed park that features life-sized replicas of the seven wonders of the world.

Six Flags will have company in targeting the tourism bucks, but there are several reasons to get excited about this park.

Many of the parks will parallel their sister parks closer to home, but Six Flags Dubailand may prove to be even more ambitious. A debt-laden Six Flags won't have to appease its creditors in mapping out the Dubai project. It will simply collect royalties after it conceptualizes and oversees the attraction, leaving Tatweer to bankroll the actual construction. In other words, this will be the gray matter canvas that CEO Mark Shapiro and his associates always wanted. They're dreaming on someone else's dollar, so it won't be a matter of simply slapping a Tony Hawk theme on a spinning mouse coaster.

The strategic alliance with Tatweer will also seek to expand the concept beyond Dubai, including branded restaurants, hotels, and retail outlets. In short, the park in Dubai may be what the rest of the Six Flags chain aspires to become. It's more than just found money. It's an incubator that pays for itself.

If you build it, they will sum
With $2 billion in debt, Six Flags rarely gets the chance to dream out loud. Rivals like Disney (NYSE: DIS) and Cedar Fair (NYSE: FUN) have spent the past few years opening or acquiring new parks, tacking on adjacent hotels when possible. But Six Flags has sold its smaller parks and mostly come up short on the hospitality tie-in.

Six Flags opened Great Escape Lodge, complete with an indoor waterpark for resort guests two years ago, next to its amusement park in upstate New York. It could have been the start of something special. Lord knows that the company's popular Great Adventure is dying for an adjacent resort given the lack of nearby hotels. Magic Mountain in California is surrounded by hotels, but none of them company-owned.

However, Great Escape Lodge proved to be the old regime's last hurrah. It was one of the few things that the old brass at Six Flags did right before Shapiro and Dan Snyder succeeded in shooing them out the door. The lodge pointed the company in the upscale family-friendly direction that Shapiro is championing, but it remains a stand-alone venture.

Six Flags never became the next incarnation of Great Wolf Resorts (Nasdaq: WOLF). Disney is doing so well with its lodging business that it has been selling upscale Disney Vacation Club timeshares for years. Keeping guests at their destinations for days is important to Disney. Six Flags settles for entertaining the locals for hours.

The line starts here
Six Flags Dubailand is awesome, but it isn't a near-term solution. The royalty streams won't begin trickling in for several more years. The overseas brand-building will have a positive impact, especially as Six Flags continues to build out its entertainment division, but the company is going to have to master its cash flow demons between now and then just to get to that pot of gold.

It's a long and bumpy rainbow until then. Let's hope that Six Flags is tall enough to ride.

[PcMan]

this part really stuck out

"Lord knows that the company's popular Great Adventure is dying for an adjacent resort given the lack of nearby hotels."

now if they can find someone to put up the $

[Bubba Z]

I still have the Blueprints if need be, Just call Mark!

[overlord]

this part really stuck out

"Lord knows that the company's popular Great Adventure is dying for an adjacent resort given the lack of nearby hotels."

now if they can find someone to put up the $

The new Hamilton Hilton Garden Inn just opened up back in October! Its a 10-15 minute drive to the park on I-195. If they put a damn resort/hotel in Jackson, there would be a ridiculous amount of traffic, more then which there already is. You know the people in Allentown and Cream Ridge aren't going to want to build a hotel because they pay taxes that are high enough as it is. Plus there's not much in Jackson to do rather then Freehold Mall.

[Bubba Z]

Yeah but the views ( Kingda Ka and El Toro)  form the pool bar would have been awesome!

[overlord]

I do have to give you that. Those would be some sick views.

[PcMan]

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/magic-mountain-highl-4258/

The Six Flags Dubailand project, solidly funded and now in the design and development stage, could see its 2012 debut delayed by up to a year, Shapiro said. The Dubai park will include two “world-class coasters” — one wood, one steel — on the order of El Toro and Kingda Ka in New Jersey’s Great Adventure park, Shapiro said.


Two of my draft picks