Cedar Point Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio (Sept. 18, 2014) – Cedar Point, The Roller Coaster Capital of the World!®, will introduce a dynamically new riding experience when it unleashes Rougarou™ in the spring of 2015!

Named after a terrifying werewolf-like creature in French folklore, Rougarou [roo-guh-roo] feeds on screams and lurks in and around the swampy lagoon at the center of the park, shared with other coasters like Iron Dragon and Top Thrill Dragster.

Rougarou’s floorless trains will take riders on an epic journey at speeds reaching 60 mph as their feet dangle just inches above the track and the murky waters below. The trains will be manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, Monthey, Switzerland, the same team behind rides like Raptor and GateKeeper, and will transform the ride experience dramatically while utilizing the structure and track of the former Mantis roller coaster.

The ride begins with a climb to the top of the 145-foot-tall first hill, providing amazing views of the Cedar Point skyline. After reaching the apex, the trains will make a 180-degree turn to the right and plummet 137 feet, at a 52-degree angle, to within inches above the water. Thrill-seekers caught in Rougarou’s grasp will then be flipped upside-down by a 119-foot-tall vertical loop, spun around a 103-foot-tall dive loop, whipped around a highly-banked 360-degree turn and then twisted upside-down again by the world’s only inclined loop on a floorless coaster, angled at a wicked 45 degrees. Just when guests think the ride is over, the steel beast will take them through a 360-degree flat spin, tight and twisty turns and a figure-eight finale. Riders must be 54” tall to ride Rougarou.

“Rougarou is going to be a fantastic addition to our coaster lineup and our guests are going to love it,” said Jason McClure, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “With the swampy waters below, the vibrant colors of the supports and track, lighting and other effects, it will be a ride like no other at the park.”

2015 will also mark the debut of the newly-renovated Hotel Breakers. Located along the mile-long Cedar Point Beach, Hotel Breakers will complete its two-year transformation into the ultimate resort destination. Along with a new exterior, the modernized hotel will have a new entrance portal, classic interior finishes, newly-furnished and remodeled rooms with LCD TV’s, new furniture, bedding and décor, and many other amenities and offerings. Additional enhancements include a new Starbucks and the Surf Lounge bar inside the famous rotunda, widened exterior green space with panoramic views of Lake Erie and an outdoor water play area with zero depth entry and splash features.

“We want to provide a well-rounded and complete vacation experience for our guests, and the enhancements at the Hotel Breakers will help them have just that,” said Jason McClure. “It will have a fun and fresh feel, is steps away from the park and it’s a great place to start new family traditions.”

Other amenities include two pools and Jacuzzis, access to the Cedar Point Beach and Boardwalk, a gift shop, arcade, exercise room, three restaurants, Early Entry (access to some of the biggest rides and coasters before the park opens to the general public), discounted Cedar Point admission tickets, complimentary Wi-Fi and the comfort and convenience of staying right next to the rides and roller coasters of Cedar Point. Reservations for the 2015 season can be placed now online at cedarpoint.com/hotelbreakers or by phone at (419) 627-2106.

The charming waterfront hotel first opened its doors in 1905 as the “largest and greatest hotel on the Great Lakes.” Known for its breathtaking views and cool summer breezes, Hotel Breakers has been an important part of any complete Cedar Point experience. Notable guests over the years have included celebrities such as sharpshooter Annie Oakley, comedians Abbott and Costello, composer John Philip Sousa and six U.S. presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Located on a sandy peninsula along the shore of Lake Erie, Cedar Point has been named as one of the best amusement parks in the world by USA Today, TripAdvisor, The Travel Channel and more. Cedar Point’s amazing lineup of roller coasters has received top billing by CBS News, Time magazine, the Los Angeles Times and many more.

SANDUSKY, Ohio (Sept. 2, 2014) – It’s the “last stand” for one of Cedar Point’s steel scream machines. Earlier today, the park announced that the Mantis roller coaster will soon give its final rides.

Mantis was billed as the tallest, fastest and steepest stand-up roller coaster in the world when it opened on May 11, 1996. Featuring trains that secure guests in a standing position, Mantis provides its passengers with a unique ride experience. Mantis was built by the same legendary manufacturers that brought guests the Raptor and GateKeeper roller coasters – Bolliger and Mabillard (B & M), Monthey, Switzerland. In its 18-year history, Mantis has given more than 22 million thrilling rides.

“It’s time to say goodbye to one of the park’s coasters, and it’s certainly been a different kind of ride for our guests,” said Jason McClure, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “But we’re extremely excited about what the future holds here at the Roller Coaster Capital of the World™.”

Guests still have time to give Mantis a “standing ovation” before it shuts down permanently on Sunday, October 19 at 8 p.m. Additional plans for the 2015 season will be announced at a later date.

Press Release for Cedar Point.

Cedar Fair is a leader in the world of amusement parks and it is striving to create leaders in the community.

It is being done through a program launched a year ago: FUNdementals of Leadership, a partnership between Cedar Fair and Bowling Green State University Firelands.

Cedar Fair simply wants to be the entertainment of choice; the employer of choice and the investment of choice.

They need leaders to help achieve all three goals.

Bowling Green State University had the experts in its facility, such as industrial psychology and business writing, said dean William Balzer.

It was a natural fit.

“We are a college of the community," Balzer said. "We want to support our community in every way, including how do we help our business community.”

One of the biggest businesses in Sandusky's community that BGSU Firelands students can benefit is Cedar Point.

That included Thaddeus Rada, a BGSU Firelands student in the industrial/organizational psychology program who worked with Cedar Fair on the program to create a profile of employees who would excel in a customer service driven environment like Cedar Point, Balzer said.

“What an opportunity we have to have our students work for a billion dollar company,” Balzer said.

The program concept was green-lighted by Cedar Fair CEO Matt Ouimet.

A well-trained employee provides customer service that makes a difference and helps make a company successful.

“While we are famous for our roller coasters, the biggest impact on our guest experience comes from the interactions our guests have with our employees," Ouimet said. "The collective impact of these programs improves the guest experience as well as the employee experience.”

Ouimet once was asked what keeps him awake at night. He replied sincerely it was the number of people whose livelihood Cedar Fair was responsible for.

The program seems to be a step toward a good night's sleep.

Duff Milkie, corporate vice president general counsel for Cedar Fair and Balzer both sit on the board for Firelands Regional Medical Center. They began to recognize there is leadership opportunity between the school and the amusement park operator that had never been explored, such as matching the university expertise to Cedar Point and Cedar Fair while offering real world hands-on experience to BGSU students and faculty.

“We discovered we had something to offer each other,” said Craig Freeman, Cedar Fair vice president of administration.

They created the Cedar Fair and BGSU leadership program and Freeman put the idea into practice with the pilot program at Cedar Point.

Classes are half a day for five weeks at the Firelands campus. Some of the skills they are hoping to develop include problem solving, communication, working with multi-generational colleagues and coaching for performance.

Positive feedback from Cedar Point employees and from department heads has convinced the company to roll out the program in all 11 of its parks.

Training has already began for full-time managers and supervisors at Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland.