CoasterBuzz Podcast #167 - January 4, 2010

Jeff, Carrie, Mike and Pat review this week's news in the amusement industry.

• It costs $200 to form an LLC in Washington. What's up with that?
• Lawsuits filed to block the Cedar Fair sale.
• Is the offering price from Apollo fair?
• Investors are asking if the debt situation is impossible. Jeff thinks with looser credit markets in 2012 and different leadership, a turn-around without a sale is possible, even if it is risky.
• Mike asks if this whole fiasco makes Dick Kinzel a failure. Clearly he's ruined his legacy. And it has never been an issue of Cedar Fair sucking as much as they're "C+ students," as Gonch puts it.
• There's some amount of anxiety over what Apollo will do with the company if the sale does succeed.
• The Knott family was apparently not given a heads up, despite being significant unit holders.
• Happy new year! The group is saddened by the state of Dick Clark. And someone should punch Carson Daly in the face.
• Newsflash: Congress still isn't interested in regulating amusement rides. Sorry, Ed Markey. That he doesn't suggest anything proactive makes his crusade even more pointless.
• Legoland California is rocking it with their aquarium. Kids love them, then they're too cool for them, then they like them again.
• Gonch shares his experience in yanking kids out of school to go to Walt Disney World.
• Marvel's acquisition by Disney approved by shareholders.
• Charmland rears its ugly head again, as usual in reference to Cedar Point.
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