Cedar Fair headquarters may leave Sandusky

Tuesday, 23 May 2006

By BRANDI BARHITE
brandibarhite@sanduskyregister.com

SANDUSKY - Cedar Fair's growth could mean Sandusky's loss.

With Monday's announcement of a $1.24 billion purchase of Paramount Parks, the Sandusky-based partnership is considering relocating its headquarters -- a blow to the city of Sandusky.

Cedar Fair has always been in Sandusky. While the handful of corporate employees who would move is less than 20, it's a tradition and prestigious honor Sandusky doesn't want to lose.

"We would hope that Cedar Fair realizes that Sandusky has always been its home," said Vice Mayor Dannie Edmon, on Monday. "I am open to talk about how this can continue to happen. I admire them as business. I think they do a good job managing amusement parks."

The new headquarters could be Charlotte, N.C., home of Paramount's headquarters and Cedar Fair's newly acquired Carowinds.

The lease in Charlotte ends in August or September, said Peter Crage, corporate vice president of finance and chief financial officer for Cedar Fair, during a live conference call Monday.

When asked about adding staff on the corporate, or possibly building another office in Sandusky, Crage didn't confirm the city of Sandusky would remain headquarters.

For years, Dick Kinzel, Cedar Fair chairman, president and chief executive officer, said as long as he was CEO, headquarters would remain in Sandusky.

However, Kinzel announced three years ago his plans to retire at the end of 2007. His family and friends live in Sandusky.

"We have to figure out about the lease in Charlotte," Kinzel said Monday. "No decision had been made."

Three years ago, Cedar Fair threatened to sue Sandusky over a new paid parking tax. Newly-elected commissioners in 2004 repealed the tax, a promise they made during their campaigns.

Last summer, commission expanded the 3 percent admission tax to include campgrounds, as well as increasing the boat tax. Both affected the partnership's flagship park, Cedar Point.

Cedar Point annually pays more than $4 million in admission, bed and income taxes directly to the city's general fund and provides more than $3.3 million in property taxes -- most of which goes to support Sandusky City Schools.

Commissioner Brett Fuqua voted for the new taxes. The other three commissioners who voted in favor of the taxes have since left the board.

Edmon said if Cedar Fair is really considering moving, he'll want to know why, and go from there.

"The commission has a pretty good relationship with Cedar Fair right now," Edmon said.

FunCoast.com is your online guide to summer fun for Cedar Point, the LakeErie Islands and Sandusky area. Our site offers up-to-date information on area attractions, restaurants, hotels, gasoline prices, ferry schedules, swimming, birding and fishing, along with a complete listing of events happening in the Sandusky/Cedar Point area. To use our Webcam and zoom in on Cedar Point's rollercoasters, go to http://funcam.funcoast.com

Copyright 2006 the Sandusky Register. All rights reserved.

All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of the Sandusky Register or FunCoast.com. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.