MARKET CAPP 600K YET STUNNING SUMMER!! PILE IN

i promised you all abit more;

SIXFLAGS BOOMING

Through the first six months of this year, Six Flags generated $440.9 million in revenue, compared to $401.2 million for the comparable period of 2004, an increase of $39.7 million, or 9.9 percent. Attendance for the same period increased 1.08 million, or 8.5 percent. The company attributed its growth, in part, to its quirky and infectious advertising campaign featuring a surprisingly nimble elderly man and gotta-dance music.

Other factors include its “Fright Fest” festivities for Halloween, the overall rising popularity of Halloween — consumers plan to spend a record $3.3 billion on Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation — and to the park’s marketing campaign.

“In terms of weekends at the park, October is every bit as popular and successful as weekends throughout our summer season,” said Debbie Evans, corporate director of public relations for Six Flags’ office in Baltimore.

“It started out as a way to extend the season and it has really turned out to be a very popular time,” she said. “There’s a little bit of fall in the air, the leaves are changing and it is really fun to be outside — a whole different type of atmosphere from the summer time.”

To draw guests to Six Flags’ parks, the company provides an array of Halloween activities including magic shows, haunted houses, a haunted train, hayrides and trick-or-treating for small children. In addition, the parks are decorated for the festivities and staff are dressed in costumes.

“We really try to give our guests a great Halloween celebration in a safe, closed environment,” said Lahne Curry, a spokeswoman for Six Flags in Largo. “It made a lot of sense for us to extend our season because Halloween has become such a large holiday.”

Six Flags’ festivities fall in line with what amusement park companies are doing throughout the country, said Jerry Aldrich, president of Amusement Industry Consulting in Orlando.

“It has really grown to the point where some parks overseas are doing it and typically Halloween is just an American holiday,” he said.

People want something fun to do on the weekends in the fall and the Halloween theme is very popular, he said.

“There’s a huge market there and it is a great opportunity for parks to make additional money,” he said. Not to mention, it does not cost much for amusement parks to celebrate the holiday, he said.



ME
I WOULD SAY LOQ WERE BENEFITTING , WOULDNT YOU!!!!