| Author |
|
administrator
Admin Group
Administrator
Joined: October/01/2003
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: November/05/2005 at 5:55pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
If there is a topic or a forum that you would like to see, just let me
know. This website and forum is for you, the employee's. Let's have
your input.
There are several things that I'm working on, so be patient, they are
coming. Also those of you that want to be a part of this, I will be
contacting you soon. I have not forgotten you.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bobb
Newbie
Joined: December/04/2005
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1
|
| Posted: December/04/2005 at 11:37pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I've worked at Fiesta Texas + Astroworld + Six Flags Fiesta Texas and I truly hate to see the demise of Astroworld and the splitting up a fine family of hard working people. Premeir Parks had one carnival type ride park in Oklahoma City. They had no experience in the operation of a large amusement park, let alone multiple sites. The down fall of Six Flags began when Kiernan - Story and their cronies began to purchase more and more entities by borrowing more and more money. Sure expansion is good, but it must be tempered with good management skills and decisions. The first change the rank and file people saw when Premeir took over, was the change in costumes. From a "theme" appearance to carnival t-shirts for the employees. Most managers of the Parks were employees who worked themself up the ladder through the years and most have no college business training. The bottom line is that Kiernan and his cronies put Six Flags into debt to the tune of of several billions of dollars. As a stockholder myself, I voted my stock with Red Zone. Each year I received a company report showing only consolidated financial statements . I had written to Corporate for copies of the Astroworld and Fiesta Texas Financials, but was turned down. Astroworld has always made a small profit ( in terms of 1/30th+ of the entire system) each year. I was told by a very senior manager at AW that their average profit was 9 million dollars a year. In stead of using some of the profit for new land purchase, Corporate sucked the money out to pay the debts of the other Parks not doing so well. In addition, the fat cats were paying themselves millions of dollars in cash, bonuses, and stock options each year. I can remember so many times the words "It's not in the budget" "We're out of money this year", etc. While I knew that THERE was money available, but was going into the pockets of Kiernan and the boys.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
oldshowdude
Host / Hostess
Joined: February/21/2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10
|
| Posted: February/21/2006 at 6:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don't suppose anyone knows of a reunion of former employees being planned? Something annual would be nice.
__________________
Astroworld RIP.......
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
astrofreak
Supervisor
Joined: January/08/2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 109
|
| Posted: February/26/2006 at 6:19pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
hey oldshowdude, how long did you work at AstroWorld?
__________________
Texas Cyclone...R.I.P.
June 12th 1976 - March 09th 2006 at 9:55am
AstroWorld...R.I.P.
1968 - 10/30/05
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
oldshowdude
Host / Hostess
Joined: February/21/2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10
|
| Posted: February/28/2006 at 8:38pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I worked there in 74 and 75. I think the first time I was in the park was 68 or 69. 74 I was 17 and worked in food & beverage. Got smart after that and moved to Live Show in early Spring of 75. Bob Logan was the Manager of the Show Dept. Had a few run ins with Bill Crandall once Six Flags took over. I was running sound for the rock band which was a real killer group. Thousands of people would pack Modville just to hear the band. Crandall would come up to me and tell me to turn the band down. He wanted background music from a rock band.....haha. Guests would always ask why the sound was so low for a rock band. As soon as he would go back to his office the sound would go back up and everyone was happy. He finally fired all the musicians over a contract dispute and I moved over to Marvel McFey for a couple weeks then to the Crystal Palace for the summer season.
Sorry...didn't mean to rattle on like this. I just miss the place. Even if it was allowed to run down the last few years.
__________________
Astroworld RIP.......
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
astrofreak
Supervisor
Joined: January/08/2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 109
|
| Posted: March/01/2006 at 4:09pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I know how you feel. i to miss that place. I even has dreams about astroworld. Hey did you ever get to see the Texas Cyclone's construction in '75. Like when it was built. ppl say that it was modified to tame it down a bit. What did they change?
__________________
Texas Cyclone...R.I.P.
June 12th 1976 - March 09th 2006 at 9:55am
AstroWorld...R.I.P.
1968 - 10/30/05
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
oldshowdude
Host / Hostess
Joined: February/21/2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10
|
| Posted: March/06/2006 at 10:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I do remember it being built. I don't recall the track being modified but I know the cars were changed a couple times. The original cars had no headrests and the back 2 seats had seatbelts. All other seats just had the lap bar. When riding it I actually would come out of the seat and if the bar wasn't there I would have been a goner. The belts helped but you would still come off the seat. At opening they sent a team of employees around the country to ride several coasters and compare. It truly was the greatest coaster for several years.
__________________
Astroworld RIP.......
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
commorancy
Host / Hostess
Joined: March/08/2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12
|
| Posted: March/08/2006 at 9:11pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I worked at Astroworld from about 81 through about 88 (taking time off
here and there). I started in Food Service and then progressed to
Rides (I was in rides longer than food service). I never worked
Shows, though. I worked on or drove nearly every ride in that
park at one point or another (up to when I left rides). I was
even foreman of a ride (red tag) for a time (actually 2 rides.. Serpent
and Rickshaws together). I finally got a blue tag (supervisor
tag) when I moved to a merchandise leasee. I always liked the
banana tags. They hated that we called them that, but hey, that's
the way it looked. :)
Oh, and the demise of Astroworld really started after Bally's took SF
over... that was really the beginning of the end. Once the SF
parks started changing hands regularly, it was inevitable that
something would ultimately happen. Things don't change hands for
no reason.
BTW, I have lots o stories and don't really know where to begin, so if
you want to hear some of them, I'm willing to rattle them off.
__________________
--
Brian Wright
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
psychokitty
Newbie
Joined: January/15/2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2
|
| Posted: January/15/2007 at 9:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I worked at Astroworld from 1976-1987, food service, show operations, and briefly in rides. When my aunt blurted out what was happening to Astroworld I was devestated, in shock and I cried like a baby. It's been 13 years since I was there, about 15 years since I worked there. I often wonder how I managed to work in that heat, but despite some health problems, I loved working..especially the shows. I've missed it so much now it's gone.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
johnny001_2004
Newbie
Joined: May/05/2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1
|
| Posted: March/30/2007 at 10:30am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I remember when they dropped the both north and south bends. They were dropped a foot or two.
Edited by johnny001_2004 on March/30/2007 at 10:33am
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Active Topics 
Memberlist 
Search 
Help
Home 
Register 
Login
AstroworldPark Forum : Employee
Topic: Employee’s Forum
