BGW & KD Agreement

[horsesboy]

So I can't think of a better location for this if someone sees a better spot for it and wants to move it that fine.

Someone in one of the KD Facebook groups recently posted quite instantly that there is some sort of written agreement that gets renewed periodically between KD and BGW that prevents either from building a similar ride to the other park. Has anyone heard of this? While the idea of not splitting a ride draw between to parks in close proximity seems like it would be good business sense it seems highly unlikely to me that there is such a contract.

 

[Zachary]

I call bullshit. It sounds like a wild new spin on the old B&M-BGW exclusivity agreement rumor.

 

[Mushroom]

If by “agreement” they mean “common sense business decision to avoid redundancy in the same market,” then yes.

 

[b.mac]

Which often gets ignored anyways since multiple parks in the same market have similar rides.

 

[Gavin]

I mean, they both have Drop Towers, Intamin Rapids, Log Flumes, Arrow Loopers, Scramblers, Waveswingers, Bumper Cars, Carousels, Teacups, Red Barons, and Zamperla Jumping Stars. KD also use to have a Skyride and a Train as well, and this is just off the top of my head. Granted, not all of them came from the same manufacturers, but they are pretty much the same ride.

 

[thopping]

I call bullshit. It sounds like a wild new spin on the old B&M-BGW exclusivity agreement rumor.

Not only BS, but BS that would run afoul of US antitrust law. An additional vote for BS having been posted on FB.

Now as to the common sense business decision... that's not an agreement. Let's say word in the industry is that BGW is building an Intamin shuttle in 2020... I doubt CedarFair would plan something similar for KD w/in a several year period, if ever. That doesn't mean there's an agreement, it just means they're being smart by trying build something different that will get people excited about KD. It's called market differentiation.

 

[horsesboy]

Thanks my BS meter was in overload but he was SO insistent that I thought that maybe there was something I was missing. I should know better then to pick FB arguments.

 

[bill s]

The claimed agreement was between B&M and BGW. At the time, B&M only built 4 coasters a year and liked to spread them around, so it was probably more an assurance than an agreement. And BGW makes them look good!

 

[Shane]

I call bullshit. It sounds like a wild new spin on the old B&M-BGW exclusivity agreement rumor.

This! I think who ever posted that got their story confused and was thinking of this old rumor which has never been officially confirmed by KD, BGW, or B&M, but has had a lot of evidence to support it which has perpetuated it.

The claimed agreement was between B&M and BGW. At the time, B&M only built 4 coasters a year and liked to spread them around, so it was probably more an assurance than an agreement. And BGW makes them look good!

I will say that Busch Entertainment Corporation did have a exclusivity agreement on the Dive Machine for North America that has since expired.

 

[Unagi]

I will say that Busch Entertainment Corporation did have a exclusivity agreement on the Dive Machine for North America that has since expired.

Yup!

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/10/25/daily27.html

Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard was hired to manufacture SheiKra and signed an exclusive deal with Busch to guarantee the coaster will not be duplicated for several years.