Signs of the times, guns .. and other stuff

Time to talk about those smoking signs again .. because so many of you sounded off last time I brought it up. When last we left our hero .. we were discussing why the University of Akron had put up a zillion "no smoking" signs at every door of every building (pictured here is the entrance to Guzzetta Hall) but not one "no guns" sign.

Again, I'm not implying that I think either sign is really effective .. in fact, I believe the opposite .. Still, isn't it a bit of overkill (pun intended) to hit me in every direction about what can happen if I smoke on campus but not even one sign to remind me that I should leave my sidearm at home? I mean, look at the photo .. how many signs to we really need?!?!?

A petition drive to save Geauga Lake is gaining steam, even if it's probably more of a longshot than the Browns in the Super Bowl. You can sign your name here if you like and/or just view some of the folks' opinions on the subject. I find it hard to believe the owners didn't decide until the end of the year that they were going to close the amusement park. In fact, had they made the announcement in mid-August, can you imagine how many folks would have bought tickets for one last day the park?

I'd like to know how many of those 200 not-to-be-ever-counted ballots were for wards 4 and 6 in Akron. Were there enough to make a difference? And what's the harm in counting them and sharing the results, even though they wouldn't be binding? Even when it's a 8-1 vote on Survivor, we still get to see who cast that one vote right?

I'm having a great-but-tiring experience anchoring the newscasts on TV3 this week from Cleveland .. while also anchoring the Akron-Canton News at 630 and 10. Tonight I'm doing five shows and my voice is already going .. hoping I can make it til week's end without going hoarse .. and oh yeah, I still have NewsNight Akron on Friday. Yikes!

Geauga Lake announcement not whole story

OK .. I didn't see this one coming .. I don't think many folks did. Geauga Lake is getting out of the amusement park business and will be solely a water park next year. According to its owner, Cedar Fair, most of the major rides (roller coasters, the Ferris wheel, etc.) will be dismantled and sent to other CF Parks.

Here's what stands out from CF's press release .. see if you can read between the lines:

Dick Kinzel, Chairman and CEO of Cedar Fair, says, "Water parks traditionally draw from a closer geographic market than amusement parks, and we believe Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom will continue to be successful in drawing visitors from the greater Cleveland, Youngstown and Akron-Canton areas."

Since when did a business owner ever say that he didn't want visitors from outside of his local area? Why would anyone say they're targeting fewer customers by only thinking of the immediate neighbors? How is drawing "from a closer geographic market" a good thing for the any of us?

Admitting that your target audience is now reduced to just a 40-mile radius tells me that closing the rides at Geauga Lake has a secondary purpose: they're hoping NE Ohio folks will drive farther and pay more to ride roller coasters at Cedar Point.

Nowhere in today's press release is there even a hint that GL was losing money on its traditional amusement park rides. We didn't see mass layoffs or cost-cutting measures. None of the typical events that precede a major cut like this ever reared their Wildwater heads.

Instead, we're blind-sided with news that our 119-year-old park is closing .. BUT HEY, NOW WE CAN ALL GET WET AND WILD WITH PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE SAME THREE AREA CODES!

What kind of marketing strategy is that? Hey, I liked when I saw Pennsylvania and Columbus license plates in the GL parking lots. We certainly spend lots of money visiting their businesses .. let em spend a few bucks here!

I took my boys to Geauga Lake last week with no idea that it would be the last Saturday the double loop would ever be running. (picture courtesy geaugalaketoday.com) No idea that it would soon be in pieces like a giant erector set.

I liked GL (and Sea World before that) because it was close enough to Akron that I was able to go to an amusement park and be back home the same day without feeling completely run down from the long commute.

This announcement feels like someone just sold me an elephant ear ... which is advertised as this huge, sweet treat that you can't live without ... but once you digest it, you realize there wasn't much nutrition to it.