Merlin Entertainments: General Discussion

[Bowser]

That's the main difference between a company owned park and a family owned park. Family Owned you can tell the passion and natural care.

I would like Alton to become self reliant again or brough back into public ownership

Disney and Universal parks are awash with passion and care. I agree it's more common in the independent parks but it's not exclusive.

Merlin do not operate in a manner that facilitates this.

 

[Osaka12]

Investment is all about return. You can invest in your interests or profit. Merlin are chasing money for whatever reason. I'd buy shares if they enabled me to enjoy what I believe in and also make a profit. That's how capitalism works. But I'd also invest for the greater good and ensure everybody enjoys quality and fairness. Money grabbing is wrong and freedom is fair imo.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

I suppose the one thing we can all agree on is that this is very much a golden age for Merlin, and everything is A-OK!

I know that this is tongue in cheek, but I haven't ever claimed that this is anywhere near a golden period for Merlin Entertainments, nor have I said that they are without significant challenges ahead.

I have been a pragmatic realist based on the information available in the public domain.

They're not in a golden age, but nor are they facing an immediate collapse and selling the lease to Alton Towers tomorrow.

 

[Osaka12]

I dunno, to put it in layman's terms mortgaging your properties in a game of monopoly is not a good thing. But who knows! They might win!! Or flip the board.

 

[flyingguitar]

I dunno, to put it in layman's terms mortgaging your properties in a game of monopoly is not a good thing. But who knows! They might win!! Or flip the board.

is it?

it depends on what rules you play, however

lets say that you land on the last available property, you already have more properties than the other players, however you don't have enough to buy it and are likely to get out bid, so you could mortgage one property to earn enough to then invest in this additional property to enable you to earn more money in the future, you may think I am a bit pedantic, but this is (ideally) the very general gist of what is happening (from my knowledge), it is why a lot of companies have sold their properties it may cost them in rent in the long term but they gain capital in which they can use to increase x, y, z for more money allowing them to earn more than they may lose from rent, and they loose the risk of that property (if a sink hole opened up, or it was condemned, it likely wouldn't be their responsibility) or just do stock buy backs and make money go up, because everything is short sighted now.