In a crisis, actions speak louder than press releases.
EXPERT OPINION BY DAN SCHAWBEL, MANAGING PARTNER OF WORKPLACE INTELLIGENCE
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A guest died Monday afternoon after an incident on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia in Cobb County, and several others were injured, according to police. The Cobb County Police Department said officers responded shortly before 4 p.m. and that detectives from its Major Crimes Unit are investigating the circumstances.
Neither police nor Six Flags has said what caused the incident. The investigation is ongoing. What is clear is that the company now faces a set of decisions that no business wants to make, and that how it handles them will matter well beyond this one park.
The first choice was caution
Six Flags responded by temporarily closing nine similar roller coasters across six of its parks, including Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois, Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, and Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. Rides at Kings Island in Ohio, Carowinds in North Carolina, and Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario were also closed.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks,” the company said, adding that the safety of guests and team members “remains one of our highest priorities.”
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The company has also said it is cooperating fully with local authorities and providing support to the guests and team members affected.
Closing rides before a cause is known is the right instinct. It is also an expensive one. The company has not announced a timeline for reopening them.
The timing raises the cost
According to 24/7 Wall St., major roller coasters are what sell single-day tickets and season passes through October, when the company’s Halloween events run. Management has described the season as its largest fourth-quarter opportunity. An extended closure of headline attractions would land in the most valuable stretch of the year — right when guests decide whether a pass is worth renewing.