The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 23

LOS ANGELES TIMES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1997 A23 KNOTTS: Acquisition Deal expand and compete against the growing Disneyland mega-park as well as other major Southland attractions such as Universal Studios and Magic Mountain. Last spring, the family partner- i ship quietly decided in a meeting at its Independence Hall complex to find a partner with financial clout, even if it meant selling the park, said Hackett and Anderson. Several months ago, the partners hired investment banker Goldman, Sachs Co. in New York to find a match. More than a dozen national and foreign companies responded.

The list was quickly whittled down, and about three weeks ago the Knott family started serious negotiations with Cedar Fair. The Ohio firm endorsed the expansion plans that Knott's has been working on. Knott's already is clearing the way to build the huge wooden roller coaster that will reach out to Beach Boulevard, the main street into the attraction. And Cedar Fair "loves coasters," said firm spokesman Brian Wither -ow. Roller coasters are the big feature at the successful Cedar Point attraction, a pure amusement park with no themes to exploit.

"We're very excited about the opportunity to put in world-class thrill rides out there," he said, quickly adding that no other major changes at Knott's are contemplated yet. Cedar Fair President Kinzel said his firm will proceed slowly and will continue the themed areas of "There's a trend not only to consolidate markets but to grow' internationally as well," amusement park consultant Braun said. "Everyone's looking overseas. Universal is building in Osaka, Japan. Disney's already in Tokyo and Paris." Over the years, Knott's has been credited with pioneering the theme park model.

But the evolution came slowly. By 1940, as word of Cordelia Knott's dinners and jams spread throughout the Los Angeles area, diners started lining up to eat. So the Knotts built a Ghost Town attraction, decorated with mining gear and other Western paraphernalia, to give diners something to do while waiting for a table. "The first time I remember going there, there weren't any fences up, and you could go anywhere you wanted to," said Arthur C. Brown, now Buena Park's mayor.

"There weren't any rides back then in 1953. "We went to the chicken dinner restaurant, had lunch there, walked around, chased the ducks around the lake a little bit," he said. "It was magic the first time I went, and it's been magic ever since." The park enjoyed success even after the Disneyland behemoth opened in nearby Anaheim in 1955. But eventually Knott's started adding rides, and the race to keep up with the competition increased. In recent years, the family has known it would need more cash than it could bring to the table to Unabomb Defense May Use Child Psychiatrist From Associated Press SACRAMENTO Lawyers for Unabomber defendant Theodore Kaczynski said Tuesday that their medical specialists will include an expert in child psychiatry and a neuropsychologist familiar with brain disorders.

The defense team suggested that it would examine Kaczynski's childhood experiences and his relationship with his family. The defense indicated earlier that Kaczynski may suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. Kaczynski's court-appointed attorney team outlined the anticipated expert testimony in a brief filed with U.S. District Judge Garland Burrell Jr. Kaczynski's trial is scheduled to begin Nov.

12. Kaczynski, 55, has pleaded not guilty in four California blasts, including bombings that killed a computer store owner and a forestry lobbyist. Psychiatric testing has become a critical issue in the pretrial wrangling. Lead prosecutor Robert Cleary wants at least two government psychiatrists to examine Kaczynski at length; federal defender Quin Denvir wants the government's examination limited to one doctor for a brief period. Knott's.

"We want to keep market share and continue to keep a good, clean, safe park," he said. The transaction is not expected to affect many Knott's employees, which range from 4,000 during summer's high season to as few as in the winter months. The park's longtime president, Terry Van Gorder, will help with the transition and take a consultant's role at the end of the year, Hackett said. Van Gorder has sold his home in Palos Verdes Estates and bought one in Oregon. While Knott's would get a well-financed firm to support it, Cedar Fair would get its first all-weather attraction.

Besides owning Cedar Point, on the shores of Lake Erie west of Cleveland, Cedar Fair has Valleyfair near Minneapolis, Dor-ney Park Wildwater Kingdom near Allentown, and Worlds of FunOceans of Fun in Kansas City. In those cities, Witherow said, even bad summer weather can hurt attendance. The parks have small children's play areas based on the Berenstain Bears theme, but none come close to Knott's Camp Snoopy or Disneyland's Toon Town. Kinzel said no thought has been given yet to building hotels around Knott's in an effort to make it a destination resort. "We have no master plan," he said.

"We're very pleased with the way Knott's is managed." Times staff writer Greg Johnson and correspondent Mlml Ko Cruz contributed to this story. who sits on the board with founders Walter and Cordelia Knott's four children and six of 22 grandchildren. oth Knott's and Cedar Fair said they expect to complete the transaction by the end of the year, adding that the park would keep its old-time flavor, but would push ahead with Knott's expansion plans, which call for a major wooden roller coaster to be operating by 1999. "There're lots of people who want to see some of the traditional values upheld and the landmarks and traditional atmosphere remain," Berry said. "As a resident, I appreciate that." The acquisition was lauded by industry experts, who called Cedar Fair a well-run firm with the resources Knott's needs.

And Wall Street liked the announcement as well. The price of Cedar Fair stock rose $1.75 a share to close at $48.50 in New York Stock Exchange trading. Cedar Fair has been one of several companies on an acquisition binge in the last decade as the maturing amusement and theme park industry consolidates. Most sellers have been small companies, though another growing firm, Premier Parks in Oklahoma City, has been hired to take over management of Six Flags Over Texas in Dallas. til' i.

A 7 TP Continued from Al competitors such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and Magic Mountain grew faster. "Clearly, Knott's was suffering in the competition," said Ray Braun of Economics Research Associates, a Los Angeles amusement park consulting firm. Buena Park officials also cheered the planned sale, not only for the future of Knott's but for the region's. "I think it's symbolic of the new, expanding economy," City Councilman Steve Berry said. "I think it will be fabulous for Knott's Berry Farm and Buena Park." Under the agreement, the family will turn over control of the attraction, its fabled chicken restaurant and the outside-the-gate shops to Cedar Fair.

It is also selling its interest in Knott's Camp Snoopy, the indoor park at the Mall of America outside Minneapolis. In return, the family would become the largest single shareholder in the Ohio firm. It also would keep its one, off-site chicken in Moreno Valley. The family sold its Rancho Santa Margarita restaurant last year. Two of Knott's directors, Darrel Anderson and Terry C.

Hackett, both third-generation Knott family members, said the owners are satisfied with the deal. "This was a difficult decision for, the family to make," said Hackett, 4 a. MIsms 6-16, MIX mm UALGf.12 CTEVEHO 192.99, i .1 .1 OFF i prices only Cum 100.99 ENTIRE MISSES SALE ivccl CU273 rr.o:.i PZTITZ3 ivc-zrrs STRETCH VELVET DRESSES STOCK BY AMANDA SMITH, 25 PETITES ORDER ANYTIME TOLL FREE 1-800-633-1224 ROBINSONS MAY petltos 4-14. Woman's 14W-24W. Women's in most stores.

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