Monday, July 07, 2003

CPO Makes A Bid For Universal's Theme Park Division

The Coaster Preservation Organization (formerly Coaster Preservation Club) has submitted a proposal to purchase the Universal Studios Theme Parks Division from Paris-based Vivendi Universal. The CPO hopes to acquire the parks to be used, in part, for their aggressive North American coaster relocation project.

Lee Coaster, Webmaster in charge of Web site and North Carolina Operations for the CPO, said in an exclusive interview with ARN&R, "The Universal parks aren't exactly in North Carolina or Indiana, but we, like, totally want them anyways. Besides, we'll be old enough to drive in a few years and then we'll be able to go to the parks and get started on the relocation projects. In the meantime, we will close the parks except for behind the scenes tours when the temperature outside goes below freezing."

All seven members of the CPO pooled their financial resources and managed to come up with $12.43. Their official offer to Vivendi, written in black crayon on the back of a used Six Flags Great America napkin, was for $11.99 in cash plus free lifetime memberships to the Coaster Preservation Organization for all Vivendi employees.

"We really think the free CPO memberships will be the clincher," said Lee Coaster. "We had to save some of our money for the bargaining. You know, for when they counter our offer. That's why we threw in the free CPO memberships."

The CPO is fairly confident that Vivendi will accept their offer because, as Lee Coaster put it, "If they don't, we'll just sue them until they do."

--JWS