Dreamworld deaths affect Village Roadshow as operator announces AU$66.7m losses
by Tom Anstey | 25 Aug 2017
Village Roadshow is hoping that its DC Rivals hypercoaster will draw in more visitors after a poor financial year / Village Roadshow
Australian operator Village Roadshow is looking to bounce back after a tough twelve months, which has seen the company record full-year losses of AU$66.7m (US$52.8m, €44.8m, £41.2m).
The loss has been attributed to a fatal accident last year at Queensland's Dreamworld theme park – operated by Ardent Leisure, a rival of Village Roadshow. The impact of the tragedy – in which four people were killed as two rafts on the park’s Thunder River rapids ride collided – has been far-reaching, with operators across Australia’s Gold Coast suffering financial losses.
Queensland’s state government this week announced its intention to introduce industrial manslaughter laws, with safety around theme park rides to also be tightened.
Village Roadshow, which owns Warner Bros Movie World, Wet'n'Wild, Sea World, Paradise Country and Australian Outback Spectacular, is hoping to soften the impact with a number of new attractions to draw visitors back to its parks.
DC Rivals – the longest, highest and fastest rollercoaster in the southern hemisphere – is in the works for Movie World, with the Mack-manufactured steel hypercoaster set to open in October.
At Sea World, the operator has a new seal show planned to open in December, while a new polar bear cub will go on display at the end of this month.
In a statement the company said Australia’s theme park market may take some time to recover from the Dreamworld accident, but that it expected earnings to improve in the next fiscal year.
“There is no doubt with the energy and planning in place that we will turn it around,” said Village Roadshow co-chief executive Graham Burke, who added that the Dreamworld accident was making parents wary of sending their children to theme parks, with those affected including places such as Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand.
Village Roadshow theme parks visitor attractions Australia Movie World Sea World24 Aug 2017
Industrial manslaughter laws to be introduced following Dreamworld tragedy
09 Feb 2017
Ardent revenue plummets in wake of DreamWorld tragedy
30 Nov 2016
Dreamworld to reopen 10 December following October deaths
25 Oct 2016
Four killed at Dreamworld on river rapids ride
Australian operator Village Roadshow is looking to bounce back after a tough twelve months, which has seen the company record full-year losses of AU$66.7m (US$52.8m, €44.8m, £41.2m). The loss has been attributed to a fatal accident last year at Queensland's Dreamworld theme park – operated by Ardent Leisure, a rival of Village Roadshow. The impact of the tragedy – in which four people were killed as two rafts on the
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