Six Flags Great Adventure last year began prohibiting smoking inside the theme park except for designated areas. Now the park is asking the local township to backup their policy by passing an ordinance that would ban smoking inside amusement parks.
Six Flags wants Jackson to forbid smoking at park
04/17/07
BY FRAIDY REISS, TOMS RIVER BUREAU
BY FRAIDY REISS, TOMS RIVER BUREAU
JACKSON — Visitors are encouraged to lighten up at the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park. But they should not light up.
At the park’s request, the Township Council has introduced an ordinance that would ban smoking at amusement parks. A public hearing on the measure is scheduled for next Tuesday.
Great Adventure already went nearly smoke-free last year, allowing guests to light up only in 15 designated areas, park President Mark Kane said. This year, park employees began strictly enforcing the no-smoking policy by ejecting any guest who is caught smoking outside those areas, he said.
Since Great Adventure and Wild Safari opened for the season April 2, some 75 smokers have been escorted off the premises, Kane said. They received no refund for their admission ticket and were not allowed to return for the rest of the day, he said.
And now Kane has asked the council to extend its smoking ordinance — which prohibits smoking on township-owned property, including parks — to include amusement parks, but to permit smoking to continue in those 15 designated areas. It is a logical expansion of the ordinance and just what Six Flags needs to pursue its “family-friendly” initiative, he said.
However, Gary Nolan, the U.S. regional director of the Smoker’s Club, said Six Flags should continue ejecting guests who violate its policy and should not get the government involved.
“They (park officials) have no business demanding a law that affects anyone else,” said Nolan, who described the Smoker’s Club as an international property-rights group.
Currently, only Six Flags’ three local attractions — Great Adventure, Wild Safari and Hurricane Harbor — fit the definition of “amusement park” as laid out in the proposed ordinance, park spokeswoman Angel Aristone said.
However, a competitor might one day open another amusement park in Jackson, said Nolan.
“They (park officials) should not have the power to regulate anyone who competes with them,” Nolan said.
Council President Angelo Stallone said Six Flags needs a township ordinance to give its no-smoking policy a “legal basis.”
“This would be more of a deterrent,” Stallone said.
Mayor Mark A. Seda agreed, saying the ordinance would allow Six Flags to “back up” its no-smoking policy.
Under the proposed ordinance, offenders would be subject to a fine of between $100 and $250 for a first offense, up to $500 for a second offense and up to $1,000 for each subsequent violation.
Karen Blumenfeld of New Jersey GASP (Group Against Smoking Pollution) said she applauded Jackson’s proposed ordinance. Even outdoors, secondhand smoke can be harmful, she said.
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Fraidy Reiss: (732) 557-5735 or freiss@app.com
Fraidy Reiss: (732) 557-5735 or freiss@app.com
Park patrons come first
04/21/07
Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson has toughened its ban on smoking outside designated areas, ejecting 75 people so far this year for violating the rules. Management says they’ll be just as vehement about cracking down on visitors who ruin the experience of others with offensive behavior and language. That should go a long way toward revitalizing the park’s family-friendly climate.
At the same time, the amusement park should involve every staff member in a campaign to see that all visitors have a pleasant time. Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro has examined some of the practices of Walt Disney World in Florida and implemented them in Jackson to help improve the park’s atmosphere. But at Disney, it seems as if every employee is on the “Guest Relations Committee.” You can’t look puzzled or lost or irritated for long before a staffer will offer assistance or directions.
A zero-tolerance crackdown on unruly behavior and line-cutting at Six Flags will please the family visitors while encouraging would-be rule-breakers to stay on their best behavior. Highly visible monitors of ride-lines could go a long way in halting those who steamroll their way past others or hop barriers. That rudeness really annoys park visitors.
The park’s policies aren’t new, but for too long enforcement has been lax. Visitors can be ejected for wearing bathing suits (except in the water park), cutting in line, using profanity or engaging in offensive behavior. The latter two have been tolerated too often. Letting teens know their behavior is being monitored more closely should help keep the park moving toward its family-friendly goal.
04/21/07
Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson has toughened its ban on smoking outside designated areas, ejecting 75 people so far this year for violating the rules. Management says they’ll be just as vehement about cracking down on visitors who ruin the experience of others with offensive behavior and language. That should go a long way toward revitalizing the park’s family-friendly climate.
At the same time, the amusement park should involve every staff member in a campaign to see that all visitors have a pleasant time. Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro has examined some of the practices of Walt Disney World in Florida and implemented them in Jackson to help improve the park’s atmosphere. But at Disney, it seems as if every employee is on the “Guest Relations Committee.” You can’t look puzzled or lost or irritated for long before a staffer will offer assistance or directions.
A zero-tolerance crackdown on unruly behavior and line-cutting at Six Flags will please the family visitors while encouraging would-be rule-breakers to stay on their best behavior. Highly visible monitors of ride-lines could go a long way in halting those who steamroll their way past others or hop barriers. That rudeness really annoys park visitors.
The park’s policies aren’t new, but for too long enforcement has been lax. Visitors can be ejected for wearing bathing suits (except in the water park), cutting in line, using profanity or engaging in offensive behavior. The latter two have been tolerated too often. Letting teens know their behavior is being monitored more closely should help keep the park moving toward its family-friendly goal.
Six Flags Great Adventure Wants No Smoking Law
April 19, 2007
Jackson, NJ — Six Flags Great Adventure last year began prohibiting smoking inside the theme park except for designated areas. Now the park is asking the local township to backup their policy by passing an ordinance that would ban smoking inside amusement parks.
The proposed ordinance will permit smoking in designated areas, but forbid it everywhere else. Violators will face a fine of $100 to $250 for the first offense. A second offense will increase the maximum to $500 and additional offenses may result in a fine of up to $1000.
A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for next Tuesday, but already the mayor and members of the council have voiced their support for the ordinance. They want to help Six Flags enforce their policy.
“We are supporting Six Flags Great Adventure in their effort for a smoke free environment,” said William Santos, township Business Administrator.
Six Flags says they’ve been aggressively enforcing its no smoking policy this year. Guests who’ve been caught have being immediately escorted off the premises.
A park official said they’ve already ejected 75 people from the theme park since they reopened on April 2.
Guests who are removed do not receive a refund.
Six Flags says all guests are informed of the policy when they enter the park and they are also warned of the consequence if caught.
Similar no-smoking policies have been enacted at all of Six Flags theme parks nationwide. The company is striving to create a family friendly atmosphere, so having a smoke-free environment is important.
