Page 22 - BusinessWest January 6, 2025

An architect’s rendering of the Quantum Accelerator, now in the final construction phases at Six Flags.
his engineers, he expects to take one of the first rides on the new attraction.
In addition to the new coaster, the park is undertaking what Car- michael calls the largest investment in food services in the park’s history — a renovation of the Riverboat Café in the center of the park that will provide everything from additional capacity to new menu items.
Overall, he said his work comes down to continuing traditions — not just rides, amusements, food, and adding new roller coasters,
When he was a student at Penn State working toward a degree in commercial tourism, he sent dozens of letters to amusement and theme parks seek-
ing internships. The
park that had just been
Continued on page 36
but also providing first jobs to hundreds of young people each year — the park employs roughly 3,000 seasonal work- ers each year — as well as leadership opportunities for younger people, experi- ence in fields ranging from accounting to healthcare to culinary arts, and chances to advance within this industry, as he did, as we’ll see.
“What we’re really most proud of is that we tend to be, for many, their first real leadership opportunity,” he said.
“We have dozens, probably hundreds, of leadership opportunities, between teen leads and supervisors and coordinators that are asked to step up, lead our teams, and enhance the guest experience. It’s
a great development opportunity for the individual.”
For this issue, BusinessWest talked with Carmichael, a self-described “rides guy,” about the offseason, the 2025 sea- son to come, the new coaster, and what it
all means to one of the region’s hospitality-sector institutions.
Speed Thrills
Carmichael told BusinessWest that he’s always been fascinated by amusement parks and the theme-park world, and it has played a huge part in his life, starting when he met his future wife while they were both operating a roller coaster called the Jack Rabbit at his hometown’s amusement park in Pennsylvania.
“We proudly reinvest in the Thunderbolt every year — it’s one of the best rides in the region and a point of pride for us.”
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22 JANUARY 6, 2025
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