Can a park pay for the rights to a certain coaster model?

[chainedbanana]

I was just wondering - can a park have the rights to a certain coaster model or layout to prevent it being cloned or re-produced elsewhere, to ensure they retain a unique product? Unsure if this has ever happened? I image there would be a high cost if it was the case that wouldn't make it worthwhile?

 

[SilverArrow]

I think I've heard this as a rumour but can't remember which park(s) it was for. Must be pretty expensive though.

 

[HeartlineCoaster]

In my head it's Universal that do this.

So at a guess, yes.

 

[Howie]

Think I read somewhere that Busch had some sort of exclusivity deal over the dive coasters in North America for a while, but it has obviously expired as evidenced by Valravn and Yukon.
Don't know of any other examples, but it sounds like the sort of thing Disney might do.

 

[Coaster Hipster]

A rumour on the French forums is that Parc Astérix paid a non-compete clause so that Goudurix's layout would remain exclusive to the park.

There isn't enough evidence to confirm this, but can you imagine Goudurix clones popping out all over the world (at least as much as Intamin 10 inversions)?!

 

[Kw6sTheater]

I was just wondering - can a park have the rights to a certain coaster model or layout to prevent it being cloned or re-produced elsewhere, to ensure they retain a unique product? Unsure if this has ever happened? I image there would be a high cost if it was the case that wouldn't make it worthwhile?

I believe a few people said that Silver Dollar City paid extra to have the MACK Rides Xtreme Spinning Coaster exclusive to their park for a few more years. Also, SheiKra’s layout had an exclusivity clause on it for multiple years...

Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard was hired to manufacture SheiKra and signed an exclusive deal with Busch to guarantee the coaster will not be duplicated for several years.

before Happy Valley cloned it for their own uses.
Source for SheiKra: https://web.archive.org/web/2010102....com/tampabay/stories/2004/10/25/daily27.html

 

[Gavin]

I believe a few people said that Silver Dollar City paid extra to have the MACK Rides Xtreme Spinning Coaster exclusive to their park for a few more years. Also, SheiKra’s layout had an exclusivity clause on it for multiple years... before Happy Valley cloned it for their own uses.
Source for SheiKra: https://web.archive.org/web/2010102....com/tampabay/stories/2004/10/25/daily27.html

Chimelong Paradise were the first to get the Sheikra model - though Happy Valley likely had theirs on order at around the same time - and only about two and a half years after the original, so the exclusivity clause didn't mean much unless it was very short or didn't include Asia. I guess some subtle differences (they're really just the same ride) could have been used as an excuse though.

 

[Pokemaniac]

If I remember correctly, and this is only based on my memory of an unfounded statement I read a decade or so ago, Busch Gardens's exclusivity contract for Dive Machines was only for the US. I think it came up when people started wondering why Cedar Fair hadn't built any Dive Machines yet.

 

[Hyde]

In the world of contracting, commodities, and arbitrage - you can do anything for a price.

 

[Alex B]

I personally think it would be good marketing for them saying it’s the only one in the world

 

[Hyde]

I personally think it would be good marketing for them saying it’s the only one in the world

I mean, Universal is having no trouble saying they have the first vertical freefall coaster in America.