Loop 030 printable

Volume 2, No. 8. April 26, 2002

Making a Splash
The little publisher that could has again. Gary Slade of Amusement Today has reached an agreement to purchase Splash from Future Communications, Inc. and will continue publishing the waterpark industry magazine. Though Marilyn Turner will remain as editor, Splash will be written and produced by the Amusement Today staff, beginning with a combined April-May issue scheduled to be shipped to subscribers early next month.

The World Waterpark Association dropped Splash, previously published by WWA founder and president Al Turner, as its official magazine after the March issue, less than one year after Al Turner’s death (THE LOOP, March 8, 2002). The WWA chose to publish its own magazine as a revenue-raising source rather than keep the business arrangement Al had established between the two entities. Al’s sister, Marilyn, wanted to keep Splash going but could not come to terms with WWA for a buyout.

Enter a mutual friend who hooked Marilyn Turner up with Slade as a potential buyer. “He saw it as a good opportunity for Amusement Today to buy Splash and keep the magazine alive and keep Al’s legacy alive,” said Slade, who does not want to reveal the go-between’s name.

Slade has redesigned Splash to bring the journalism expertise of Amusement Today to coverage of the waterpark industry and has made navigation of the magazine easier. However, long an admirer of Al Turner’s photography and promotion of waterparks, Slade is keeping the magazine’s focus wholly on water leisure facilities in the commercial, public and resort sectors and maintaining Splash’s mission to provide service articles to operators. He also has added a section called “Al’s Archive” featuring some of the magazine founder’s photography.

“We’re in good hands with Gary Slade,” Marilyn Turner said. “He’s done very well with his publication, and (Splash) magazine will be a good sister publication.”

For Slade, this acquisition gives him a triple crown just as his own publication turned five years old. Two weeks before coming to terms with Marilyn Turner he unveiled Amusement Today’s alliance with Minton Enterprises, publishers of THE LOOP (THE LOOP, March 22, 2002), linking the two news venues and creating a joint venture in amusementtoday.com. That alliance now extends to production and promotion of Splash. Additionally, the Splash magazine web site, under the auspices of Web Weasel’s Kelley Martin, will be revamped as yet another medium of news and information for the industry. With this network of five news venues, Slade is offering both advertising and subscription packages.

“When you look at the overall picture, you look at the ability to write and sell Amusement Today, Splash and gettheloop.com and the other web presences, we are a strong force with much to offer for our advertisers and readers,” said Slade.

That said, Slade is not so much expanding his publishing empire as he is furthering a mission: Al Turner’s mission, which jives with his own. A winner of three IAAPA awards in his first four years of publishing Amusement Today, including the association’s Impact Award, veteran journalist Slade pursued publishing Amusement Today out of devotion to the amusement industry. That same emotional tie spurred him to take on Splash. “It’s an honor to me to carry on (Al Turner's) tradition,” he said. “We are going to try our best to make Al proud.”