Hersheypark Names New CEO and Talks Future Plans

Pennsylvania's Patriot News has a feature on Hersheypark's new leader and CEO, William F Simpson, Jr, who will replace Ted Kleisner, who is retiring at the end of the year.  Mr Simpson's new role will include presiding over the entire Hershey resort destination, including the park, hotels, restaurants and other recreational facilities.

With a new leader always comes new changes, a few of which are already being spoken of.  Two restaurants, both at Hershey branded hotels, will be renovated into new concepts starting next year.

As for Hersheypark, of which we are all very interested, the article mentions that park visitors always request more coasters and water rides - and with Skyrush just having opened that means we can probably bank on a water park expansion sooner than later.

Speaking of Skyrush, it sounds like it did not give the park quite the banner year they expected, but that's probably more a reflection of the economy more than anything else.  The article states the park did around 2.5 million guests in 2012.

While the park has denied so thus far, rumor has it that Roller Soaker will make an exit from Hersheypark at some point soon - so that'll make some nice new space for a water park expansion.  Only my theory, of course.