Newsroom
Welcome to Ripley Entertainment's official Press Site! Here you will find the latest news from all Ripley attractions as well as the latest corporate happenings.
To peruse by month, choose from the list at the right. To peruse by attraction type, choose from the list at the bottom of the page.
Ripley's VP of Communications, Tim O'Brien can be reached at obrien@ripleys.com or in his office at 615-646-7465 or on cell at 615-496-5949.
News Articles
Ripley Entertainment Hits Record Attendance in 2006; Announces New Attractions for 2007
Posted by Tim O'Brien on December 19, 2006ORLANDO, Fla. - (Dec. 19, 2006) - Ripley Entertainment Inc. exceeded attendance expectations for 2006 with a record-high 13 million visitors to its family of worldwide attractions, according to company President Bob Masterson.
"Our business philosophy of providing family fun without requiring a large commitment of time or money has proven successful, with company revenues doubling every three years," said Masterson. "We have continued to answer the demand for new attractions and 2007 will be no exception with the global additions we now have in the pipeline."
Currently with 60 attractions in 10 countries worldwide, Ripley Entertainment has expansion plans in place for 2007 that will bring the number of attractions to 64 in 11 countries. The entertainment company will be opening a Ripley's Believe It or Not! odditoriums on 42nd Street in New York City and Bangalore, India within the next year. Bangalore will also be home to a Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum and a Guinness World Records Museum, both licensed from Ripley Entertainment.
It was a year of new endeavors for Ripley Entertainment in 2006 with the opening of Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ont. Canada, the company's first venture into the hospitality industry. The Ripley-owned and operated 406-suite Northwood's-themed indoor waterpark resort has "exceeded expectations" according to Masterson. The resort features one of the largest indoor waterparks in North America at 103,000 square feet. The lodge also features an Aveda© Spa Salon, many restaurants, an upscale gift emporium and the Wacky Wilderness Mini Golf.
In addition to Great Wolf Lodge, the company opened two Ripley's Believe It or Not! odditoriums during 2006, in Panama City Beach, Fla. and Williamsburg, Va. Masterson said these attractions have contributed to the growing popularity of the company, known for its offbeat quality museums and colorful books that feature the world's largest collection of the strange and unusual.
Ripley Entertainment Inc. exceeded attendance expectations for 2006 with a record-high 13 million visitors to its family of worldwide attractions, according to company President Bob Masterson. "Our business philosophy of providing family fun without requiring a large commitment of time or money has proven successful, with company revenues doubling every three years," said Masterson. "We have continued to answer the demand for new attractions and 2007 will be no exception with the global additions we now have in the pipeline." Currently with 60 attractions in 10 countries worldwide, Ripley Entertainment has expansion plans in place for 2007 that will bring the number of attractions to 64 in 11 countries. The entertainment company will be opening a Ripley's Believe It or Not! odditoriums on 42 Street in New York City and Bangalore, India within the next year. Bangalore will also be home to a Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum and a Guinness World Records Museum, both licensed from Ripley Entertainment.
It was a year of new endeavors for Ripley Entertainment in 2006 with the opening of Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ont. Canada, the company's first venture into the hospitality industry. The Ripley-owned and operated 406-suite Northwood's-themed indoor waterpark resort has "exceeded expectations," according to Masterson. The resort features one of the largest indoor waterparks in North America at 103,000 square feet. The lodge also features an Aveda Spa Salon, many restaurants, an upscale gift emporium and the Wacky Wilderness Mini Golf. In its publishing division, Ripley's hardcover book, "Ripley's Believe It or Not! Expect the Unexpected," reached the top five on the New York Times Bestseller List in October 2006, selling nearly a million English language copies.
"The success of our last three books, which have sold nearly 2.5 million copies, has led to an unprecedented demand for foreign rights to those books," said Norm Deska, executive vice president, intellectual property for Ripley Entertainment Inc. "Final agreements have been signed to publish in Germany, Poland, Finland, Mexico, Brazil and Iceland and further negotiations are in process for several other countries as well."
The vibrant and quirky Ripley's company, now 88 years old, is one of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world, notes Masterson who adds that with the Indian expansion, the company "will continue to grow in popularity worldwide in many years to come."
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About Ripley Entertainment
Ripley Entertainment, Inc. (http://www.ripleys.com/) is a leading global attractions company with annual attendance of more than 13 million guests. In addition to its 60 attractions, the Orlando-based company has publishing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the globally syndicated Believe It or Not! television show, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley's Believe It or Not! that still runs daily in 200 newspapers in 42 countries.
For additional information, please contact:
Tim O'Brien, VP Publishing & Communications, Ripley Entertainment, (615) 646-7465, obrien@ripleys.com