We interviewed a passionate leisure and entertainment enthusiast. Victor Garcia, who has worked at Six Flags Mexico, was in charge of the sales and strategy of licensed merchandise for artists such as Rolling Stones, Oasis, Luis Miguel, Menudo, U2, amongst others, managed a water park, snow parks and took the Divercity Colombia franchise to several Latin American countries. Finally, we meet him today as director of entertainment at one of the most important shopping centre developers in Mexico, GICSA.
Amusement Logic: First of all, what made you turn your career to the entertainment sector?
Victor García: In the 1980s, when I was in high school, I was invited to work in an amusement park. I remember being told: “It’s only a seasonal job! I must confess that at the time it wasn’t something that interested me. The park I was invited to was one of the most iconic in Latin America and the biggest and most important at the time. It was called Reino Aventura. That’s where I started as a temporary rides operator. The magic of a park is something incredible; experiencing the laughter of the people, the customer service and seeing your friends become family, are things that are hard to explain. This is what I am most passionate about in this wonderful industry. That season gave way to what has become a lifestyle that I have been involved in for over 30 years.
A.L.: One of your first jobs was at CIE (Corporación Interamericana de Entretenimiento), an operator in the “Live Concert” market. How did you get there and what was your work in this company?
V.G.: During my time at the Reino Aventura amusement park, I received an invitation to join this large live concert company as Promotions, Licensing & Merchandising Manager. There I was in charge of the production, distribution and strategic development of the sale of licensed merchandise of the artists performing in the different venues operated by the group. It was a great experience working with artists such as Rolling Stones, Oasis, Luis Miguel, Menudo, U2, among many others.
A.L.: From CIE you moved to Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, how did you join this great operator and what was your job?
V.G.: In 1998 – when Reino Aventura was acquired by Premier Parks, which at that time was owned by Six Flags Inc. – I received an invitation to collaborate with them directly from their president and general director, with whom I had worked years before, at the beginning of my career.
I can say that my work at Six Flags was a great challenge. We were pioneers in changing the image of a local park to an international park. My job was to develop, together with the corporate team in the United States, the iconic brands for the park in Mexico, such as D.C. Comics and Warner Bros. Comics and Warner Bros. I also oversaw the construction of the retail stores, the local development of many of them and the import of merchandise. Some time later, and prior to its official opening as Six Flags, I was appointed as In Park Revenue Director. In this new position I was in charge of all internal commercial operations, Retail, Food & Beverage, Games & Attractions, and rentals which accounted for over 50% of the park’s revenue. I held this position for more than ten years.
A.L.: You then managed the Columbus Water Park in the Dominican Republic. What are the characteristics of this park and what was your experience like?
V.G.: It was an extremely enriching experience and one of my first in the tourism sector. Water Park was a water park segmented for tourists and locals. Located in the heart of Puerto Plata, with more than 19 attractions, it had a tropical atmosphere that set it apart from many others. I learned a lot during my time at this park. Unlike local parks, this type of management involved dealing with international operations through tour operators and shipping companies, among others, which made day-to-day life very interesting and different.
A.L.: You then moved to Total Snow Productions and managed the Snowparks in Mexico and Bogota. How did you adapt to this new position? How does managing a water park differ from managing a snow park?
V.G.: Total Snow Productions is a Mexican company that collaborates with Polar Europe in Amsterdam. Here we develop travelling snow parks and, unlike a fixed local park, we build environments two to three times a year in different parts of Mexico and Latin America.
The differences between a snow park and a water park are several. While the operation, service and safety measures are the same, the product and management of each is different because the indicators we work with are different. For example, while in one case we measured the pH levels of the water, in the other we monitored its freezing levels. These among many other factors.
A.L.: How did Divercity come about and what were the milestones in your career as CEO of the children’s edutainment franchise?
V.G.: Divercity is a local Colombian brand based in the city of Bogotá D.C.. It was born out of the need to find educational entertainment for children. In my career as CEO, through our franchise system, which we developed during my tenure, we managed to take these parks to other countries. To mention a few: the one in Lima, Peru, the one in Guatemala City or the one in Panama City. We managed to adapt the concept to each one of them, as it was always a great challenge because – in spite of being included in the term Latin America – the cultures, tastes and customs are very different.
A.L.: Finally, you moved to GICSA as director of mall entertainment, or, as the neologism has it, malltertainment. What does this concept consist of and what does it bring to shopping centres?
V.G.: We are the pioneers and creators of the Malltertainment concept. A concept that consists of creating innovative, world-class family entertainment spaces in shopping centres, so that consumers can enjoy new experiences during their visits.
A.L.: What type of public are the leisure and entertainment facilities in GICSA’s shopping centres aimed at and which one is the most popular?
V.G.: We offer family entertainment of the highest quality and safety through innovative attractions with the most advanced technology. This is how we manage to create unforgettable experiences.
We have the best multi-level electric go-kart tracks in Latin America, amusement parks, climbing walls, hot-air balloons, interactive football centre, water sports activities, and show centres, most of which are generally very popular with our visitors; however, the amusement parks and go-karts are very popular!
A.L.: What is the company’s investment strategy in the sector?
V.G.: We are a company that constantly invests in innovation and improvement of its facilities. By 2022, we will open our second FEC Intrépoli in Grand Outlet Riviera Maya, owned by GICSA.
A.L.: How do you see the future of shopping centres?
V.G.: Shopping centres are, without a doubt, part of our lives. They have become a place not only for shopping, but today we can go to the cinema, enjoy a show, family entertainment, services, walk your pet, among many other things. Changes in consumer habits and the constant advance in technology have made shopping centres evolve at the same time. I believe that they will continue to be a great place for families to meet and spend time together.
