Operating Lease Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Operating Lease Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]

Operating Lease Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Lease Commitments and Contingencies:

Operating Lease Commitments

The Partnership has commitments under various operating leases at its parks. Minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases as of December 31, 2012 are as follows (in thousands):

2013	$	6,276
2014	6,073
2015	5,687
2016	5,567
2017	5,483
Thereafter	118,000
	$	147,086

The amount due after 2017 includes the land lease at California's Great America which is renewable in 2039. Lease expense, which includes short-term rentals for equipment and machinery, for 2012, 2011 and 2010 totaled $12.0 million, $9.7 million and $9.4 million, respectively.

Contingencies

The Partnership is also a party to a number of lawsuits arising in the normal course of business. In the opinion of management, none of these matters are expected to have a material effect in the aggregate on the Partnership's financial statements.