BRIEFCASE.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

Six Flags changes its plan of attack

DENVER - Six Flags, the billion-dollar company that owns theme parks across the country, hasn't posted an annual profit since 1998.

The amusement park company has turned to sports and Hollywood executives for help in boosting business, including Washington Redskins' owner Daniel Snyder and movie producer Harvey Weinstein.

Their game plan?

-- Focus on attracting families instead of teenagers by bringing more kid-friendly characters into the park, such as those from Weinstein's film ``Hoodwinked.''

-- Increase revenue through corporate sponsorships, including selling naming rights to its rides, a la sports stadiums and bowl games.

-- Offer more food choices and increase vendors.

``It's not an amusement park, it's an experience,'' new chief executive Mark Shapiro told about 100 employees during a meet-and-greet Wednesday at Six Flags Elitch Gardens in Denver. Shapiro, a former programming star at ESPN, is on a whirlwind 30-day tour, visiting each of the company's 30 parks.

Bank signs lease for new branch

SANTA CLARITA - Bank of Santa Clarita has announced that it has signed a lease for a new branch expected to open in the first quarter of 2007.

The 4,040-square-foot branch will be located at the Plaza at Golden Valley, a center under development at 19045 Golden Valley Road in Santa Clarita.

The center will be anchored by Target and Kohl's stores and a Lowe's Home Improvement Center.

Westwood hotel to see face-lift

WESTWOOD - The 18-story Doubletree hotel in Westwood has changed hands and will be redeveloped as a boutique hotel, its new owner announced Wednesday.

Dallas-based Behringer Harvard Strategic Opportunity Fund I LP - which did not make the terms of the deal public - plans to convert the 290-room property at 10740 Wilshire Blvd. to a Hotel Palomar.

Construction is expected to be completed in June 2007.

The Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Group of San Francisco will manage the property.

Guess? Inc. CFO to resign in May

Clothesmaker Guess? announced Wednesday the departure of its chief financial officer, as well as several other executive changes.

Fred G. Silny will resign effective May 9. President and CEO Carlos Alberini will handle CFO duties until a permanent replacement is named for Silny.

Stephen Pearson, who started as an executive vice president and chief supply chain officer, was promoted to a newly created position. He will be responsible for worldwide production, preproduction, technical services, quality control, sourcing and logistics.

Laurent Marchal was hired as president of Guess? Canada, also a newly created post.

He and Pearson will report directly to Alberini.

GM stock slides after downgrade

DETROIT - Shares of General Motors Corp. slid 4 percent Wednesday after a prominent investment analyst downgraded the stock and cast doubt on the effectiveness of GM's turnaround efforts.

GM stock closed at $21.99, down 82 cents, in trading on the New York Stock Exchange as Deutsche Bank analyst Rod Lache cut his rating from ``hold'' to ``sell'' and lowered his target price for GM shares to $17.

The report highlighted the concerns on Wall Street and among investors about the impact of broad cutbacks in white-collar benefits and a 50 percent dividend reduction announced by GM on Tuesday.

Following on the heels of negative reactions to GM's announcement by two major credit rating services, Deutsche Bank said it was ``disappointed by the limited cash savings targeted by current restructuring efforts.''