 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Theme parks |
| Predecessors | |
| Founded | July 2, 2024; 16 months ago (2024-07-02) |
| Headquarters | Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
Number of locations | 41 |
Area served |
|
Key people | Selim Bassoul (executive chairman) Richard Zimmerman (president and CEO) |
Number of employees | 5,000 full-time, 93,000 seasonal and part-time (2024)[2] |
| Website | sixflags |
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is an Americanamusement park company headquartered inCharlotte, North Carolina, United States. It was formed on July 2, 2024, following a merger between longtime rivalsCedar Fair and theformer Six Flags company. The combined company owns and operates 41 properties throughoutNorth America, including amusement parks,water parks, andresorts.
Six Flags Theme Parks originated with the creation of TheGreat Southwest Corporation byAngus G. Wynne and other investors, who would go on to open the chain's original park,Six Flags Over Texas, in August 1961. After thePennsylvania Railroad gained a controlling stake in the company's shares, a handful of new parks were constructed, and multiple independently-owned parks were purchased over the following two decades. Following the acquisition ofMarriott Corporation'sGreat America theme park inGurnee, Illinois, in 1984, Six Flags acquired the rights to featureWarner Bros.'Looney Tunes animated characters at their properties;Time Warner (nowWarner Bros. Discovery) subsequently purchased much of the company and was its sole owner from 1993 to 1995. Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc. was later bought out by Premier Parks – an Oklahoma-basedreal estate firm and theme park chain – on April 1, 1998, for $1.86 billion.[3] Premier began to apply the Six Flags name to several of their existing properties in North America and Europe, eventually fully assuming the brand name in 2000.
Throughout the 2000s, Six Flags began to suffer from growing debt and organizational bloat, eventually resorting to selling off assets like its European parks andWorlds of Adventure in 2004. Some of the company's largest investors grew frustrated with Six Flags and demanded change;Daniel Snyder's Red Zone, LLC successfully gained control of Six Flags' board of directors in 2005 by means of aproxy battle. New management continued to sell off various American amusement park locations throughout 2006–2007, although their cash flow continued to decrease, falling $120 million annually under Red Zone's board. Affected by the2008 financial crisis and theGreat Recession, Six Flags filed for Chapter 11bankruptcy protection in 2009 but continued to operate the parks as normal. Six Flags re-emerged as Six Flags Entertainment Corp. on May 3, 2010, moving head offices fromNew York City toGrand Prairie, Texas and allowing lenders to control 92% of the company in exchange for canceling $1.13 billion in debt.[4]
Jim Reid-Anderson was instated aschairman,president andchief executive officer (CEO) on August 13, 2010 and succeeded by Mike Spanos in late 2019. New initiatives were launched to build Six Flags theme parks in global markets; the previously cancelledSix Flags Dubai was revived in 2014 before being called off again in 2018.Six Flags Zhejiang and Six Flags Chongqing both began construction inChina before a declining real estate and the collapse of its local investment firm in 2020 forced both projects to be sold on to other developers. TheCOVID-19 pandemic also hindered Six Flags' operations during 2020, forcing many parks to remain closed for the year. Mike Spanos stepped down in 2021, allowing chairman Selim Bassoul to assume the role of CEO. Seeking reinvention, Bassoul announced a new strategy favoring guest experience over capital investments; this meant raising prices in order to lower daily park crowds, thus improving the park experience for higher-paying guests.[5] The initiative and various comments made by Bassoul proved controversial with shareholders, and was abandoned in November 2022 after park attendance plummeted by 33%.[6][7][8]
Cedar Point Amusement Park began as a bathing beach resort in the 1870s, and its growing popularity as a recreational destination led to the formation of Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company in 1887. The company was founded with the purpose of expanding the resort commercially. An economic depression in the 1890s threatened the resort's future, however. A newly formed business, Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company of Indiana led byGeorge Arthur Boeckling, purchased Cedar Point for $256,000 in 1897. It was later reorganized as the G.A. Boeckling Company.[9]
The resort thrived under Boeckling's leadership, which lasted through 1931.[9] G.A. Boeckling Company continued to control operations at the amusement park for much of the 20th century.[9] A proposal in 1974 to build an amusement park inCambridge Township, Michigan, was contemplated and later abandoned the following year.[10] Then in 1978, Cedar Point acquiredValleyfair amusement park. Parent company Cedar Fair Limited Partnership, commonly known as Cedar Fair, was formed in 1983.[11] Its name was derived from both parks – "Cedar" representing Cedar Point and "Fair" representing Valleyfair.[12] The company went public on April 29, 1987.[11] Under Cedar Fair's leadership, Cedar Point grew to become one of the largest amusement parks in the world, and the company increased its portfolio by acquiring other amusement properties throughout the United States.[9]Previous unsuccessful attempts had been made to assimilateCedar Fair in the decade leading up to the merger. One such deal withApollo Global Management fell apart in April 2010.[13] On October 2, 2019,Reuters reported that Six Flags had first approached Cedar Fair with a cash-and-stock acquisition offer, although the proposal was quickly rebuffed.[14][15] In February 2022,SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (now United Parks & Resorts) made an unsolicited all-cash bid to buy Cedar Fair for $3.4 billion; the offer was rejected two weeks later.[16][17]
Six Flags and Cedar Fair eventually merged in 2024 after announcing the pending agreement in 2023.[18] Described as a "merger of equals",[18] the combined company retained the Six Flags name, formed a net worth of $8 billion, and created a portfolio of 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and 9 resort properties.[19] The transition resulted in Cedar Fair stakeholders becoming majority owners, with "unitholders" owning a 51% stake in the new company.[18] President and CEO of Cedar Fair, Richard Zimmerman, became President and CEO of the new combined company, while Selim Bassoul, former President and CEO of Six Flags, became the executive chairman of the company's board of directors.[18] The combined company's new headquarters was relocated toCharlotte, North Carolina, with significant administrative and financial operations being located at Cedar Fair's former headquarters inSandusky, Ohio.[19] The merger was completed on July 1, 2024.[20]
On May 1, 2025, Six Flags announced that theSix Flags America andHurricane Harbor Maryland park complex inWoodmore, Maryland, would close at the end of the 2025 season on November 2, 2025.[21] The announcement came after the first quarterly earnings meeting with the company in late 2024, where they outlined plans for a portfolio optimization in the company, which may include closing or selling off some of its locations.[22] On August 6, 2025, Six Flags announced that Richard Zimmerman would step down from his current position as CEO and president of the company. He would retain his current position until a successor is found, in which they will consider candidates both internally and externally.[23] Zimmerman will still remain as a director on the company's board.[24]
On November 24, 2025, Six Flags announced that John Reilly, a former executive atPalace Entertainment,Parques Reunidos, andSeaWorld Entertainment, would assume the CEO position effective December 8, 2025.[25]
Legacy Six Flags (1961-2024) parks
Legacy Cedar Fair parks (Not on Map:Six Flags Mexico.)Year acquired lists the year the property was acquired by the property's previous respective owner among the current company's two predecessors.
Ex-Cedar Fair properties Ex–Six Flags (1961–2024) properties
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes | Roller coasters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California's Great America | Santa Clara, California | 1976 | 2006 | Acquired by Cedar Fair following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. The park is planned to close no later than 2033 after the sale of its land in 2022.[26] | 9 |
| Canada's Wonderland | Vaughan,Ontario | 1981 | 2006 | Acquired by Cedar Fair following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. | 18 |
| Carowinds | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1973 | 2006 | Acquired by Cedar Fair following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. | 13 |
| Cedar Point | Sandusky, Ohio | 1870 | – | Flagship park and the oldest park in the chain. | 18 |
| Dorney Park | Allentown, Pennsylvania | 1884 | 1992 | Acquired by Cedar Fair in 1992.[27] | 8 |
| Frontier City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 1958 | 1981 2018 | Acquired by theTierco Group (later Premier Parks, LLC) in 1981. It was initially sold in January 2007 to PARC Management and CNL Income Properties, but Six Flags re-acquired its operations lease in 2018. The park has been owned byEPR Properties since November 2016. | 5 |
| Kings Dominion | Doswell, Virginia | 1975 | 2006 | Acquired by Cedar Fair following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. | 13 |
| Kings Island | Mason, Ohio | 1972 | 2006 | Acquired by Cedar Fair following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. | 15 |
| Knott's Berry Farm | Buena Park, California | 1920 | 1997 | Acquired by Cedar Fair from the Knott Family in 1997.[28] | 10 |
| La Ronde | Montréal,Quebec | 1967 | 2001 | Built forExpo 67, with Six Flags Theme Park Inc. purchasing a 65-yearEmphyteutic lease from the City ofMontréal in 2001. | 8 |
| Michigan's Adventure | Muskegon, Michigan | 1956 | 2001 | Acquired by Cedar Fair in 2001. | 7 |
| Six Flags Darien Lake | Darien, New York | 1981 | 1995 2018 | Acquired byPremier Parks in 1995. It was initially sold in January 2007 to PARC Management and CNL Income Properties, but Six Flags re-acquired its operations lease in 2018. The park has been owned byEPR Properties since November 2016. | 8 |
| Six Flags Discovery Kingdom | Vallejo, California | 1968 | 1997 (lease) 2007 (full ownership) | Operations lease was sold toPremier Parks by the City of Vallejo in 1997. It was originally named Marine World and later Six Flags Marine World; receiving its current name in 2007, of which Six Flags Theme Parks Inc. fully purchased the park from the city. | 10 |
| Six Flags Fiesta Texas | San Antonio,Texas | 1992 | 1996 (lease) 1998 (full ownership) | Six Flags Theme Parks Inc. acquired the park's operations lease fromGaylord Entertainment in 1996 and Premier Parks took over full ownership fromUSAA in mid-1998. | 11 |
| Six Flags Great Adventure | Jackson, New Jersey | 1974 | 1977 | Acquired by Six Flags Theme Parks Inc. in 1977. Since 2012,Six Flags Wild Safari Adventure has been attached to the park. | 13 |
| Six Flags Great America | Gurnee, Illinois | 1976 | 1984 | Acquired by Six Flags Theme Parks Inc. from theMarriott Corporation in 1984. By acquiring this park, Six Flags gained the rights to theWarner Bros. licenses.[29] | 16 |
| Six Flags Great Escape | Queensbury, New York | 1954 | 1996 | Acquired byPremier Parks in 1996. Until 2022, the park did not have the "Six Flags" brand in its name; and before the Premier purchase, the park was known as Storytown USA. | 6 |
| Six Flags Magic Mountain | Valencia, California | 1971 | 1979 | Acquired by Six Flags Theme Parks Inc. from theNewhall Land and Farming Company in 1979.[30] | 19 |
| Six Flags México | Mexico City, Mexico | 1982 | 1999 | Acquired byPremier Parks in 1999 and formerly known asReino Aventura.[31] | 9 |
| Six Flags New England | Agawam, Massachusetts | 1870 | 1997 | One of the two oldest parks in the chain. It was acquired byPremier Parks in 1996 and renamed in 2000. It was formerly known as Riverside Park. | 11 |
| Six Flags Over Georgia | Austell, Georgia | 1967 | – | The park is majority owned by a limited partnership, managed and operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., of which they will take full ownership by January 2027. | 12 |
| Six Flags Over Texas | Arlington, Texas | 1961 | – | The first theme park built by Six Flags Inc. The park is partly owned by alimited partnership and is majority-owned, managed, and operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corp. The company has the option to buy out the partners in 2028, notification of exercising the option is required by December 31, 2025. | 13 |
| Six Flags St. Louis | Eureka, Missouri | 1971 | – | Formerly known as Six Flags Over Mid-America | 10 |
| Valleyfair | Shakopee, Minnesota | 1976 | 1978 | Acquired by Cedar Point in 1978, which led to the formation of Cedar Fair in 1983.[32] | 8 |
| Worlds of Fun | Kansas City, Missouri | 1973 | 1995 | Acquired by Cedar Fair in 1995.[33] | 8 |
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Located in amusement parks | ||||
| Carolina Harbor | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1982 | 2006 | Located within the grounds ofCarowinds. It was acquired by the company following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. The park originally opened as Ocean Island and was renamed Riptide Reef, WaterWorks and Boomerang Bay throughout its existence. |
| Oceans of Fun | Kansas City, Missouri | 1982 | 1995 | Located adjacent toWorlds of Fun. It was acquired by the company in 1995. Originally a separately operated park, it became included with admission to Worlds of Fun in 2013.[34] |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Queensbury, New York | 1995 | 1996 | Located within the grounds ofSix Flags Great Escape, initially opening as Splashwater Kingdom. It was acquired with the park byPremier Parks in 1996. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Darien Lake | Darien, New York | 1990 | 2018 | Located within the grounds ofSix Flags Darien Lake, and was initially acquired with its main park byPremier Parks in 1995. It was initially sold in January 2007 to PARC Management, but Six Flags re-acquired its operations lease in 2018 while the park has been owned by EPR Properties since 2016. Originally named Barracuda Bay and Splashtown at Darien Lake. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor New England | Agawam, Massachusetts | 1997 | 1998 | Located within the grounds ofSix Flags New England. It initially opened up as Island Kingdom underPremier Parks. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Austell, Georgia | 2014 | – | Located within the grounds ofSix Flags Over Georgia. It is a smaller alternative to the nearby Six Flags White Water. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Eureka, Missouri | 1999 | – | Located adjacent toSix Flags St. Louis. |
| Soak City | Doswell, Virginia | 1992 | 2006 | Located within the grounds ofKings Dominion. It was acquired by the company following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. The park originally opened as Hurricane Reef and was later known as WaterWorks. |
| Soak City | Mason, Ohio | 1989 | 2006 | Located adjacent toKings Island. It was acquired by the company following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. The park originally opened as WaterWorks, and then renamedCrocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay and then solely Boomerang Bay. |
| Soak City | Shakopee, Minnesota | 1983 | – | Located within the grounds ofValleyfair. Formerly known as Liquid Lightning and later Whitewater Country. |
| South Bay Shores | Santa Clara, California | 2004 | 2006 | Located within the grounds ofCalifornia's Great America. It was acquired by the company following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. The park originally opened asCrocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay and then was renamed to solely Boomerang Bay. |
| Splash Works | Vaughan,Ontario | 1992 | 2006 | Located adjacent toCanada's Wonderland. It was acquired by the company following thepurchase of Paramount Parks. |
| WildWater Adventure | Muskegon, Michigan | 1991 | 2001 | Located adjacent toMichigan's Adventure. It was acquired by the company alongside the park in 2001. |
| Wildwater Kingdom | Allentown, Pennsylvania | 1985 | 1992 | Acquired by Cedar Fair in 1992.[27] Located on the property ofDorney Park. |
| Wild West Water Works | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 2017 | 2018 | Located within the grounds ofFrontier City. Initially opened as a water play structure of the same name in 2012 and was turned into a water park in 2017 with the opening of three water slides. Six Flags purchased the operations lease in 2018 with the park itself. It is owned by EPR Properties. |
| Separate admission or property | ||||
| Cedar Point Shores | Sandusky, Ohio | 1988 | – | Located adjacent to Cedar Point. Previously known as Soak City until being renamed for 2017. |
| Knott's Soak City | Buena Park, California | 2000 | – | Located adjacent to Knott's Berry Farm, Opened under the name, Soak City U.S.A. |
| Schlitterbahn Galveston | Galveston, Texas | 2006 | 2019 | Purchased byCedar Fair in 2019 from the Henry family. |
| Schlitterbahn New Braunfels | New Braunfels, Texas | 1979 | 2019 | Purchased by Cedar Fair in 2019 from the Henry family. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles | Valencia, California | 1995 | – | Located adjacent to Six Flags Magic Mountain. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Arlington | Arlington, Texas | 1983 | 1995 | Acquired fromWet 'n Wild. Located acrossInterstate 30 from Six Flags Over Texas. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor New Jersey | Jackson, New Jersey | 2000 | – | Located adjacent to Six Flags Great Adventure. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oaxtepec | Oaxtepec, Mexico | 2017 | 2016 | Reopened in the former Parque Acuatico Oaxtepec location. Located one hour from Six Flags Mexico. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord | Concord, California | 1995 | 2017 | Opened as WaterWorld USA Concord in 1995 and was acquired byPremier Parks in 1996. It was sold in January 2007 toPARC Management and CNL Lifestyle Properties, but Six Flags purchased back the operations lease in 2017.[35] It is located about 15 miles from Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and is owned byEPR Properties. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix | Phoenix, Arizona | 2009 | 2018 | Owned by EPR Properties; operated by Six Flags. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown | Spring, Texas | 1984 | 2018 | Acquired byPremier Parks as SplashTown USA in 1999. It was sold in January 2007 toPARC Management and CNL Lifestyle Properties, but Six Flags purchased back the operations lease in 2017. It is located a few miles nearby the defunctSix Flags AstroWorld, and is owned by EPR Properties. |
| Six Flags White Water | Marietta, Georgia | 1983 | 1999 | Located about 15 miles from Six Flags Over Georgia. Owned under the same limited partnership as its sister park but operated by Six Flags. Six Flags will take on full ownership of the park beginning in 2027.[36] |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 1981 | 2018 | Located about 15 miles from Frontier City, the park is owned by EPR Properties and is operated by Six Flags. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Rockford | Cherry Valley, Illinois | 1984 | 2019 | Owned by theRockford Park District, operated by Six Flags under a ten-year lease agreement beginning April 1, 2019. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago | Gurnee, Illinois | 2005 | – | Located adjacent to Six Flags Great America. Previously known as simply Six Flags Hurricane Harbor before becoming a separate gate in 2021. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 1992 | 1998 | Located adjacent to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Formerly called Ol' Waterin' Hole from 1992 to 1998, Armadillo Beach from 1999 to 2005. It was rebranded to Hurricane Harbor San Antonio and became a separate gate in 2023.[37] |
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castaway Bay | Sandusky, Ohio | 2004 | – | Located inside the resort of the same name. |
| White Water Bay | Queensbury, New York | 2006 | – | Located inside Six Flags Great Escape Lodge. |
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags Wild Safari Adventure | Jackson, New Jersey | 1974 | – | Located adjacent toSix Flags Great Adventure. The drive-through Safari experience was merged into park operations in 2012 as the Safari Off-Road Adventure. |
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castaway Bay | Sandusky, Ohio | 2004 | – | Located about a mile fromCedar Point. Contains an indoor water park of the same name. |
| Six Flags Darien Lake Hotel & Campground | Darien, New York | 1954 | 1995 2018 | Located across fromSix Flags Darien Lake, existing prior to the park's construction. The complex contains a hotel opened in 1998, a campground with cabins, guest houses and rentable RVs; Darien Square andDarien Lake Performing Arts Center. |
| Six Flags Great Escape Lodge | Queensbury, New York | 2006 | – | Located across fromSix Flags Great Escape. Contains the White Water Bay Waterpark inside the grounds. |
| Six Flags Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa | Jackson, New Jersey | 2024 | – | Located withinSix Flags Wild Safari Adventure inSix Flags Great Adventure. |
| Name | Location | Year Opening | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags Qiddiya City | Qiddiya City,Saudi Arabia | 2025 (expected)[38] | This will be the first Six Flags-branded theme park in Saudi Arabia, and the first Six Flags park outside of North America since 2004. | [39] |
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year closed/sold | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags America | Woodmore, Maryland | 1974 | 2025 | Acquired by theTierco Group (later Premier Parks, LLC) in 1992. Formerly known as Adventure World and Wild World. The park closed on November 2, 2025.[40] |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Maryland | Woodmore, Maryland | 1982 | 2025 | Located adjacent toSix Flags America. It was initially acquired by theTierco Group (later Premier Parks, LLC) with the park in 1992. It was originally named Paradise Island and renamed to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in 2005, adorning the "Maryland" prefix in 2023.[41] It closed on September 6, 2025, ahead of Six Flags America's closure on November 2, 2025.[42][43][44] |
Fast Lane is an expedited queue system in use at parks formerly associated with Cedar Fair. It was first announced for Kings Island on July 18, 2011.[45] The park served as the testing park for the system. For an increased cost, visitors get a wrist band which gives them the ability to wait in a shorter queue for most attractions. Originally, it could only be used from noon to 7:00 PM, but it was soon expanded to be available all day. Fast Lane would be rolled out to all Cedar Fair parks for the 2012 season.[46] There is also Fright Lane, which is Fast Lane for the haunted attractions during the Halloween events.[47] For the 2016 season, Cedar Fair began testing all season Fast Lane at Valleyfair and Dorney Park. By the 2019 season, all Cedar Fair parks offered all season Fast Lane.
All legacy Six Flags parks will transition to Fast Lane from The Flash Pass beginning in January 2026, ultimately retiring the Flash Pass system.[48]
The Flash Pass is an optional, pay-per-personvirtual queue system offered at amusement parks operated by Six Flags before the merger. The system, named afterDC Comics characterThe Flash, allows guests to reserve places in line at participating attractions, and access must be purchased for a nominal fee in addition to the general park admission price. The first iteration, called Q-bot, was designed byLo-Q and was first implemented atSix Flags Over Georgia in 2001. Guests are given handheld devices, which are then used to make reservations and receive notifications when it is their turn to ride.[49] Another iteration is where guests can scan aQR code on in-park signs or through the mobile app, and guests can buy individual Flash Passes per ride or use their season pass or membership Flash Pass. This feature was adopted in 2021.[50]
A water park version of the virtual system called Q-band was first tested atSix Flags White Water in 2011.[51][52] Guests wear waterproofRFID wristbands that can be scanned at kiosks near participating water park attractions.[53]
The Flash Pass is expected to be removed by the end of the 2025 season, with all legacy Six Flags parks transitioning to theFast Lane system in 2026.[48]
At Legacy Six Flags parks, THE FLASH Pass program, and associated all season products, will be retired at the end of 2025 and transitioned to Fast Lane.
