Six Flags Mainstay Shuts Down After More Than Half a Century

A Maryland amusement park that entertained families for more than half a century has officially shut down. Six Flags America in Bowie, east of Washington, DC, and south of Baltimore, welcomed visitors for the final time on Sunday, as did the adjacent Hurricane Harbor water park, People reports. Parent company Six Flags Entertainment Corporation said the closure is part of a broader restructuring effort as it deals with substantial debt and reevaluates its portfolio following a merger with Cedar Fair last year.

Six Flags America started as a drive-thru safari called The Wildlife Preserve in 1974 before becoming a Six Flags park in 1999. Over the years, it grew to include more than 100 rides, shows, and attractions. The company has not announced what will happen to the park's rides, though relocating them to other parks or selling them to other operators is under consideration. In May, CEO Richard A. Zimmerman said the decision came after a comprehensive review determined that "Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor are not a strategic fit with the company's long-term growth plans." The park employed about 70 full-time workers, who will receive severance and other benefits.

On its last day, visitors told 7News they were sad to see the park go. "I think they should keep it," Brian Fox said. "It definitely gives a lot of kids jobs, things to do during the summer. Next year, what are they gonna do?" Prince George's County officials said the site generates around $3 million in tax revenue, but "we have not really seen the full potential, full economic potential of that site," and the figure could reach tens of millions after redevelopment.

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Six Flags Entertainment, which now controls more than 20 parks across North America, has faced a series of challenges. After a net loss of over $100 million in the second quarter, Zimmerman said he planned to step down by the end of the year. Travis Kelce is part of a group of activist investors that hopes to turn the company around. "I am a lifelong Six Flags fan and grew up going to these parks with my family and friends," the NFL star said in a press release last month.