Credit: California's Great America Theme ParkIt’s been a tough season for Six Flags Entertainment. The theme park giant has seen a dramatic decline in attendance, which has caused a drop in revenue, forcing the company’s CEO, Richard Zimmerman, to resign.
After announcing that it planned on closing Six Flags America in Maryland at the end of this year’s season, and with the company losing $100 million in the second quarter of this year, speculation has grown that Six Flags could close or sell more parks.
California’s Great American Amusement Park in Silicon Valley is a prime candidate for closure, and this week’s announcements have fueled speculation that its closure is imminent.
This week, Six Flags announced that it was laying off 184 workers starting on November 1. The park also shortened its season this year, closing for the winter on October 26. California’s Great American also canceled most of its live entertainment for the season, as well as seasonal events like Tricks and Treats and its Winterfest.
A representative for Six Flags told the Los Angeles Times that these layoffs were only of “seasonal” employees, but also said that the company was “considering all of their options.” The representative did not address the park’s early-season closure or cancellation of major events.
California’s Great American Amusement Park was purchased by Cedar Fair in 2006. During the pandemic, the park struggled financially, and Cedar Fair sold the land on which the park was situated to the Real Estate Company, Prologis, for $310 million for the 112.6 acres.
Part of the deal allowed Cedar Fair to lease the land from Prologis. However, a notice in the lease permitted Prologis to terminate the lease agreement by giving Cedar Fair two years’ notice.
The land is in Santa Clara, California, near Levi’s Stadium, where the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers play. The 112.6 acres have become significantly more valuable and could be used for apartments and retail/restaurant space to support the stadium.
For now, Six Flags insists that California’s Great American will open in 2026, but all signs appear to point to the park’s permanent closure.
What do you think is the best way for Six Flags to move forward with its amusement parks? Let us know in the comments.