Fears mount as Six Flags announces closure of second park in three months
Six Flags California's Great America is likely nearing its final days, the amusement park chain's CFO, Brian Witherow, said during a recent investor day.
'Unless we decide to extend, and exercise one of our options to extend that lease, that park's last year without that extension would be after the '27 season,' he said, according to People.
The potential closure means roller coasters could take their final loops after Halloween 2027 — and the move is part of a larger shakeup in the theme park world.
It comes soon after the company announced in May it would close a Maryland park for good in November.
For Bay Area residents, the potential closure isn't a huge shock.
'If they decide to close it rather than sell it off or make some kind of other arrangement, that's understandable,' one local said on Reddit. 'It seems like they are just counting the days until the end.'
Back in 2020, Cedar Fair — the corporation that used to own the park — sold the land beneath it to Prologis, San Francisco-based real estate firm for $310 million.
The deal helped bring in cash while the park was shut down during the pandemic.
As part of that deal, Prologis included a stipulation that it could boot the amusement park with just two years' notice.
The theme park sits on 112 acres next to Levi's Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers play.
Prologis is reportedly planning to redevelop the land into real estate and retail spaces designed to serve game-day crowds hunting for a Brock Purdy win.
'We're focused on identifying and partnering with planning and design experts to help us create a master plan for the property,' Jennifer Nelson, a spokesperson for the real estate company, said during an interview with the LA Times.
Inside, the park has reportedly seen better days. Attractions now include a series of twirling rides that lack the adrenaline-inducing thrill many guests expect, according to SFGate.
The publication also found that, like many other amusement parks, California's Great America also charges steep prices for food and drinks.
The looming shutdown comes amid a wave of changes for Six Flags.
Six Flags already announced it was closing a park in Maryland this year
In 2024, the company finalized an $8 billion merger with Cedar Fair, forming a theme park powerhouse that now operates 42 amusement parks across the US.
As the company finishes its first year as a combined corporation, some other parks are now appearing on the chopping block.
Six Flags recently announced that it will also shutter a park in Bowie, Maryland. Roller coasters there will stop running on November 2.
'Those are two parks that are very low on the ranking of margins,' Witherow said of the Bay Area and Maryland locations.
Six Flags did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
This isn't the only California amusement park that faces closure this year.
In March, Playland in Fresno closed down its child-friendly park.
The company also struggled to turn a profit after it shut down in 2020.
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