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The
approximately 500-acre (202-hectare) property in Bowie will be
marketed for redevelopment, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
announced Thursday. As part of a portfolio review, the
Charlotte, North Carolina-based company determined that the
parks “are not a strategic fit with the company’s long-term
growth plan,” Six Flags President and CEO Richard A. Zimmerman
said in a statement. The final day of operations will be Nov. 2.
“Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor have been an important
part of the local community, and this final season will be an
opportunity to celebrate the decades of fun that guests have
enjoyed at the property,” Zimmerman said.
Six Flags America employs about 70 full-time associates, and
severance and other benefits will be provided to eligible
associates, the company said.
A wildlife preserve that operated on the site in the 1970s later
became an amusement park, The Washington Post reports. It opened
as Six Flags America in 1999, according to a company
spokesperson. The park features many attractions and rides,
including nine roller coasters. The Wild One is one of the
oldest wooden roller coasters in the country, the spokesperson
said.
Acting Prince George’s County Executive Tara H. Jackson lamented
the loss of the parks.
“For decades, Six Flags has been more than just a theme park—it
is a cherished part of our county’s identity, a source of joy
for families, and a hub of economic activity,” Jackson said in a
statement. “We are committed to working closely with Six Flags
and other stakeholders to guide a thoughtful and inclusive
redevelopment process that supports jobs, growth and long-term
community benefit.”
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