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Honestly, yes! In fact, he was the first person that came to mind when Zimmerman announced he was stepping down. He was pretty transformational for SeaWorld in their early IPO years and was seen as the right hand man for Joel Manby. It was really unfortunate when he took over as interim CEO and things were looking great but then the company went a different direction. He soon was demoted back to COO and then left altogether. Of course, anyone who is CEO at SEAS is just a puppet at this point but he was doing pretty great things and trying to push things through. That chain would be much different nowadays if he would've stayed IMO.

Hoping he has a great tenure and that the chain is able to move into a positive spotlight. He is big on guest experience.

I would've loved for Matt Ouimet to come back but, lets be honest, we knew that wasn't going to happen. Bob Chapek's name was floated around too as was Michael Colglazier (also a former Disney Exec who went to be CEO of Virgin Galactic but is also presently on the Six Flags board so that may have put a dent in it) but John Reilly was the top one in my book. Love this news.

I think if they went more in house, Seibert wouldve been a good one! Maybe even Jason McClure as well. But Reilly will do good I believe (and I hope)
 
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Holy shit, this is THE DREAM. John Reilly is the real deal. He worked his way up from the VERY bottom at Busch Gardens Williamsburg throughout the BEC years. He was in BGW leadership (and eventually park president) during a TREMENDOUSLY strong period in Busch Gardens Williamsburg history. Everything I've ever heard from people who worked with and under him has been GLOWING.

This is an 11/10 get for Six Flags.
 
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Holy shit, this is THE DREAM. John Reilly is the real deal. He worked his way up from the VERY bottom at Busch Gardens Williamsburg throughout the BEC years. He was in BGW leadership (and eventually park president) during a TREMENDOUSLY strong period in Busch Gardens Williamsburg history. Everything I've ever heard from people who worked with and under him has been GLOWING.

This is an 11/10 get for Six Flags.

Hear, hear!

As soon as I saw this in my news feed this morning, my first instinct was to DM you immediately. The man is a legend and SixFlags/CedarFair has basically hit the lottery. The timing couldn't be more perfect; I had a feeling that his role at Palace Entertainment had come to an end after they were purchased by Herschend, but I wasn't 100% sure. This basically confirms that.

The man is basically a legend in the amusement attraction space. I hope he is able to turn the company around. If he can't do it, I don't think anyone can.
 
This is the best decision the Six Flags board has made in ages. Undoing years of mismanagement has to start with a step in the right direction, and hiring Mr. Reilly is just that. Guest experience being put front and center would be a major win for every park in the portfolio, whether core or "non-core."

He also sort of resembles a beloved character in company history. Sneak preview of John pulling up to work on December 8:

srv4auw2yrsz.jpg
 
Cautiously optimistic. I don't think any one person can fix the entire company, as most of their problems are self-inflicted as of late (even before the merger).
Yes. No matter how talented a leader, starting off with horrible financials and capital assets is going to be a major hindrance. Hopefully he can get enough breathing room to make major changes needed, but that may not be much.
 
The SEC filing has details on the compensation package for John Reilly under section Appointment of CEO. The board is attempting to keep most of the executive team in place with cash retention bonuses and increased levels of cash severance payments. The only executive without an amended employment agreement is the Chief Procurement Officer.

SEC filing: https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001999001/fe695bdd-d6a2-4586-8406-439ff2245fcb.pdf

Appointment of CEO:
On November 24, 2025, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (the “Company”) announced the appointment of John Reilly as President and Chief

Executive Officer of the Company, effective December 8, 2025. The Company also announced Mr. Reilly’s appointment to the Board of Directors of the

Company (the “Board”), effective December 8, 2025, as a Class III director, with a term expiring at the 2027 annual meeting of the stockholders of the

Company.

Mr. Reilly succeeds Richard Zimmerman, who, as previously announced on August 6, 2025, is stepping down as the Company’s President and Chief

Executive Officer. Mr. Zimmerman will step down from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer and from the Board, effective December 8,

2025.

Mr. Reilly, age 57, most recently served as Group Chief Operating Officer of Parques Reunidos Servicios Centrales, S.A. Mr. Reilly previously served

as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Palace Entertainment (a subsidiary of Parques Reunidos) from 2019 to 2025. Prior to Parques

Reunidos, Mr. Reilly served in various roles at SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, include serving as Chief Operating Officer in 2019, as Interim Chief

Executive Officer from 2018 to 2019, as the Chief Parks Operations Officer from 2016 to 2018, as Park President of SeaWorld and Aquatica California

from 2010 to 2016, as Vice President of Merchandising in 2009 and in various roles at Busch Entertainment Corporation from 1985 to 2009. Mr. Reilly

holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from The College of William & Mary, and an MBA from the University of Miami.

In connection with Mr. Reilly’s appointment, on November 21, 2025, the Company entered into an employment agreement, effective December 8, 2025,

with Mr. Reilly for a period of three years subject to automatic renewal for successive one-year periods thereafter. Under the terms of the employment

agreement, Mr. Reilly will report directly to the full Board. The employment agreement provides for, among other things, an initial base salary of

$1,100,000 per year, subject to annual review by the Board for possible increase. Mr. Reilly will participate in the Company’s annual bonus program

with an initial target rate of 150% of his base salary and a maximum bonus of 300% of his base salary, with performance metrics established by the

People, Culture & Compensation Committee of the Board (the “PCCC”). The employment agreement also provides that Mr. Reilly will receive an

annual equity grant during each year of the term of the agreement (beginning in 2026) with a target value of $5,625,000 on the date of grant, to be the

same as such goals approved by the PCCC for other senior executives of the Company. Mr. Reilly will also receive a day one equity grant with a target

value of $7,500,000 (comprised of (i) $2,500,000 grant date value in the form of restricted stock units and (ii) $5,000,000 grant date value in the form of

performance stock units) scheduled to vest on the third anniversary of the grant date subject to Mr. Reilly’s continued service with the Company and the

achievement of applicable performance goals (in the case of the performance stock units) as to be set forth in the award agreement evidencing such

award. Mr. Reilly will participate in benefit plans on the same basis as other senior executives, including medical, disability, life, 401(k) and deferred

compensation plans.

In the event of involuntary termination by the Company without Cause or by Mr. Reilly for Good Reason (each as defined in the employment

agreement), Mr. Reilly would be entitled to (i) a cash payment equal to two times the sum of base salary and target annual bonus, payable in installments

(ii) any unpaid annual bonus for the year prior to the year of termination, (iii) a pro-rata annual bonus for the year in which termination occurs, (iv) a

cash payment equal to the cost of participation in the Company’s group medical plans for 18 months, and (v) any outstanding equity awards that are

scheduled to vest within 18-month period following termination shall become fully vested with performance-based awards subject to achieving

performance goals. In the event that an involuntary termination occurs within 12 months following a Change in Control (as defined in the employment

agreement), Mr. Reilly is entitled to generally the same severance payments and benefits as described above, except that all outstanding equity awards

under the Stock Incentive Plan (as defined in the employment agreement) shall become fully vested, with performance-based awards deemed to be

vested at target. All severance payments and benefits under the employment agreement are subject to Mr. Reilly signing a release of claims against the

Company.

Under the terms of the employment agreement, Mr. Reilly is subject to restrictive covenants, during and for specified periods following termination of

employment, relating to competing against the Company, soliciting business partners, customers or employees of the Company, confidentiality

restrictions and a non-disparagement covenant.Mr. Reilly has no family relationship with any directors or executive officers of the Company, nor are there any arrangements or understandings between

Mr. Reilly and any other persons pursuant to which he was selected as a director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. There are no transactions

between Mr. Reilly and the Company that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

The foregoing description of the employment agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the

executed version of such agreement, a copy of which is to be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s next Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Employment Agreement Amendments:
On November 21, 2025, the Company entered into amendments to employment agreements (collectively, the “Amendments”) with each of Tim Fisher,

Brian Witherow, Brian Nurse, Christian Dieckmann, Ty Tastepe, and David Hoffman (each an “Executive” and collectively, the “Executives”) which

amends their respective employment agreements (each agreement, an “Employment Agreement”).

The Amendments provide for, among other things, the payment of a retention bonus to each Executive, less applicable tax withholdings, payable in a

lump sum on July 1, 2026, subject to continued employment with the Company through such date. The individual retention amounts applicable to each

Executive are as follows: (i) Tim Fisher - $750,000, (ii) Brian Witherow - $670,000, (iii) Brian Nurse - $600,000, (iv) Christian Dieckmann - $500,000

(v) Ty Tastepe - $460,000, and (vi) David Hoffman - $450,000. If the Executive’s employment terminates for any reason prior to July 1, 2026, the

retention bonus will be forfeited.

The Amendments also provide for an increase in the level of cash severance benefits that are provided under the respective Employment Agreement

applicable to a termination without Cause, Disability or resignation for Good Reason (each as defined in the Employment Agreements) for a one-year

period following the expiration of the Change in Control severance protection period that applied for two years following the closing of the merger of

the former Six Flags Entertainment Corporation and Cedar Fair, L.P. on July 1, 2024. Thus, pursuant to the Amendments, in the event that an Executive

is terminated without Cause, Disability or resignation for Good Reason during the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (which is the expiration

date of the Employment Agreements), such Executive will be entitled to receive cash severance payments equal to two times the sum of base salary and

target annual cash incentives in effect at the time of termination, in addition to certain non-cash severance benefits applicable under the existing terms of

the Employment Agreements. The cash severance payments are made in a cash lump sum on the Company’s next regularly scheduled payroll date

following the 60th day after the Executive’s termination date, subject to the Executive’s timely execution and non-revocation of a release of claims and

compliance with applicable restrictive covenants, in each case in accordance with the terms of the applicable Employment Agreement.

The foregoing description of the Amendments does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the executed

version of each Amendment, copies of which will be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s next Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
Probably the best option of the candidates who were realistically possible to take the job, and if given the resources necessary he probably could reverse the slide of Six Flags. I just hope that the board will yield to his experience and not try to force decisions counter to a successful theme park business just to see better short term numbers.
 
The good news is that he has worked in... reportedly adversarial... environments previously. Despite seemingly being given next to no capital while at Palace/Parques Reunidos, there were obvious improvements made under his leadership reversing some of the withering the chain was experiencing in the years prior to his arrival. My experience at Kennywood this season was the best I've ever had at the park. The place felt well-run and very well taken care of. It was a slow process, but every year as of late Kennywood has been making small improvements to the park that have really begun to add up on my opinion.
 
I wonder if this guy has some ideas to make six flags great adventure & six flags discovery kingdom be like six flags seaworld much more due to the fact those parks has animals
 
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