News Six Flags America & Hurricane Harbor to Close Following 2025 Season

[zachclarke]

I'm working to create a pretty thorough documentation of this season through photographs. It's important to preserve the memory of the rides, guests, employees, and character of the park however we can, and this is how I feel I can contribute. Not entirely sure how this project will be published, if at all, although maybe something will come together as the year goes on. Here are a few of my favorites photos from the past week.

 

[MaxxForceFan]

Here is a link to the property listing:

13710 Central Avenue

 

[guy305]

Here is a link to the property listing:

13710 Central Avenue

So it’s already zoned as residential? If so that’s huge

 

[GASM]

As much as I’m looking forward to my trip in August, I have to admit that I probably wouldn’t have even thought about it if the park wasn’t closing, especially when I may have to choose it over Hersheypark depending on my friend’s work schedule when I visit. Had SFA not been closing, this likely would’ve been a Great Adventure/Hersheypark trip.

 

[jscll]

So it’s already zoned as residential? If so that’s huge.

It is not currently zoned for high density residential, the sales document linked above obscures that by listing it as AR/LCD.
AR: Agricultural-Residential Zone
LCD: Legacy Comprehensive Design Zone
If I am interpreting it correctly, an LCD Zone is a complex way of saying a property falls under a previous version of the zoning law as long as its use is continuous, and if the special use of the site stops for three years, it will sunset the special zoning status.
Here is Prince George's County complicated zoning laws.
I have no idea on how easy or hard it is to modify zoning in Prince George's County.

 

[Nicole]

Councilmember Wala Blegay talks the future of Six Flags in Prince George's County

Blegay said there is already strong interest in what comes next for the soon-to-be-vacant 500-acre Six Flags America site.

www.wusa9.com

The site, strategically located with regional access and infrastructure, presents a rare opportunity for large-scale commercial investment. Blegay said that discussions with potential developers have already started.

“Many of you have emphasized that you do not want the site to become just another residential development. I agree,” she stated. “... The focus must be on commercial, entertainment, and economic uses that serve the entire county and region.”

 

[kmccarthy27]

This worked out so well for the site of the Cap Centre. BLVD at Cap Centre was great and then became a hospital complex with only 2 or 3 left of the commercial and entertainment.

 

[horsesboy]

I think the Wild card here might be how quick does SF want/need to sale the land. If they need the cash flow bad then the county has more leverage to hold on to the existing zoning and potentially for a sale to a developer that better fits that zoning if SF doesn't need that infusion of capital right away then saying hey look we can leave it basically abandoned and rotting for a while unless you want to rezone it so we can sale for residential an get the biggest bucks off of it.

 

[harry580]

so, using this logic, expect triple star group to buy six flags america and hurricane harbor and turn it into a outdoor commercial & entertainment complex with a nickelodeon park (and maybe a Dreamworks water park if Comcast could allow it)

 

[CoasterBroCam]

so, using this logic, expect triple star group to buy six flags america and hurricane harbor and turn it into a outdoor commercial & entertainment complex with a nickelodeon park (and maybe a Dreamworks water park if Comcast could allow it)

WOULD THEY KEEP WILD ONE?!

 

[harry580]

WOULD THEY KEEP WILD ONE?!

yes, but they could retheme it to orange one or fairy odd coaster

 

[Zachary]

so, using this logic, expect triple star group to buy six flags america and hurricane harbor and turn it into a outdoor commercial & entertainment complex with a nickelodeon park (and maybe a Dreamworks water park if Comcast could allow it)

There's zero reason to think this

 

[GASM]

so, using this logic, expect triple star group to buy six flags america and hurricane harbor and turn it into a outdoor commercial & entertainment complex with a nickelodeon park (and maybe a Dreamworks water park if Comcast could allow it)

 

[MaxxForceFan]

I think the Wild card here might be how quick does SF want/need to sale the land. If they need the cash flow bad then the county has more leverage to hold on to the existing zoning and potentially for a sale to a developer that better fits that zoning if SF doesn't need that infusion of capital right away then saying hey look we can leave it basically abandoned and rotting for a while unless you want to rezone it so we can sale for residential an get the biggest bucks off of it.

Zimmerman said they are in no rush and don't need the cash from the sale to de-lever. Expect the process to take 12-18 months or more.

 

[kmccarthy27]

yes, but they could retheme it to orange one or fairy odd coaster

Paint it yellow and theme to the Sponge Bob Drivers Ed Episode

 

[warfelg]

Zimmerman said they are in no rush and don't need the cash from the sale to de-lever. Expect the process to take 12-18 months or more.

So....why close it so fast? You don't need the cash, you aren't moving the rides, it seems like it wouldn't lose you enough money being open to really hurt you.

I think it comes down to one thing, and it's the thing we all feared: The merger means less competition so they will begin closing parks that 'cannibalize' other properties.

 

[horsesboy]

so, using this logic, expect triple star group to buy six flags america and hurricane harbor and turn it into a outdoor commercial & entertainment complex with a nickelodeon park (and maybe a Dreamworks water park if Comcast could allow it)

Highly doubt that is in the cards both as I don't see SF likely to sell it to a competing park chain an I think it would be to close to the already somewhat struggling Nickelodeon Universe in New Jersey for them to want to further hurting that park. On the off chance that it would go to another park company I think the most likely would be Merlin possibly for a Legoland as we know that they have had interest in the DC region in the past. But again I think the odds of it being sold to any major park operator are extremely small.

 

[paintervision]

So....why close it so fast? You don't need the cash, you aren't moving the rides, it seems like it wouldn't lose you enough money being open to really hurt you.

I think it comes down to one thing, and it's the thing we all feared: The merger means less competition so they will begin closing parks that 'cannibalize' other properties.

Personally, I think they just want to wash their hands of this park. Turn off the money spigot for upkeep and infrastructure upgrades, cut labor/FT salaries to the bone. They have larger parks with more growth potential to worry about, that languished under the Six Flags banner.

Keep the lights on and a few Security guards out front until it’s sold and becomes someone else’s problem. It’s not dire enough to pin the future of SF for selling this land quickly, but it will make their portfolio look better once it’s sold off (same with other land sales they are looking at).

 

[GAcoaster]

This park was a losing proposition from the start when Premier poured WAY TOO MUCH MONEY into it to make it a Six Flags. I'm sure it made money, but never as much as it should have. Every year there have been news stories of "problems" with the crowds there which keeps the most valuable clientele away. Six Flags under Premier had a good idea, but were too aggressive with no follow through. Spend money to build up a park, but not up budgets for staffing and maintenance to match. The company has been reconciling and recovering from that ever since under several management and ownership teams, with no one able to execute a real vision for stability and growth long term, only focused on short term goals.

I know people have poo-pooed the efforts by Cedar Flags so far, but honestly I keep hearing about so many fundamental positive changes happening at the parks that were long overdue. I think SFA and CGA are the end of "close it and sell it" because they both have constraints on growth and property that's more valuable as something other than a theme park.

 

[rswashdc]

So....why close it so fast? You don't need the cash, you aren't moving the rides, it seems like it wouldn't lose you enough money being open to really hurt you.

I think it comes down to one thing, and it's the thing we all feared: The merger means less competition so they will begin closing parks that 'cannibalize' other properties.

If you do the math of closing SFA, x% of their guests shift to KD at little to no additional operating cost to KD. If that additional KD revenue is greater than the current operating profit of SFA, which is pretty likely, combined SF comes out ahead.