Well, that didn’t take long. Less than two years after the “merger of equals” between Six Flags and Cedar Fair, the new corporate overlords in Charlotte have decided that seven of their properties just aren’t “high-growth” enough to keep around.
In a massive $331 million deal announced today, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is offloading a significant chunk of its portfolio to EPR Properties. If you live near any of the following parks, your summer tradition just got a new owner:
- Valleyfair (Minnesota)
- Worlds of Fun (Missouri)
- Michigan’s Adventure (Michigan)
- Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston (Texas)
- Six Flags St. Louis (Missouri)
- Six Flags Great Escape (New York)
- Six Flags La Ronde (Quebec)
CEO John Reilly is framing this as “portfolio optimization” and “sharpening focus.” In corporate-speak, that usually means: “We’re drowning in debt from the merger and need cash fast.” By selling these seven parks—which collectively brought in 4.5 million guests and $260 million in revenue last year—Six Flags is essentially admitting it can’t (or won’t) put in the work to make these mid-tier parks thrive. Instead, they are doubling down on the “big” names like Cedar Point and Magic Mountain, leaving these seven legacy parks to fend for themselves under a Real Estate Investment Trust (EPR) and a third-party operator, Enchanted Parks.
What This Means for You (The Guest)
If you’ve already bought a 2026 Season Pass, don’t panic—yet. Six Flags says it will honor all passes and multi-park privileges through the end of the 2026 season. They’re even letting the new owners keep the “Six Flags” name on the gates for the next year and a half.
But let’s be real: once 2027 hits, all bets are off. We’ve seen this movie before (remember the 2007 sell-off of Elitch Gardens and Darien Lake?). When a park is separated from the “big” chain, the investment in massive new coasters often dries up, and the “all-park” pass perks usually vanish.
Six Flags is getting smaller to get “leaner,” but at what cost to the fans? For years, parks like Michigan’s Adventure and Valleyfair have been crying out for more than just a new coat of paint or a hand-me-down flat ride. Now, instead of getting the corporate attention they deserve, they’re being kicked to the curb so the parent company can pay down its credit cards.
If you’re a local at one of these “divested” parks, enjoy the Six Flags branding while it lasts. Change is coming, and it rarely involves a bigger RMC Raptor.
Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram @iamcg83