by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 2:25 PM ET, Fri July 11, 2025
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has announced plans to shutter two of its underperforming amusement parks.
The two locations scheduled to be closed are Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor in Bowie Maryland, and on the West Coast, California’s Great America.
North America’s largest amusement park operator announced closure of the Maryland location in a press release, stating that Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor will cease operations after the 2025 operation season.
The approximately 500-acre property will be marketed for redevelopment as part of “ongoing portfolio optimization,” according to a statement released by the amusement park operator.
“As part of our comprehensive review of our park portfolio, we have determined that Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor are not a strategic fit with the company’s long-term growth plan,” Six Flags President and CEO Richard A. Zimmerman, said in the company statement.
“After reviewing a number of options, we believe that marketing the property for redevelopment will generate the highest value and return on investment,” Zimmerman added.
The Six Flags CEO said it was a difficult decision to close the popular park given the impact the decision will have on employees and visitors. The company said it is “committed to supporting all impacted associates through the closure process at the end of this year.”
Six Flags America employs about 70 full-time associates at the Maryland park. Severance and other benefits is being provided to all eligible associates. The park’s final operating day is slated to be November 2, 2025.
The closure announcement for the Maryland park comes after the company revealed in November 2024 that it would be making a $1 billion
investment to improve the guest experience across all of its North
America parks over the next two years. That effort is expected to include new rides, themed
areas, dining, attractions and more.
More recently, People reported that Six Flags has also revealed plans to close California’s Great America in Santa Clara, California. The property, which has been operating for 50 years, is expected to shut down when its current lease expires.
Barring the company’s executives having a change of heart, that means the property would end its half-century run at the end of the 2027 season, which concludes in October.
“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,” Six Flags Chief Financial Officer Brian Witherow, said
according to People.
Witherow made his comments while answering an audience question at the company’s Six Flags Investor Day 2025 on May 20.
He said the parks being closed "are two parks that are very low on the ranking of
margins.”
The California park opened in 1976 and was initially run by the Marriott Corporation. It was previously known as Marriott’s Great America. There are six other Six Flags parks in California including in Buena Park, Valencia, Concord and Vallejo.
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