Six Flags theme park closing after more than two decades, announces final day for rides

The Six Flags theme park with the oldest roller coaster across all its properties is closing later this year after Six Flags Entertainment Corporation decided it is no longer "a strategic fit with the company’s long-term growth plan." 

Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor in Bowie, Maryland, which rebranded and opened as a Six Flags property in 1999, will operate for the final time on Nov. 2. 

"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 & CEO Richard Zimmerman said in a statement. "After reviewing a number of options, we believe that marketing the property for redevelopment will generate the highest value and return on investment." 

The park is known for Wild One, a wooden roller coaster that first opened in Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts, in 1917, before it was sold to Wild World in Bowie in the 1980s, according to the American Coaster Enthusiasts. 

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"Now known as Six Flags America, the park still features Wild One, which boasts a 98-foot height with an 88-foot first drop. Though modified over its long history, the classic wooden coaster has stood the test of time and continues to bring enjoyment and thrills to riders," the club said on its website. "ACE commends Six Flags America for continued operation of Wild One with a rich history that spans over a century." 

It’s unclear what will now happen to Wild One and the park’s other rides. 

Six Flags said the park employs around 70 full-time workers.  

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Severance and other benefits will be given to eligible employees upon its closure. 

All 2025 season passes and tickets also will be honored for the park’s final year. 

"It's always disappointing when a staple in the community decides to shut down. At the same time, I see opportunity: so many acres there that we can redevelop into something that's going to be special for both residents and the county, overall," Prince George's County Council Chair Edward Burroughs told WJLA. "They appear to want to collaborate and work with the community, work with the council, work with the government to ensure whatever we put there is uplifting and helpful to the county." 

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The news of Six Flags America’s closure comes just days after the NFL’s Washington Commanders announced their intention to leave Prince George’s County to build a new stadium in Washington, D.C.