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Six Flags is clinging on as more parks teeter toward closure amid plunging revenues. Even after the news of a new investor, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, joining the fun, executives at North America’s largest amusement park company told investors Friday that they plan to focus on expanding their most popular parks while selling off underperforming ones. Chief Financial Officer Brian Witherow said in a conference call about its third-quarter earnings report that the company is “trying to narrow our focus and shrink our capital needs and our risk or liability closures, getting the portfolio smaller and more nimble is a priority.” After merging with Cedar Fair in 2023, Six Flags now runs over 40 parks. Six Flags America, located outside Washington, D.C., as well as its water park, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, closed this week, following 50 years of operation. Six Flags plans to close California’s Great America between 2028 and 2032 and has sold unused land near Kings Dominion in Virginia, which will remain open. Witherow said Friday that Six Flags is now identifying “core” and “non-core” parks, planning to divest the latter, though he did not specify which parks will be sold. Parks announcing new attractions, such as Six Flags Over Texas, Carowinds, Six Flags Mexico, Kings Island, and Canada’s Wonderland, are likely safe, while others could still be at risk. More than 500 people commented on Six Flag America’s final Instagram post, which thanked fans for “50 years of family fun.” “We were there today for the last day (November 2, 2025),” one person wrote. “The weather was beautiful and everyone was kind as people took their last rides at Six Flags America. Very grateful my family got to be there.” “Everybody pitch in, let’s buy the park and open it back up,” another person suggested. A third person wrote, “I don’t know why this makes me sad. This is not my park. Just don’t close Six Flags Over Georgia. But for real, it’s sad to see a stable that so many people love close.” Six Flags’ rocky year involved Six Flags Texas parks seeing slightly higher attendance in July‑September, but guests spent less, leading to a revenue decline, its owner said. “Our performance in 2025 has fallen short of our expectations,” CEO Richard Zimmerman said. “While the 2025 season has been defined by volatility, I remain encouraged by the underlying strength of our business and believe the lessons we’re taking from this period help lay the foundation for future success.” Zimmerman, who is stepping down by the end of the year, also highlighted a new investment led by JANA Partners and Kelce, whose group now holds a 9 percent stake, the company’s largest, which he said will boost Six Flags in 2026, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Zimmerman said growing public interest shows Six Flags remains a strong brand and plans to build on that momentum for the 2026 season. The company, which operates parks across the US, Canada, and Mexico, saw summer attendance rise 1 percent to 21.1 million visitors, though weaker demand in September offset earlier gains. Individual park figures were not disclosed. Six Flags reported a 2 percent drop in third-quarter revenue to $1.32 billion, missing analyst expectations, with in-park spending down 4 percent. The company posted a $1.2 billion net loss, compared to a $111 million profit a year earlier, largely due to a $1.5 billion noncash impairment charge tied to weaker performance and a lower share price.
