SANDUSKY — Struggling Six Flags announced this morning it is relocating its headquarters from Charlotte back to Arlington, Texas, next year.
The surprise move means the amusement park chain, which operate the Carowinds amusement park locally, will only have had its headquarters in Charlotte for less than three years by the time it relocates.
The Arlington headquarters will serve as the primary hub for the company’s corporate leadership and shared business functions. Choctaw Stadium has served as a corporate office since 2020 and is currently home to a portion of the company’s corporate workforce. The relocation is expected to be completed by March 2027.
When Cedar Point, Six Flags’ most valuable property was owned by Cedar Fair, its corporate headquarters was in Sandusky. After CEO Matt Ouimet left the company in 2017, the HQ was moved to Charlotte.
According to a press release issued by [Company Name] via PR Newswire, Six Flags’ return to the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex reflects its continued evolution, and positions the company in a central location to more efficiently support its network of 34 amusement and water parks and nine resorts across North America.
PR NEWSWIRE provided this copy:
Arlington’s proximity to the company’s five Texas parks brings leadership closer to many of its operations, while the city’s robust transportation access, dynamic business environment and location within one of the nation’s premier entertainment and tourism districts makes it an ideal home for the company’s headquarters.
“Arlington is an outstanding location for our headquarters and supports our long-term vision for growth,” said John Reilly, president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. “Its central location and business-friendly environment make it a strong base for our company. Bringing our corporate teams together in the office will improve collaboration, strengthen our culture, enhance support for our parks and resorts, and help us continue delivering exceptional experiences for guests across North America. We are grateful to the City of Arlington and local leaders for their partnership and support, and we are committed to contributing to the community’s growth and success.”
Arlington also holds a special place in the company’s history as the home of Six Flags Over Texas, which opened in 1961. While the relocation decision is grounded in strategic business considerations, it also reconnects the company with the community where the Six Flags legacy began more than six decades ago.
“Arlington is a vibrant entertainment district where the Six Flags story began. With our office just next door to Six Flags Over Texas, one of our premier parks, we enable our leadership to have a meaningful on-the-ground presence at the park and greater connectivity to all five of our Texas properties,” Reilly said.
Earlier this summer, Six Flags Over Texas celebrated the opening of Tormenta: Rampaging Run, the world’s first giga dive coaster and a record-breaking new attraction that changed the city’s skyline and further reinforces Arlington’s position as a premier entertainment destination. The debut brought together local officials, community partners, tourism leaders and park guests in recognition of the attraction’s economic and cultural significance to the region. The strong support and engagement surrounding Tormenta’s opening reflects the connection between Six Flags and the Arlington community as the company continues to invest in experiences that drive visitation, tourism, and growth.
Six Flags remains committed to the communities it serves across North America. In the Charlotte region, the company will continue investing in Carowinds and Carolina Harbor, including the park’s highly anticipated new attraction, Rip Roarin’ Falls, scheduled to open in 2027. The company has several other major projects underway across its park footprint for the 2027 season which comprise one of its most ambitious capital attractions lineups in its history. These include:
Bakunawa, the world’s tallest and fastest spinning coaster, opening at Six Flags Great Adventure
Werewolf Gorge, the world’s longest family launch coaster, debuting at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Camp Timber Trail, an expansive family adventure area anchored by Sky Hawk, the Midwest’s longest, tallest and fastest suspended family coaster, coming to Six Flags Great America
Coral Craze and Kelp Kraze, innovative new family raft slides featuring ride systems opening at Knott’s Soak City
“We are deeply grateful to our Charlotte-based and shared services team members whose dedication, passion and expertise have helped shape our company,” Reilly added. “Their contributions have been invaluable, and we are committed to supporting them throughout this transition with respect, transparency and care. Many team members will have the opportunity to relocate to Arlington and continue helping drive our success into the future.”
The company will continue to have an office in Sandusky, Ohio.
About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) is North America’s largest regional amusement-resort enterprise. The Company operates a premier portfolio of 20 amusement parks, 14 water parks, and nine resort properties across 13 U.S. states, Canada, and Mexico, as well as an amusement park in Saudi Arabia. Focused on its purpose of creating FUN, thrills, and a lifetime of memories, Six Flags provides immersive entertainment to millions of guests every year with world-class coasters, themed rides, and thrilling water parks powered by beloved intellectual property such as Looney Tunes®, DC Comics®, and PEANUTS®.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this news release that are not historical in nature are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements as to our expectations, beliefs, goals and strategies regarding the future. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “create,” “expect,” “future,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “potential,” “seek,” “synergies,” “target,” “will,” “would,” similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. These forward-looking statements may involve current plans, estimates, expectations and ambitions that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct, that our growth and operational strategies will achieve the target results. Important risks and uncertainties that may cause such a difference and could adversely affect attendance at our parks, our future financial performance, and/or our growth strategies, and could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations or otherwise to fluctuate or decrease, include, but are not limited to: failure to realize the expected amount and timing of benefits related to the sale of parks and undeveloped land; adverse weather conditions; general economic, political and market conditions, including global trade; the impacts of pandemics or other public health crises, including the effects of government responses on people and economies; competition for consumer leisure time and spending or other changes in consumer behavior or sentiment for discretionary spending; unanticipated construction delays or increases in construction or supply costs; changes in capital investment plans and projects; anticipated tax treatment, unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, expansion and growth of the Company’s operations; the impact of any potential shareholder activism; failure to attract, motivate and retain qualified domestic and international employees and key personnel; legislative, regulatory and economic developments and changes in laws, regulations, and policies affecting the Company; acts of terrorism or outbreak or escalation of war, hostilities, civil unrest, and other political or security disturbances; and other risks and uncertainties we discuss under the heading “Risk Factors” within our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the other filings we make from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document and are based on information currently and reasonably known to us. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after publication of this news release.
Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article317000615.html#storylink=cpy
They ran smaller amusement parks into the ground like Geauga and Wyandot Lakes in Ohio.
Wow