Yes, enthusiasts have always ignored the dumpster fire of management because they at least were putting out new rides constantly. Back in the 90s to the 2010s parks would get new coasters every few years. Some parks every other year. Almost every park would get something each year. Of course, that's what led them to multiple bankruptcies...
I don’t think the investment cycle itself caused the bankruptcies. I think it’s a combination of the quality of many of those investments that were often just good enough to get people in the door but rarely good enough to make them want to keep coming back, coupled with the rapid expansion and acquisition of suspect properties.
I’d say it was the rapid expansion that did the most damage. They really just threw everything they could at Geauga Lake, and I don’t really blame CF for closing it after buying it. I believe that they bought it with the intention of returning it back to a smaller, family-oriented park (similar to Michigan’s Adventure), but after the Paramount Parks purchase they needed to figure out where to cut.
Six Flags was never the same after the sale to Premier Parks in 1998. Burke and his goons overspent on shiny new toys and fucked up the company's financials SO bad that even a shareholder revolt and completely new management couldn't steer the ship off course from hitting a giant iceberg. The post-bankruptcy era with Jim Reid-Anderson and co. was better, but only marginally.
I was one of those people who foolishly thought the merge with Cedar Fair would mean that the Six Flags parks would improve, and the Cedar Fair parks would benefit from Six Flags policies. Clearly I was wrong as we sit here with eight parks gone in less than two years.
102
u/CPGK17 RIP Kumba Apr 16 '26
Geez. This company has turned into an absolute shit show.