Is Six Flags Closing? Fact-Checking the Rumors and What It Means for Your Local Park

After half a century of screams and laughter, Six Flags America in Bowie, Maryland, turned off its coasters for good on Sunday, November 2, 2025. The permanent closure, announced this past May, ends a 51-year run that began in 1974 when the site debuted as a wildlife safari park before joining the Six Flags family in 1999. Why the park shut down • Corporate realignment: Six Flags Entertainment Corp. said the Maryland property “wasn’t a strategic fit” with long-term growth plans, choosing to redeploy capital to higher-yield markets. • Rising land value: Bowie’s proximity to Washington, D.C., makes the 510-acre parcel attractive for mixed-use redevelopment. The company confirmed it is actively marketing the site but has not disclosed potential buyers or asking price. • Attendance plateau: Visitor numbers never rebounded to pre-pandemic highs, even after adding seasonal events and discounted season passes, according to analysts tracking the chain. What happens to passholders and employees Season-pass holders automatically received prorated refunds or the option to transfer their membership to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey or Six Flags Great America near Chicago. Roughly 1,200 seasonal employees were offered relocation packages to other parks or severance benefits, while 200 full-time staff have been absorbed into corporate and regional roles, the company said in a statement released on closing day. Ripple effects for thrill-seekers on the East Coast • Shorter drive times to rival parks such as Hersheypark, Kings Dominion, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg may shift regional attendance patterns next summer. • Local tourism officials estimate Prince George’s County could lose up to $35 million in annual visitor spending tied directly to Six Flags America events and hotel stays. • Fans are petitioning online for the preservation of the park’s signature wooden coaster, Wild One, which originally opened in 1917 at Paragon Park in Massachusetts before being relocated to Maryland in 1986. Is any other Six Flags park closing? Despite rumors swirling on social media, no additional closures have been announced for 2025. Executives emphasized that marquee properties in Texas, California, and Georgia remain central to the brand’s future, especially as the chain prepares to unveil “Ultra Surf” water-coaster attractions at several locations next season. What’s next for the site Real-estate experts predict a mixed community of retail, residential, and entertainment venues could rise within five years once zoning approvals are secured. Prince George’s County officials have already scheduled public hearings to gather input on traffic and environmental impact, signaling that redevelopment plans will move quickly in early 2026. Bottom line The viral question “Is Six Flags closing?” now has a definitive—though more nuanced—answer. Six Flags America is indeed closed forever, but the wider Six Flags universe is still very much alive. For coaster lovers in the Mid-Atlantic, the countdown to summer will feel different without the familiar skyline of Superman: Ride of Steel; for everyone else, the chain’s strategic pivot means investments are shifting toward parks with stronger growth potential.