Under the terms of the merger agreement, Cedar Fair shareholders will own around 51.2% of the company, and Six Flags Shareholders will own around 48.8%. The combined company will also have various entertainment partnerships and the intellectual property rights to Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Peanuts, to name a few. Six Flags operates its flagship theme parks across the U.S., including in Arlington, Texas, Valencia, California and Jackson, New Jersey.
Six Flags, Cedar Fair rolls out season pass to all 42 parks following merge
The newly formed company will retain the iconic Six Flags brand name, leveraging its established recognition in the amusement park industry. Interestingly, the company will trade under Cedar Fair’s previous ticker symbol, demonstrating a strategic blend of brand identity and financial continuity. The combined company anticipates generating over $3 billion in revenue, solidifying its financial strength and fueling future growth initiatives. This significant revenue stream will enable strategic investments in park development, ensuring guests have access to innovative rides, attractions, and amenities. The merger comes amid something of a theme park boom, with both Disney and NBCUniversal seeing huge growth and profits in their theme park portfolios. The companies plan to leverage their licensed intellectual property in their parks, with Six Flags holding a deal with Warner Bros.
Six Flags, Cedar Fair Strike Merger Deal, Creating $8B Theme Park Giant
In the coming weeks, more parks will introduce their 2025 season pass options and we’ll update this page if necessary. For the time being and for clarity’s sake, the company is referring to the parks previously categorized by their respective owners as “legacy Six Flags parks” and “legacy Six Flags parks,” which continue to dictate certain ticket options. Originally announced in November 2023, the entities formerly known as Cedar Fair Entertainment Company and Six Flags Entertainment Corporation merged to form a combined company going by the name of the latter, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Theme parks have become a booming business post-COVID, led by The Walt Disney Co. and NBCUniversal.
Season pass to all 42 Six Flags parks
- The combined company’s vast resources, geographic reach, and diverse portfolio position it for continued success.
- Three weeks after merging, the company instated a chaperone policy at several parks and removed a surcharge fee at all legacy Six Flags parks.
- In the coming weeks, more parks will introduce their 2025 season pass options and we’ll update this page if necessary.
- You can often catch me at Disney or Universal sipping a cocktail, or crying during Happily Ever After or Fantasmic.
With a focus on innovation, guest experience, and strategic investment, this merger is poised to usher in a new era of entertainment for parkgoers across North America. The merger will create a behemoth in the amusement park industry, with the combined entity controlling 42 amusement parks and nine resort properties across 17 states, Canada, and Mexico. This expanded footprint positions Six Flags as a dominant player in the global leisure and entertainment market.
What we’ve lost — and what we’ve found — in abandoned theme parks
The merger will make the new company a “leading amusement park operator in the highly competitive leisure space,” according to a release from Cedar Fair. Cedar Fair and Six Flags are merging to create an expansive amusement park operator with operations spread across 17 U.S. states and three countries. This will make the new combined team of Cedar Fair and Six Flags the most powerful theme park conglomerate in terms of the amount of parks that they own, even topping the highly established and popular Disney theme parks. But amusement parks, including Six Flags, has struggled to get people through the gates, said James Hardiman at Citi Investment Research.
Six Flags stated all 42 parks “will retain their legacy branding with no changes to park names currently being planned or contemplated.” In other words, Carowinds won’t become “Six Flags Over Carowinds,” nor will Six Flags Magic Mountain drop its “Six Flags” verbiage, etc. Cedar Fair owns Knott’s Berry Farm in Anaheim and Cedar Point in Ohio, among other properties. Six Flags owns Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey and Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, among others. Discovery for rights to characters from DC Comics and Looney Tunes, while Cedar Fair holds the rights to the Peanuts comic universe. Shares of Six Flags Entertainment Corp. and Cedar Fair LP were essentially flat before the opening bell Thursday, but both are up more than 9% this week after rumors of a deal began to spread.
Amusement parks have seen an uptick in revenue but have struggled to raise attendance since the pandemic, even as other entertainment sectors have bounced back. Richard Zimmerman, former president and CEO of Cedar Fair, will serve as president and CEO of the combined company, while Selim Bassoul, former president and CEO of Six Flags, will be executive chairman of the Board of Directors. As a result of the deal combining two companies that operate in different parts of North America, $120 million in cost savings is expected within two years of the closing of the all-stock deal. Three weeks after merging, the company instated a chaperone policy at several parks and removed a surcharge fee at all legacy Six Flags parks. Of course, single-park season passes are available at the parks too, with prices ranging from around $60-$135, depending on tiers and admission dates.
This includes Six Flags’ expertise in world-class thrill rides and Cedar Fair’s focus on family-friendly entertainment experiences. The leadership teams from both organizations expressed confidence in their ability to collaborate effectively, unlocking the full potential of this powerful alliance. Additionally, Gary Mick, Six Flags’ current Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will serve as the new company’s chief integration officer, playing a vital role in merging operations effectively. The transaction, which was approved by both companies’ boards, is targeted to close in the first half of next year. Amusement parks have seen an uptick in revenue but have struggled to raise attendance since the pandemic, even as other entertainment sectors have bounced back. The transaction, which was approved by both companies’ boards, is targeted to close in the first half of next year.
The combined company, worth more than $3.5 billion, will boast 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It will also have entertainment partnerships and a portfolio of intellectual property including Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Peanuts. The all-stock deal will merge the portfolios of both companies, creating a behemoth with 27 theme parks, 15 water parks, 9 hotels and resorts as well as safaris, marinas and other properties across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The merged company boasts a truly impressive portfolio, encompassing a total of 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and nine resort properties strategically located across North America. This extensive footprint offers unparalleled geographic diversification, positioning the new entity to cater to a wider audience and capitalize on diverse regional preferences. Six Flags and Cedar Fair, two of the nation’s largest theme parks, are merging in an all-stock deal, the companies announced Thursday, bringing together two of the country’s largest theme park chains in a merger of equals.
“Our merger with Six Flags will bring together two of North America’s iconic amusement park companies to establish a highly diversified footprint and a more robust operating model to enhance park offerings and performance,” Cedar Fair CEO Richard Zimmerman said in a prepared statement. “Our merger with Six Flags will bring together two of North America’s iconic amusement park companies to establish a highly diversified footprint and a more robust operating model to enhance park offerings and performance,” Cedar Fair CEO Richard Zimmerman said in a prepared statement. The new combined company will be one of the largest in the theme park businesses in North America. Together, Cedar Fair and Six Flags currently control 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties in 17 states spread across the U.S. and in Canada and Mexico.
This includes Tim Fisher (Chief Operating Officer), Brian Witherow (Chief Financial Officer), Brian Nurse (Chief Legal & Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary), and Christian Dieckmann (Chief Strategy Officer) from Cedar Fair.
Six Flags and Cedar Fair, which operate in different parts of North America, anticipate $120 million in cost savings within two years of closing the all-stock deal. The new Six Flags boasts an impressive portfolio of 42 parks stretching across the United States, Canada and Mexico, including Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm in Southern California. Many Cedar Fair parks were previously owned by Paramount, and during that tenure featured licenses with Paramount (and Paramount-adjacent) properties like Nickelodeon, Hanna-Barbera, “Top Gun,” “Star Trek,” and others.
Six Flags and Cedar Fair have completed their $8 billion merger, creating a live experiences behemoth that owns 27 theme parks, 15 water parks, 9 hotels and resorts, as well as safaris, marinas and other properties across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The Six Flags and Cedar Fair merger signifies a transformative moment for the amusement park industry. The combined company’s vast resources, geographic reach, and diverse portfolio position it for continued success.
Six Flags and Cedar Fair, which have little geographical overlap, anticipate $120 million in cost savings within two years of closing the deal. The industry will be watching with keen interest to see how this new giant leverages its vast resources to create innovative and exciting experiences for parkgoers across North America. With experienced leadership at the helm and a strategically chosen headquarters location, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is poised to navigate the post-merger landscape effectively. Several key executives from both Cedar Fair and Six Flags will retain their current positions within the merged company.
The new Six Flags doesn’t have the scale of the Disney or Universal parks in Florida or California, but it will have far more parks spread across the country, including many far from Disney or Universal properties. The new company will be called Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, and trade under the ticker “FUN” on the New York Stock Exchange. Most of its senior executives will be current Cedar Fair executives, including its incoming CEO Zimmerman. You can often catch me at Disney or Universal sipping a cocktail, or crying during Happily Ever After or Fantasmic. Cedar Fair unitholders will own approximately 51.2% of the combined company, while Six Flags shareholders will own about 48.8%.
Discovery for rights to characters from DC Comics and Looney Tunes, and Cedar Fair controlling rights to the Peanuts universe. Each park in the combined company’s portfolio will retain their legacy branding with no changes to park names currently being planned or contemplated. The new company’s board of directors will consist of six members from Six Flags’ board and six members from Cedar Fair’s board, the companies said. Once the deal closes, the combined company will operate under the name Six Flags and trade under the ticker symbol “FUN” on the New York Stock Exchange. Amusement park companies Cedar Fair and Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced Thursday they will merge into a combined company worth around $8 billion.