In May 2025, the parent company Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced that Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor Maryland will permanently cease operations at the end of the 2025 season, with a final closing date set for November 2, 2025. The sites together occupy around 500 acres in Bowie (Prince George’s County, Maryland). The company cited the outcome of a comprehensive portfolio review, concluding that the property “is not a strategic fit with the company’s long-term growth plan.”
Six Flags was a place where people in the middle-class could comfortably afford to bring their families for entertainment. The prices for Six Flags were much more affordable than some of the other amusement parks like Disney or Universal Studios. Unfortunately, since the Covid pandemic the company took a hit and struggled to afford labor and equipment costs as inflation continued to rise.
The announcement triggered concerns from local authorities about the economic and community impacts. The park had provided seasonal jobs (hundreds of seasonal workers) and was an accessible entertainment destination for families in the region. County officials highlighted that the closure represents both an emotional loss — a place of memories and community gathering — and a practical one, given the lost tax revenue and employment opportunities tied to the park’s operations. While the announcement understandably disappointed many, local leaders also noted that the large land parcel presents a redevelopment opportunity, despite the fact that such transitions historically take several years.
Going forward, the property is slated for marketing and redevelopment. Six Flags indicated that proceeds from the sale or repurposing of the site will be reinvested into its broader growth initiatives. Specific details about what will happen with existing rides, attractions or the wooden roller coaster (listed among the oldest in the U.S.) were not clarified at the time of announcement. For the community, the focus now is on charting a thoughtful reuse of the land that supports jobs, growth and — ideally — preserves some of the value the park brought to the region.
