Beloved California amusement park Great America is nearing its final chapter. Owner Six Flags has confirmed that the popular Santa Clara attraction will permanently close after the 2027 season.
The park is set to close on Labor Day, Sept. 6, bringing an end to its 51-year history. During that time, tens of millions of guests passed through its gates.
“For more than five decades, this Santa Clara theme park has brought people together, created family traditions and served as the backdrop for unforgettable memories,” park manager Dave Vosejpka said.
The closure follows years of uncertainty surrounding the property. In June 2022, former owner Cedar Fair sold the 112-acre site to real estate developer Prologis for $310 million. As part of the deal, Cedar Fair secured a lease allowing Great America to remain open through 2028.
Cedar Fair also held an option to extend the lease for an additional five years, but that decision was tied to the park’s profitability. The company ultimately chose not to pursue the extension.
After Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags in 2024, the newly combined company reviewed its properties while working to reduce corporate debt.
Executives told investors that Great America was among the company’s least profitable parks, citing its high operating costs as a key reason for declining to renew the lease.
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The property may ultimately be worth more as a development site than as an amusement park.
Located next to Levi’s Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, the site could potentially be used for data centers, advanced manufacturing facilities or mixed-use business parks.
Santa Clara’s current zoning, however, designates the property for theme park use. Any alternative development would therefore require a zoning change.
Six Flags is also facing substantial financial losses. The company’s third-quarter earnings report, released Nov. 5, showed a net loss of $366.1 million. Its losses for the first nine months of the year totaled $837.3 million.
Great America opened in 1976 as part of the nation’s Bicentennial celebration.
The park’s final season is expected to begin in March 2027, though Six Flags has not yet announced an exact opening date.
