Kings Dominion parent Six Flags plans to invest in parks, but fans worry

Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the owner of Kings Dominion, released its first quarterly report since its merger with Cedar Fair.

In the report, CEO Richard Zimmerman said the company intends to review its portfolio of parks, optimize its assets, narrow management's focus and reduce debt. That comment led some fans to worry the park will close or sell some of its properties.

But the company said it does not plan to close parks and that it will invest more than $1 billion over the next two years to enhance the guest experience.

Six Flags and Cedar Fair completed their merger on July 1, and the combined company, which includes 42 amusement and water parks, operates under the Six Flags brand.

In its first quarterly report, the combined company reported net revenue of $1.35 billion and net income of $111 million. Zimmerman cited higher-than-usual attendance during the fall, when the weather is cooler and parks operate Halloween themes.

Zimmerman, who was previously general manager of Kings Dominion, said the company would "review the park portfolio over time, to optimize the asset base, narrow management's focus and help reduce net leverage."

Six Flags intends to take those savings and invest them back into its parks, the CEO said. On Thursday, the Charlotte-based company released an investment framework that will cost at least $500 million in each of the next two years to build new rides and themed areas, upgrade dining spots and enhance the parks' technology.

The company announced several new rides to open in 2026, but Kings Dominion was not on the list. The park has built a large, new roller coaster called Rapterra due to open in 2025.

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Brian Sterowski, a Kings Dominion fan who posts park updates on his YouTube page, said he isn't worried Kings Dominion will close, but he could see it being sold to a competitor, such as Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Co., which operates Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. Kings Dominion is one of the larger parks in the company and has received regular investment through the years.

Sterowski said a park such as Six Flags America, in Bowie, Maryland, is more susceptible to closing because of the high value of its real estate.