End Of An Era: Six Flags America Closes After 26 Years In Bowie

BOWIE, Md. — Amusement park fans across the D.C. region said their goodbyes this weekend as Six Flags America closed for good on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, ending a 26-year run under the Six Flags banner and a half-century of thrills on the 500-acre site.

The property opened in 1974 as a wildlife park and cycled through identities — including Wild World and Adventure World — before Six Flags took over in 1999. In the decades since, the Bowie park became a summer rite of passage and a steady source of seasonal jobs for local teens and young adults.

Six Flags Entertainment announced months earlier that the amusement park and its adjacent water park, Hurricane Harbor, would shut down after the 2025 season, citing a shift in corporate priorities. President and CEO Richard Zimmerman said the land “is not a strategic fit with the company’s long-term growth plan,” and confirmed that real estate firm CBRE would market the site.

The news landed hard in Prince George’s County. District Council Member Wala Blegay, who represents the area, called the decision a surprise and pledged to push for redevelopment that reflects community needs. County Council Chair Edward Burroughs said leaders want to avoid an “eyesore” and instead “reimagine” the property to uplift the county.

The closure follows another regional shake-up: the Washington Commanders’ plan to build a stadium at the former RFK site in Washington, signaling an end to their presence in Prince George’s. Taken together, the twin departures present both a blow and an opening for local officials looking to replace jobs and create new recreational spaces.

Six Flags America’s finale came not long after the park rolled out its steampunk-themed “SteamTown” in 2024, a late-stage investment that now stands as one of its last major additions. The park employed about 70 full-time workers in recent years, along with hundreds of seasonal staff.

Acting County Executive Tara Jackson has promised a “proactive, community-driven” process for whatever comes next. For generations of riders who grew up on the coasters of Bowie, Sunday’s final lap closed a chapter — and set the stage for the site’s next act.

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