Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, a prominent American amusement park company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, was officially formed on July 2, 2024, following a major merger between long-standing rivals Cedar Fair and the former Six Flags company. The original Six Flags brand began in August 1961 with the opening of Six Flags Over Texas by Angus G. Wynne, expanding over decades and notably acquiring rights to Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes characters in 1984.
After a period of ownership by Time Warner, Premier Parks acquired the company in 1998 for $1.86 billion, eventually adopting the Six Flags name fully by 2000. However, the 2000s were marked by growing debt, asset sales, and a 2009 filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to the financial crisis. Re-emerging on May 3, 2010, after significant debt restructuring, the company faced further hurdles, including failed global expansion attempts. A controversial strategy under CEO Selim Bassoul in 2021 to raise prices for an improved guest experience was ultimately abandoned in November 2022 after attendance plummeted by 33%.