Six Flags, Schlitterbahn owners announce merger agreement

Cedar Fair, the company that owns Schlitterbahn parks in New Braunfels and Galveston, has entered a merger agreement with Six Flags.

The two companies would form an enterprise value of approximately $8 billion with 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties combined. The properties stretch across 17 states and in Mexico and Canada, according to a news release.

“Our merger with Six Flags will bring together two of North America’s iconic amusement park companies to establish a highly diversified footprint and a more robust operating model to enhance park offerings and performance,” Cedar Fair President and CEO Richard Zimmerman said in the news release.

The New Braunfels and Galveston Schlitterbahn locations were family-owned for 40 years before Cedar Fair purchased the water parks in 2019 for $261 million. Six Flags Fiesta Texas opened in San Antonio in 1992.

Six Flags and Cedar Fair had a combined 48 million guests over the past 12 months, which would have resulted in $3.4 billion in combined revenue. Six Flags President and CEO Selim Bassoul said in a statement that combining operational models and technology platforms will unlock new potential for the parks.

“The combination of Six Flags and Cedar Fair will redefine our guests’ amusement park experience as we combine the best of both companies,” Bassoul said in the news release.

The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2024, according to the news release. It is unclear at this time if the merger will cause any significant changes to the nearby water and amusement parks in New Braunfels and San Antonio.

• 381 E. Austin St., New Braunfels
• www.schlitterbahn.com/new-braunfels