California’s Great America will permanently close its doors on Labor Day, September 6, 2027, Six Flags Entertainment announced Friday, ending more than half a century of thrills and twists in Santa Clara.
The park’s future has been uncertain since 2022, when Bay Area real estate company Prologis paid $310 million for the land underneath and leased it back to Cedar Fair, which then owned Great America. The lease runs until June 2028, with the possibility of extending it for up to five years.
Six Flags said last year that 2027 could be Great America’s final season. On Friday, the company confirmed it would let the lease expire. Earlier this year, it extended the park’s 2026 season, adding fall dates through November 1.
The park will reopen in March for what Six Flags calls its “farewell season.”
The company said school groups can still book outings and employers can host company picnics during the park’s final year.
“We wanted to create a farewell season that gives our guests, team members and community a chance to celebrate and create a few more memories before saying goodbye,” said Kristin Fitzgerald, director of public relations for Six Flags Entertainment.
Cedar Fair and rival amusement park owner Six Flags merged in 2024 to form Six Flags Entertainment. In May 2025, Six Flags CEO Brian Witherow told investors that the Santa Clara park ranked among the company’s bottom parks in terms of profit margins.
The 112.6-acre site near Levi’s Stadium has access to Highway 101, Highway 237, light rail and an ACE station behind the stadium. When Prologis purchased the property in 2022, commercial real estate brokers told this news organization that the site could accommodate a mix of housing, office and retail.
Great America celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. It opened on March 20, 1976 as one of two theme parks developed by Marriott Corp. Both parks, Santa Clara and Illinois, were initially known as Marriott’s Great America.
“For more than five decades, this Santa Clara theme park has brought people together, created family traditions and served as a backdrop for unforgettable memories,” said park manager Dave Vosejpka.
Carousel Columbia, the 100-foot-tall, double-decker carousel at the park’s entrance, has been welcoming visitors since it opened in 1976. Six Flags’ closure announcement did not specify what would happen to it or the other rides after Labor Day.
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