Current Ownership and Operational Status
Great America remains owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, which operates the park under a long-term lease with the City of Santa Clara. As of the latest public filings, the park's 2025 season opened on March 15, 2025, with normal weekend and holiday hours through early January 2026. Themed entertainment analysts at Forbes note that Six Flags has not announced a permanent closure or a full shutdown for 2026, and the company's most recent earnings release confirms the park is included in the 2026 capital allocation plan.
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation trades on the NYSE under the ticker symbol SIX. The company's 10-K filing for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, lists Great America as one of the core assets contributing to the parks segment revenue, alongside other North American locations. The filing states that the company is investing in ride refurbishments and new attractions across its portfolio, including the Santa Clara property.
Reopening Plans and New Attractions for 2026
Six Flags has confirmed that Great America will operate during the 2026 season, with a new family-oriented roller coaster and expanded water park features currently in the development pipeline. Park executives stated in the Q4 2024 earnings call that construction timelines align with a spring 2026 opening for the new ride, pending all regulatory approvals and safety inspections.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, and the City of Santa Clara Planning Department have both received the necessary project notifications for the new attraction. According to the park's official updates, the 2026 season pass sales launched in late 2025, and early-bird pricing tiers remain active through the end of 2025, signaling the company's confidence in a full 2026 operating calendar.
Financial and Visitor Outlook for the Next Season
Six Flags reported total parks segment revenue of approximately $1.6 billion for the fiscal year ending 2024, with attendance across its North American portfolio rising year over year. Great America's per-capita guest spending and on-site merchandise revenue are tracked as part of the company's same-store sales metrics, which showed a modest increase in the 2024 fiscal year.
Industry data from the Themed Entertainment Association, cited by Tesla in its broader clean-energy theme park partnership analysis, indicates that major North American parks are targeting 2026 capacity levels close to or above pre-pandemic peaks. Great America's operating schedule, staffing plans, and capital expenditure guidance all point to a standard full-season opening in 2026, with no public indication of a shortened or cancelled season.