Six Flags Announces CEO Succession Plan

(eap) Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has announced that Richard A. Zimmerman will step down from his roles as President and CEO by the end of 2025. Until a successor is appointed, Zimmerman will continue in his current roles and remain a member of the company’s Board of Directors. According to the company, the Board has launched a process to identify his successor and has retained a global executive search firm to consider both internal and external candidates.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Richard for his leadership and contributions since the successful merger of the legacy Cedar Fair and Six Flags companies last July, and for his unwavering passion and dedication to our industry over the last 38 years,” said Selim Bassoul, Executive Chairman of the Board. “As CEO, Richard has successfully led Six Flags through a period of significant evolution, with a clear vision to optimize the Company to deliver greater value to our guests, associates, and our shareholders. […]”

Zimmerman commented: “The Company has significantly evolved since I first joined what was then Paramount Parks, Inc. in 1987, and it has been an honor to have led such talented teams through critical and transformative periods over the years – not only for our company, but for the entire amusement park industry. Since completing the merger of legacy Cedar Fair and legacy Six Flags a little more than a year ago, we have made significant progress on our integration efforts and cost synergy goals. That said, there remains an immense opportunity to further optimize the portfolio [...].”

Bassoul concluded: “The Board and management team are committed to ensuring a smooth transition, and we are grateful that we’ll continue to benefit from Richard’s experience and perspective throughout this process. The Board will work closely with Richard to conduct a thorough and comprehensive search to identify the best individual to lead Six Flags into the future. […]”

In addition to the CEO succession announcement, Six Flags today released its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, which ended on June 29. According to the official report, the company generated total revenues of approximately EUR 861 million (USD 930 million) and posted an adjusted EBITDA of around EUR 225 million (USD 243 million). At the same time, Six Flags recorded a net loss of about EUR 93 million (USD 100 million).

Total attendance during the quarter amounted to 14.2 million guests, including 6.3 million visitors at the former Six Flags parks. Compared to the same period in the previous year, this represents a nine percent decrease, or 1.4 million fewer visits, which the company attributed primarily to adverse weather conditions in June and a reduced season pass base.

The Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the largest operator of regional theme and water parks in North America, with a total of 27 theme parks, 15 water parks, and nine resort properties across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. ■