"As the Super Bowl takes over Santa Clara this week, tens of thousands of visitors will descend on Levi's Stadium. In the parking lot, some may be surprised to find one of the most unusual neighbors of any NFL team: a theme park, complete with towering roller coasters, a water park and Peanuts merchandise. But the roller coasters will be quiet at California's Great America - and soon they'll be silent forever."
"Almost immediately after the 2022 sale, it became clear the closure timeline wouldn't be 11 years. Holiday celebrations have been cut back and the park schedule has decreased steadily each year. For generations of high school seniors, Great America was the site of their Grad Nites. This year, it won't have any; only Knott's Berry Farm and Magic Mountain in Southern California are hosting official Six Flags Grad Nites."
California's Great America, adjacent to Levi's Stadium, was sold in 2022 to developer Prologis for $310 million, triggering a multi-year shutdown. Cedar Fair and Prologis agreed to a gradual wind-down of park operations through 2033, but the closure timeline has accelerated with reduced events and shorter seasons. The park opened in 1976 under Marriott, struggled financially, and changed owners multiple times before land value overtook amusement operations. Traditional offerings including Grad Nites, Halloween trick-or-treating and holiday ice skating have been cut. The park's current season is scheduled to end on Sept. 7, its earliest seasonal closure yet.
Read at SFGATE
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