Nanjing in East China has been selected as the location for a theme park, waterpark and adventure park from the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation as it continues its international expansion.
The first phase of the multi-million dollar entertainment complex in the Jiangsu Province capital is expected to open in 2021. It will be realised in partnership with the Riverside Investment Group, with whom Six Flags is already developing various parks in Haiyan (Zhejiang) – as pictured – and Chongqing.
The new theme park and waterpark in Nanjing will boast state-of-the-art rollercoasters, rides, waterslides and attractions along with themed sections celebrating “time-honoured Chinese and American traditions.” The theme park will also feature live performances and special events. Both parks will offer an extensive selection of culinary and retail locations.
Six Flags Adventure Park, a version of which is also being built in Chongqing, will apparently be the region’s top destination for high adrenaline, action-packed thrills. From motocross bicycle races along rugged terrain to whitewater rafting and zip lining or rock climbing high above the ground, guests will have the opportunity to reach beyond their comfort zone and take on new challenges.
“Six Flags and Riverside have a shared vision to develop multiple parks throughout China, with offerings tailored to every member of the family,” notes Six Flags International Development Company president David McKillips. “The Nanjing parks, like their sister properties in China and North America, will have a distinctive look and feel with one-of-a-kind experiences that will only be available at those locations. In addition, Nanjing’s close proximity to Zhejiang will add tremendous value for season pass holders in the Yangzi River Delta region.”
Earlier this month, Six Flags announced that it is to lend its name to a new theme park being developed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in the city of Riyadh. The project will form part of the wider Qiddiya development. A Six Flags park is also in development at Dubai Parks and Resorts and could open as soon as late 2019.
Revenue at Six Flags Entertainment for the first quarter of 2018 increased by 30% or US$29 million to a record-high $129 million, compared the first quarter of 2017. The growth is cited in large part to 27% increase in the number of guests visiting existing Six Flags parks in North America, as well as the success of the company’s pricing strategy and its international licensing programme.
Combined attendance at Six Flags properties in the USA, Canada and Mexico grew by 0.5 million to 2.4 million guests over the period. The debut of the new Hurricane Harbor Mexico waterpark and implementation of a 365-day operating calendar at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California contributed towards the slight uplift. Six Flags chairman, president and CEO Jim-Reid Anderson has suggested the company still has room for growth in North America, by acquiring and rebranding other attractions near its existing parks, as it did with Hurricane Harbor Mexico.
