Six Flags site up for sale as Prince George's County seeks to develop land
Six Flags site up for sale as Prince George's County plans for new future
After 50 years in Prince George's County, Six Flags America is officially closed, and now the property is up for sale. FOX 5’s Julie Donaldson is live from Bowie with what that land could become.
PRINCE GEORGE'S CO., Md. - After 50 years in Prince George's County, Six Flags America is officially closed, and now the property is up for sale.
What we know:
We’re talking about a lot of land here. The park sits on 500 acres but only uses about 20 percent of it, so there’s plenty of room for economic growth.
While there are rumors that it could become another data center, county leaders say that’s not the case.
Six Flags generated about $3 million in tax revenue but leaders believe that number could grow significantly with new development.
"We really have not seen the potential economic site, so we’re working with the ownership of Six Flags now as they vet those who have a bid on that project. The county has some real interest in seeing quality development that really should be able to generate tens of millions," Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said.
Dig deeper:
The county does not own the land but it controls the zoning, which is currently designated for park, amusement, and entertainment. Any potential changes would have to go through the county council.
When looking at potential opportunities for the area, county leaders point to National Harbor as an example — it sits on 300 acres and generates more than $70 million in tax revenue each year.
They say they want a project that attracts visitors year-round, whereas Six Flags was seasonal, only employing about 70 people during the summer and closing for the rest of the year.
"We want something that’s hiring people throughout the year and we wanna have offices, conference centers here — all of those things that we didn’t have here before, so we’re going to activate this whole area. We don’t want to just limit it to 150 acres of use," said District 6 Council Member Wala Blegay.
What's next:
As for a timeline, county officials expect to know the final three bidders within the next few weeks and hope to have a new owner in place by January.
However, they say any new construction will still take some time after that.