Six Flags names new CEO, formerly SeaWorld’s CEO
Six Flags’ new CEO will be John Reilly, previously CEO of other theme park companies such as Palace Entertainment and SeaWorld.
John Reilly’s tenure as CEO, president, and board member of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation will begin Dec. 8, 2025. Six Flags announced the news on Nov. 24.
Photo by Blake Taylor
Reilly spent 21 years with United Parks & Resorts (formerly called SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment), including one year as interim CEO, before transitioning in 2019 to Parques Reunidos and its Palace Entertainment division, where he served in various executive roles, including CEO of Palace for one year. Palace owned and operated parks such as Kennywood and Lake Compounce until earlier this year when Herschend — owner of Dollywood and Silver Dollar City — acquired Palace’s U.S. properties from Parques Reunidos.
Six Flags’ current CEO and president, Richard A. Zimmerman, previously announced his resignation last summer. He will also depart from the Six Flags board of directors. Zimmerman was CEO of Cedar Fair prior to the 2024 merge of that company with Six Flags.
“The combination of Six Flags and Cedar Fair created an unrivaled collection of parks with immense opportunity,” said Reilly in a statement, “and I believe we can reach new heights and deliver significant near- and long-term growth.”
“With a fresh set of eyes, combined with significant experience optimizing theme park operations and performance, we believe John will harness the best of both legacy companies and will reinvigorate profitable growth at our underperforming parks,” said Marilyn Spiegel, Chair-elect of the Six Flags board.
Six Flags personnel recently said the company may close or sell more of its theme parks — after already shuttering several — as the company continues to evaluate its massive portfolio of over 50 parks after merging with Cedar Fair in 2024.
Six Flags America near Washington, D.C., closed permanently in November 2025 after 50 years of operation, along with its water park, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. The company will also close California’s Great America in Santa Clara sometime between 2028 and 2032, and recently sold excess undeveloped land surrounding Kings Dominion near Richmond, Va. (though Kings Dominion itself remains open with no announced plans to close).
Photo courtesy of Six Flags
Six Flags is currently working with Travis Kelce on a “branding relationship” following the NFL player investing into the company.
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