The Story Of Six Flags New Orleans: Closed For Storm

Sitting near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Interstate 510 in the once lively & vibrant city of New Orleans, lies the melancholic sight of Six Flags New Orleans, an abandoned theme park that was once a beacon of fun and excitement for visitors.

Originally opened as Jazzland in 2000, the park underwent a leasing agreement with Six Flags in 2002, after the previous operator faced financial troubles. The new owners invested a significant amount of $20 million in upgrades, leading to its grand reopening as Six Flags New Orleans in 2003. However, the park’s life span was cut short in 2005, when the devastating Category 5 Hurricane Katrina caused heavy damage to the park.

Despite efforts to repair and reopen, the city of New Orleans terminated the lease in 2009, deeming the damage to be irreparable. As a result, Six Flags New Orleans has been left abandoned, serving as a haunting reminder of the destructive forces of nature.

Six Flags New Orleans was completely submerged under water from Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

Jazzland 2000–2003

Map of Jazzland

Jazzland, now known as Six Flags New Orleans, was amusement park located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The park opened its gates on May 20, 2000, with an estimated crowd of 25,000 people eagerly awaiting the thrills and excitement that the park had to offer. Operated by Alfa SmartParks, a Greek holding company that later changed hands and is now known as Palace Entertainment, Six Flags New Orleans has been a prominent attraction in the region for many years. The park was originally divided into themed areas such as Mardi Gras, Pontchartrain Beach, Cajun Country, Jazz Plaza, Kids’ Carnival, and The Goodtime Gardens. This diverse array of themes appealed to a wide range of visitors, offering something for everyone to enjoy. From the vibrant and lively atmosphere of Mardi Gras to the nostalgic charm of Pontchartrain Beach, guests could explore various settings and experiences within the park. Alfa SmartParks, a company specializing in water parks and smaller amusement arcade centers, struggled to make their venture in New Orleans profitable. The park saw a decline in attendance from 1.1 million visitors in its first season to 560 to 580 thousand in the following season, ultimately leading to Alfa filing for bankruptcy reorganization in February 2002. This financial downturn had significant implications for the city of New Orleans, as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had loaned $25.3 million to build the park, and after Alfa’s bankruptcy, the city became liable for the remaining loan amount. In an attempt to salvage the situation, the lease for the park was put up for sale in 2001, and in March 2002, Six Flags purchased it for $22 million. However, despite the change in ownership, the park’s name remained the same in that year. The New Orleans city council approved a 75-year lease agreement in August 2002, with provisions for the repayment of the remaining $24.4 million loan from HUD to be split between the park ($1.4 million per year) and the city ($1 million per year). The situation surrounding the failed park venture by Alfa SmartParks in New Orleans paints a picture of financial struggle and its ramifications for both the company and the local government. The initial success of attracting 1.1 million visitors dwindled significantly in the subsequent season, ultimately leading to the company’s bankruptcy reorganization. This decline in popularity and financial instability had broader implications, as the HUD loaned a substantial amount of money for the park’s construction, and the city of New Orleans found itself responsible for the remaining loan amount after the bankruptcy.

Jazzland 2001

Six Flags New Orleans 2003–2005

Six Flags New Orleans was beginning to become a popular amusement park located in New Orleans, Louisiana, that operated from 2003 to 2005. The park was previously known as Jazzland and was rebranded as Six Flags after being purchased by the Six Flags corporation. Six Flags New Orleans featured various thrill rides, roller coasters, water rides, and family-friendly attractions. The park was a popular destination for both locals and tourists, offering entertainment for visitors of all ages. Because of the park being located right next to Lake Pontchartrain, drainage pipes were installed to protect it from flooding. Katrina made her landfall and caused massive damage along the Southern coast, with New Orleans suffering the greatest damage of all time and devestated the lives of many to this day. The water from Pontchartrain overflowed to the park, causing dark black brackish saltwater to flood the entire park after the parks drainage pumps failed to keep up. After the Hurricane, the park sat flooded 8 feet in water for over a month. When the water was drained, what was left was a shocking sight: the water had eaten up most of the buildings, metal was rusted, electronics were fried, and the park was in no condition to reopen.

A map of six flags New Orleans 2003–2005

List of Some Popular Ride Attractions

Batman: The Ride (Six Flags New Orleans)

Batman: The Ride, a steel inverted roller coaster that used to be at Six Flags New Orleans. It opened in 2003 but unfortunately closed in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage to the park. The ride was later relocated to Six Flags Fiesta Texas and now operates as Goliath.

The Jester

Jester was a Vekoma sit-down roller coaster located at Six Flags New Orleans. Riders sat facing backwards throughout the ride. The ride originally opened as The Joker’s Revenge at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in 1999 before it closed in 2001 the ride was relocated to Six Flags New Orleans in 2003 before closing in 2005 due to damage from Hurricane Katrina, the ride has been closed since Katrina hit the park in 2005 and the coaster’s paint is currently flaking off.

Zydeco Scream.

Zydeco Scream first started at the former Parc de Montjuic in Barcelona, Spain as Boomerang from 1990 to 1998, with white tracks and green supports. The roller coaster was relocated to Jazzland as Zydeco Scream in 2000. A couple years after Six Flags took over the park, Hurricane Katrina hit the park on August 29, 2005. The coaster remains standing to this day but not operating.

Mega Zeph

Mega Zeph is a wooden roller coaster located at the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans theme park. Originally opening on May 20, 2000, as Jazzland’s signature ride, the coaster has been abandoned and left in a state of decay as a result of the park’s closure following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It is currently standing but not operating.

Muskrat Scrambler

Muskrat Scrambler is a steel roller coaster located at the now abandoned Six Flags New Orleans in Louisiana. Manufactured by L&T Systems, the ride opened in the Jazzland section of the park on May 20, 2000. The roller coaster ceased operation following the abrupt closure of the amusement park as a result of the impact from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It is currently standing but not operating.

Bayou Blaster and Sonic Slam

The ride was previously located at Six Flags New Orleans under the names Bayou Blaster and Sonic Slam, the ride was later relocated to Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor in Queensbury, New York. It opened on May 10, 2009. The current name of the ride is “The Sasquatch”

The abandoned park has become a popular site for urban explorers and photographers, with its decaying rides and buildings serving as a haunting reminder of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. Despite numerous proposals to redevelop the site, Six Flags New Orleans remains abandoned and off-limits to the public. The possibility of building a Jazz-themed park, Jazzland, was being discussed as early as 1990. However, the project was delayed due to difficulties in obtaining both public and private financing. In July 1998, the project was approved by the City Council, who would supply $10 million towards its construction. Construction on the park began in 1998 and took 18 months to build.

During construction, a concrete platform had to be built for the park as the ground in the area was too soft to support the park on its own. On May 20, 2000, the park opened as Jazzland. It was owned and operated at the time by Ogden Entertainment. The park was located in Eastern New Orleans, in the Ninth Ward of the city off Interstate 510. The park first opened under the name “Jazzland” in 2000, operated by Alfa Smartparks before Six Flags took over the park’s lease in 2002. The land, owned by the city of New Orleans, was leased to and operated by Six Flags.

The very final day the park operated was Sunday August 21, 2005, eight days before Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. Weekday operations had ended a couple of weeks earlier, however, as schools start early in August in the New Orleans area and end in mid-May. The park was scheduled to reopen for the weekend on August 27 or August 28, but once Katrina was forecast late on Friday, August 26 to take a direct hit on New Orleans, the weekend re-opening was cancelled in order to prepare for the storm and begin evacuations. By the time the park closed in 2005, Six Flags had spent $44 M on doing park upgrades.

Disclaimer: Enjoy all these stunning and eerie photos I found on websites like Reddit, Micropee, Tumblr, and. Abandoned America. I don’t own the rights to any of these images and take no credit for them whatsoever. Thank you to those who made it possible for the general public to have a look inside this once lively and thriving theme park for those like me with a curious mind.

In 2007, Six Flags began to remove rides out of the park. Batman: The Ride was removed in 2007 and taken to Six Flags Fiesta Texas where it was refurbished and reopened as Goliath in 2008. Bayou Blaster and Sonic Slam were removed in 2008 and relocated to Great Escape in Queensbury, New York, where it was refurbished and reopened as Sasquatch in 2009. The Road Runner Express was removed in 2009 and relocated to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, where it was refurbished and reopened in 2011 under the same name. However, Zydeco Scream, The Jester and the Mega Zeph remains inactive at the park along with other roller coasters and attractions. The park is still closed since 2005 and it is no longer a Six Flags park, it is now owned by the city of New Orleans.

Movies filmed at Six Flags New Orleans.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Jurassic World

Reminiscence

The abandoned Six Flags New Orleans has been used as a filming location for several movies, including “Stolen” “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” “Killer Joe” “Dawn of the Planet of the Ap” and “Jurassic World.” The eerie and desolate atmosphere of the park adds a unique element to these films. It’s interesting to see how filmmakers utilize abandoned locations to create a specific mood or setting. The park was used again as its final movie location for the 2021 movie “Reminiscence.”

Closed For Storm

Closed for Storm poster.

Closed For Storm is a 2020 documentary film by Canadian YouTube creator Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films. It focuses on Six Flags New Orleans, a Louisiana amusement park that has been abandoned since it was flooded during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The film was released on streaming platforms in July 2021. The title of the film was based on the last message ever written on the main entrance sign to Six Flags New Orleans, in preparation for Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005. Available to watch on Tubi, Amazon Prime, Fandango Home TV, and Sling TV

Future Development

As of 2023, Six Flags New Orleans was left to rot, with trees and grass growing their way up the site, slowly decaying coasters, considerable vandalism, and urban explorers documenting what remains. Lurking alligators, dozens of large cottonmouth snakes, dozens of large snapping turtles, and large wild pig boars joined forces and took over the lake in the center of the park. Despite Hurricane Ida striking New Orleans on August 29, 2021, which was the same day Katrina struck the area 16 years earlier, the park did not suffer many damages at all.

In October 2021, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced Bayou Phoenix as the partner chosen to redevelop the site. On November 10, 2022, the redevelopment plans were announced to be “on life support” and “could be dead soon”, as no lease agreement has been reached. On March 7, 2023, an agreement was finally reached to redevelop the park. On August 15, 2023, the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority approved the Bayou Phoenix development proposal to move to the next phase. As of April 2024, the site of Six Flags New Orleans is awaiting demolition and possible redevelopment, with many companies outlining plans since 2009, which none have yet been approved.