Joel Vieages

Six Flags Speech

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina changed South Louisiana and

Mississippi forever. The devastation from flooding caused by storm surge,
overtopping of the levees and the failure of other levees has and will forever
change the landscape of the affected cities. There are years and years worth
of rebuilding work to even get the park back to normal.
Six Flags in New Orleans was not spread from the wrath of the strong
and powerful Hurricane Katrina. The park was under five plus feet of water
for weeks before the area was pumped out. There is still stuffed animals all
over the park. Six Flags has not "officially" made a decision about what to do
with the park.
Six Flags is still in the process of settling claims with it's insurers due to
substantial damage casued by Hurricane Katrina. As a result Six Flags New
Orleans will remain closed for the 2007 season. We know that it is still a
difficult time for the residents of New Orleans and we remain commited
toworking with the city in support of the recovery efforts.
Time will only tell what will happen to the theme park in New Orleans
East. Six Flaigs decision to remove Batman: the ride and move into Sig
Flages Fiesta, Texas.
The first park in Six Flages New Orleans was named Jazzland when in
opened. That park opened in 2000. In early 2003, Six Flags upgraded the
park and renamed it Six Flags New Orleans. The park added more shaded
coverings, as well as many new flat spinning rides and re-branded the park to
the Six Flags "It's Playtime". However, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans
which put those plans along with the continued operations of the park in
question. The park grounds are located on a low-lying section of Eastern New
Orleans with a six foot earthern flood berm running along the perimeter
creating an artifical basin.
After the parks drainage pumps failed during the storm, the berm
retained the combination of rainwater and seawater overflow from Lake
Pontchartrain caused by Katrina's massive storm surge, submerging the
entire park grounds in corrosive brackish floodwater to a depth of 4 to 7 feet
for over a month.
On July 1 , 2006, having announced before that the park would be

closed "at least" through 2007, Six Flags announded that they had concluded
their damage assessments and declared the park to be an "effective total
loss". In January 2007, Six Flags officials revealed to the New Orleans Times
Picayune that the company was sueing its insurers for the remainig $175
million dollars in coverage.
The park had been one of the least profitable parks in the Six Flags
portfolio being well away from the French Quarter and other tourist
attractions. It has been stated that the park would most likely have been
more profitable had it been built somewhere on the west bank or in Metairie
as these places are a shorter distance from tourist districts. These potential
locations would have placed the park much closer to population centers
where a strong local base of repeat customers could be cultivated as opposed
to the proverty and crime affilite Eastern New Orleans District where few
residents could afford or wer interested in expensive seeason passes to the
the theme park.
On December 15, 2006, Six Flags chose to take out Batman: The Ride
for refurbishment and relocation to a new park as it was considered to be the
only salvagable ride. Batman: The Ride was reassembled in 2008 at Six Flags
Fiesta Texas in San Antonio and opened under the name Goliath. In addition
to Batman: The Ride, Six Flags removed shade coverings, ride parts, lights,
security cameras, planing structures and various other salvagable items
effectively indicating their intent not to return.
Despite the park's remarkabley poor condiiton as late as 2009 the Six
Flags Corporation website sated that Six Flags is still in the process at settling
claims with it's insurers due to substantial damage caused by Hurricane
Katrina. As a result, Six Flags New Orleans will remain closed at this time.
We know that it is still adifficult time for the residents of New Orleans and we
remain committed to working with the city in support of the rcovery efforts.
The New Orleans Section has since been removed from the Six Flges website.