Baton Rouge company interested in Six Flags park

The company that last year shelved its interest in redeveloping the shuttered Six Flags amusement park in New Orleans East is indicating renewed interest. Southern Star Amusement is in “preliminary talks” with the City of New Orleans to buy the theme park, says chief financial officer Tonya Pope. “We’ve approached them,” Pope says. “We’re about to start some more formal meetings.” In 2008, Southern Star Amusement submitted a $70 million plan to the city and Six Flags that called for adding a water park and doubling the number of rides at the park, which has been closed since Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. The company sent representatives to assess the property in early 2008. But the Baton Rouge-based startup company walked away from that plan after being unable to reach agreements with the city and Six Flags. Pope says Southern Star Amusement decided to reopen talks after becoming aware of the dispute between the city and Six Flags over the lease terms for the property and in light of Six Flags’ possible bankruptcy filing. Six Flags, which has continued to make lease payments to the city, has said that it does not plan to reopen the park.