The former Six Flags site in eastern New Orleans could reopen through a deal involving Southern Star Amusements and the parent company of the Nickelodeon network, Nickelodeon Universe. The park will be built by Southern Star, and feature popular characters from the children’s network, such as Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants. New water rides will be added to the park and existing attractions will be rebranded with Nickelodeon characters. The plan is to start construction in the fall and open the park by the end of 2010. This will be Nickelodeon’s second theme park; the first is in the Mall of America.
The 65-acre Six Flags site has been closed since Hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans Industrial Development Board is expected to hear a proposal today from Southern Star developer Danny Rogers, who will ask the board to approve up to $100 million in Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds. Southern Star and Nickelodeon indicated that the viability of the project—which they described as a $165 million deal—is largely contingent on approval of the bond application, reports the Times Picayune.
Arnie Fielkow, president of the New Orleans City Council, had been promoting a sports complex for the Six Flags site. Fielkow says the city should continue to pursue the sports project, noting that the theme park could work well alongside the Big League Dreams complex and that neither is mutually exclusive. For a Business Report story on Southern Star Amusements and its involvement with Nickelodeon, click here.
