City officials rejected a deal two years ago that would have paid New Orleans more than $14 million to allow Six Flags Inc. to walk away from its hurricane-shuttered theme park, says the company’s chief executive. City officials said Wednesday that a lawsuit against Six Flags was planned, citing an impasse with the New York-based company over reopening the park in New Orleans East.
But Six Flags Chief Executive Mark Shapiro told the Associated Press his company — which is now trying to avoid filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy — offered in 2007 to pay its lease with the city, in full, upfront, waive all claims to city-owned land used by the park and give the city 86 acres that Six Flags owns. “Now, the city is asking us to remake the same offer, but we’re no longer in a position to be able to do that,” Shapiro says.
Shapiro, who met with Mayor Ray Nagin and other officials Wednesday, says the company has no intention of reopening the park “and we’ve been clear on that for the past year.”
“We are completely current on our payments to the city as specified in our lease. And we have maintained the property at the required levels,” Shapiro says. “It’s been our intent for almost two years to work out a walk-away agreement that works for both parties. And we believe we are still on that track.”
