Six Flags Leadership Crisis Deepens as Executive Chairman Plans Year-End Exit

Consultants warn of potential asset sales or bankruptcy following steep attendance and revenue declines and broad cost-cutting.

Overview

Executive chairman Selim Bassoul says he will leave the company at the end of the year, following the earlier decision by CEO Richard Zimmerman to step down once a successor is found.
Six Flags reported a 17% attendance drop in the first quarter that management attributed to inclement weather.
In the second quarter, the company disclosed a $100 million revenue shortfall, a 9% attendance decline, and an 8% decrease in season-pass purchases.
Post-merger restructuring with Cedar Fair included hundreds of management layoffs, reductions in in-park staffing, and scaled-back Halloween and Christmas offerings at some parks.
Industry consultant Dennis Speigel says Six Flags may need to sell multiple parks, potentially 10–12, or face bankruptcy, underscoring the urgency to fill two top leadership vacancies.