It's hard to imagine that something as successful as the Arlington, Texas amusement park, Six Flags over Texas, beginning as an afterthought, but that's exactly what happened.
Originally founded in 1961 by Texas oil tycoon, Angus G. Wynne, Six Flags over Texas has become one of the single most successful theme parks in the world. Yet, it was not until Wynne, also a real estate developer, needed to drum up some cash to finance an industrial park in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area that Six Flags was even imagined.
With all of his cash and credit opportunities depleted, Wynne was in crisis mode as he pondered his options with his investment partners on how to keep his industrial park business venture a float. By way of a casual comment regarding Disneyland, which had opened approximately 3 years prior, in 1957, one of the investors suggested that Wynne open his own amusement park to generate the needed money. Wynne subsequently visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California and returned convinced it was a brilliant idea. Thus, the company that brought us a series of "firsts" was born.
Originally called Six Flags under Texas, in reference to the early history of the state, legend has it that either Wynne's wife or a vocal group called The Daughters of the Texas Revolution, did not like the suggestion that Texas was "under" anything. So the name was changed to Six Flags over Texas and in August 1961, the park was opened. Over 8,000 excited visitors flooded the park on the first day to experience the country's first ever log flume ride, steel roller coaster and white water rides.
In its early weeks, Six Flags attracted well over a half-million visitors, far surpassing the expectations of Wynne and his partners. Wynne had expected and originally planned that the park would have an approximate 10-year life span, generating just enough revenue to pay off the industrial park investment and then close its doors. However, when it became apparent to Wynne that Six Flags would have a financial life all of its own, he quickly realized the great value and potential.
With a keen sense for marketing and business, Wynne's strategy was to sell Six Flags as a "closer to home alternative". With its only competitior Disney Land having only one location at the time, Six Flags quickly became an attractive alternative to young American families and rapidly grew into the theme park giant that we know of today.
Angus Wynne sold Six Flags in 1966 to Penn Central Corporation which kept his marketing vision and took the company to new heights with aggressive and rapid growth. Over the following 40 years, Penn Central opened more than 39 parks and eventually expanded into Canada, Mexico & Europe. Soon, Six Flags was able to proudly boast that nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population was within 150 miles of one of its parks.
Throughout the years, Six Flags has seen many new owners and changes. After its aggressive expansion in the 1970's, the company entered a transition period in the 1980's and then another brief growth spurt in the 1990's. The 21st century has brought the company into a downward slide and today, the future of Six Flags seems somewhat uncertain.
As the world economy changes, expands and changes again, Six Flags faces possible extinction as a dinosaur of theme parks. With the world's ever changing appetite for entertainment, it is hard to predict what the future of Six Flags will be. Whether it closes its doors or evolves into a new, more enduring animal, one thing is certain; Angus Wynne and Six Flags over Texas has made a mark in the landscape of American business and the world economy as an innovator and visionary.