Six Flags' demolition expected to start in September
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Six Flags originally opened as Jazzland in 2000 and has been vacant since Hurricane Katrina. Here's what it looked like in June. Photo: Emily Kask/Washington Post via Getty Images
Contractors are expected to start demolishing the former Six Flags' rides and attractions next month in New Orleans, the developer says.
Why it matters: The abandoned theme park is one of the city's most visible reminders left from Hurricane Katrina's devastation 19 years ago today.
The big picture: Bayou Phoenix, the redevelopment company for the project, plans to transform the overgrown site in New Orleans East into a bustling $500 million complex with youth sports fields, hotels, shops, a movie studio and a waterpark.
- The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority approved the master plan last year and signed a lease with Bayou Phoenix for the 227-acre site.
- The developers are seeking about $100 million in government funding for infrastructure, Bayou Phoenix's Troy Henry tells Axios. Other pieces will be self-financed, he said.
Catch up quick: Jazzland opened in 2000 near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Interstate 510.
- Six Flags bought Jazzland out of bankruptcy in 2002 and rebranded the attraction.
- The park flooded during Katrina in 2005 and never reopened. Several redevelopment plans have been proposed over the years, but nothing has stuck.
- The abandoned park, however, is a popular destination for film productions.
The latest: Bayou Phoenix is in final negotiations with a demolition company, Henry said, with the goal of starting work in September.
- All the old rides are coming down, Henry said, along with most of the buildings. Two appear to be salvageable but plans could change.
- Demolition is expected to take about five months with good weather. He hopes to be finished before New Orleans hosts the Super Bowl in February 2025.
- He declined to name the demolition company until the contract is signed.
Zoom in: Elvin Ross, an award-winning composer and frequent collaborator with Tyler Perry Studios, has signed on to build e. ross studios Jazzland on the property, Henry says.
- The studio's website says Ross plans to transform the space into a motion picture and television studio as well as a regional entertainment hub with six sound stages, base camp, support space and a backlot.
What we're watching: Bayou Phoenix is waiting for the site assessment results so they can see if the slabs are reusable and if the soil conditions are appropriate for the uses in the master plan.
- If the slabs and pilings have to be removed, it will drive up demo and construction costs.
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also must evaluate the wetlands on the property, which could mean additional changes and mitigation efforts.
Until then, Henry said he is focusing on securing what he's calling the project's anchors.
- In addition to the film studio, he's negotiating with youth sports complex operators and hoteliers.
- The retailers and restaurants will come after that, he said, along with a 9-acre clearwater beach and water park.
- The goal is to have construction finished in 2027.
Yes, but: Other redevelopment projects for the property have flopped and residents are skeptical.
- "Hide in the bushes and watch us do it," Henry said at his high-rise office on Poydras Street. "Their skepticism doesn't bother me one bit. In fact, I welcome it. It just motivates our team more. We're very confident in this project."
What's next: Bayou Phoenix plans to host an event in the coming weeks to announce the name of the demolition company and provide more details about the project's next steps, Henry said.
- The company is also working on coming up with a name for the development.
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