Six Flags Dubai was a planned theme park under development for multiple years in
Dubai
Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
,
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
. The park was being developed by DXB Entertainments, under license from
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is an American amusement park company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It was formed on July 2, 2024, following a merger between longtime rivals Cedar Fair and the former Six Flags ...
. The park was scheduled to open in November 2011, but Six Flags terminated the agreement in 2010 after
Tatweer failed to make a payment owed to Six Flags.
It was later revived and scheduled to open in 2019 near Lapita Hotel and Riverland Dubai at
Dubai Parks and Resorts. It was to be divided into six themed sections, and contain 27 different attractions, including six roller coasters. On April 25, 2019, DXB Entertainments issued a statement that the project had been cancelled.
Areas
Six Flags Dubai was to be laid out in six different areas, much like the original concepts of
Six Flags Over Texas
"Six flags over Texas" is the slogan used to describe the six sovereign countries that have had control over some or all of the current territory of the U.S. state of Texas: Spain (1519–1685; 1690–1821), France (1685–1690), Mexico (1821� ...
,
Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia is a amusement park in Austell, Georgia, United States. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain following the original Six Flags Over Texas, which opened in 1961.
Six Flags Over Georgia is one of t ...
, and
Six Flags St. Louis, the three original parks built by the company. Six Flags Dubai's themed areas were to be based on other Six Flags theme parks in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
that were acquired from other companies.
Thrillseeker Plaza
The main area of the park, with pathways leading to the five other areas.
Magic Mountain
Themed after
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain, formerly known and colloquially referred to as simply Magic Mountain, is a amusement park located in Valencia, California, northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It opened on May 29, 1971, as a development of the Newha ...
in
Valencia
Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.
Fiesta Texas
Themed after
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas, formerly known and colloquially referred to as simply Fiesta Texas, is an amusement park in San Antonio, Texas, United States. It opened on March 14, 1992, in the La Cantera master-planned development and district as the ...
in
San Antonio
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
,
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
.
Great Escape
Themed after
Great Escape in
Queensbury,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
.
Great Adventure
Themed after
Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is an amusement park located approximately southeast of Trenton, New Jersey, Trenton in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Owned and operated by Six Flags, the park complex is situated between New York City and Philadelph ...
in
Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
Places Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson oil field in Durham, ...
,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
.
Great America
Themed after
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a amusement park, theme park located in Gurnee, Illinois, within the northern Chicago metropolitan area. The theme park originally opened as Marriott's Great America on May 29, 1976, as one of two theme parks built ...
in
Gurnee
Gurnee ( ) is a Village (United States), village and suburb in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 30,706 as of the 2020 census. It borders the city of Waukegan, Illinois, Waukegan, and is a popular tourist attraction within ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
.
History
Original development (2008-2010)
In March 2008,
Dubai Holdings, Inc. and
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is an American amusement park company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It was formed on July 2, 2024, following a merger between longtime rivals Cedar Fair and the former Six Flags ...
announced a corporate marketing alliance that would allow
Tatweer, a member of Dubai Holdings, Inc., to lease the exclusive right to the Six Flags brand name in the
Dubailand
Dubailand was an entertainment complex planned to be built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which was owned by Tatweer (which belongs to Dubai Holding). When announced in 2003 it was one of the most ambitious leisure developments ever proposed ...
Development of the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
. According to Six Flags, the park (then dubbed "Six Flags Dubailand") was to be the largest Six Flags to be developed outside of the United States, as well as the first built by the company since
Six Flags St. Louis in 1971. It was also to be the first of several products outside of the Middle East. The park was to feature thrill rides and live entertainment featuring
Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank Hawk (born May 12, 1968), nicknamed Birdman, is an American professional skateboarder, entrepreneur, and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse. A pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding, Hawk completed the first docume ...
, which was a prominent license at Six Flags theme parks at the time. Groundbreaking was originally set to begin in early 2009.
In 2010, owing to financial difficulties, Tatweer failed to make due payment to Six Flags under their license agreement, breaching its contract. Six Flags then terminated the agreement, temporarily cancelling the project.
Project revival (2014-2019)
On April 10, 2014, Six Flags announced a new, separate partnership with Meraas Leisure and Entertainment to build a Six Flags-branded theme park in Jebel Ali with a scheduled launch date in late 2017.
On March 27, 2016, it was reported that the Six Flags Dubai theme park was to be in the second phase of Dubai Parks and Resorts and was expected to open in the third quarter of 2019.
On July 3, 2016, before the opening of Dubai Parks and Resorts in October, construction began on Six Flags Dubai and was expected to have 27 rides and attractions.
On October 24, 2018, it was announced that the future of the Six Flags Dubai project was "uncertain", following major losses at DXB Entertainments. On November 7, Six Flags issued a statement that management was reviewing the situation, and suggested that the park may be delayed past its original 2019 opening date.
On April 25, 2019, the project was cancelled.
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Six Flags Dubailand
Dubailand
Amusement parks in Dubai
Former Six Flags theme parks