Six Flags In Talks To Open Amusement Parks In Saudi Arabia
Weeks after announcing plans to enter the Middle East market with an amusement park in the United Arab Emirates, Six Flags revealed this morning that the company is in talks to possibly open multiple parks in Saudi Arabia.
Texas-based Six Flags Entertainment Corporation says that it has initiated discussions with the government of Saudi Arabia to “pursue development of Six Flags-branded theme parks in that market.”
The company says talks began when the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince recently visited the U.S. to promote Saudi Vision 2030, the nation’s blueprint for investment and development over the next decade and a half.
“We are honored to have this opportunity to bring Six Flags to Saudi Arabia,” said John Duffey, President and CEO of Six Flags in a statement. “We look forward to supporting Saudi Arabia’s efforts to expand tourism by creating new world-class entertainment destinations in the Kingdom.”
Six Flags, which had for decades operated only in North America, has rapidly sped up its international expansion plans in recent months.
The UAE park, announced in May, is currently slated to open in Dubai at some point in 2019. That deal came only weeks after Six Flags launched a partnership with Vietnam-based NaVi Entertainment to bring a theme park and a water park in the Asian country over the next few years.
Six Flags kicked off 2016 by breaking ground on a Six Flags-branded park outside of Shanghai in China. That theme park is also expected to open in 2019. Then in February it revealed plans for a water park in Oaxtepec, Mexico, which will become the company’s second property in that country.
Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.