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Exclusive: Future of old Six Flags site might resemble National Harbor, Md. leaders say

Six Flags America closed for good last weekend, but leaders in Prince George’s County, Maryland, think the future of the land where the amusement park sits will become much clearer in the coming weeks.

“We are really excited about the future of Six Flags,” said Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy during a press conference last week. “Six Flags operates on about 20% of the entire site, which means we really have not seen the full potential, the full economic potential of that site. So we’re working with the ownership of Six Flags now, as they vet those who have bid on that project.”

Braveboy said, “the county has a real interest in seeing quality development that really should be able to generate tens of millions” of dollars.

County Council member Wala Blegay said it’s her understanding that at least 10 bids were submitted by parties interested in taking over the 500-acre site in Bowie. About 400 acres of the land can be developed into what the county said will be another premier entertainment destination.

Blegay, Braveboy and state leaders will be meeting with Six Flags later this month to discuss the top bids they’re considering, the council member told WTOP. She believes a final decision will be made by the park early next year.

“Most people are asking what we want,” Blegay said, when asked to characterize conversations with the different groups that have expressed interest in buying the land. The comparison being made around the county is something akin to the way National Harbor is now.

“When I brought that concept to almost all the bidders, they have been very open to it. No one has been like, ‘no,'” Blegay said.

“What I feel encouraged by is that there’s been no pushback. There’s been more like — some people have to find some partners that are in that industry, more entertainment, because we are looking for be a destination in entertainment.”

Blegay said there’s been lots of demand, but it’s not clear how much the sale could be worth.

And while county residents are worried about a slew of townhouses going up on the site, Blegay said the focus will be about making the site a destination. That doesn’t mean there will be no housing at all, but the park isn’t zoned for it and county leaders have insisted that isn’t where the emphasis will be.

“That’s not the focal point,” Blegay said. “You know, we could talk about that later. What we want to see from the new owners is the entertainment destination idea — moving that forward, and that is the key.

“We could do a destination that might not have housing, might not need housing,” she added. “We want people to understand the main point is destination.”

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