Kansas City-based EPR Properties plans to acquire Worlds of Fun and six other regional parks, including Six Flags St. Louis, in a deal valued at $342 million. EPR Properties said it will invest about $315 million, with park operators providing the rest.
The properties in five states and Canada boast 418 attractions and draw approximately 4.5 million visitors per year. The six parks in the United States will be leased and operated by Enchanted Parks. La Ronde Operations will operate the park in Canada.
The transaction is EPR Properties' largest acquisition since 2017, according to a Thursday news release.
"This strategic acquisition represents a compelling opportunity to expand our attractions portfolio with high-quality experiential real estate assets in established regional markets," said Gregory K. Silvers, chairman and CEO of EPR Properties, in a statement. "These properties embody the essential characteristics we seek: delivering stable, long-term cash flows, strong drive-to accessibility, multi-generational appeal, and significant underlying land value."
Six Flags officials said the move will enable investment in new rides and attractions.
"Consistent with our strategy, this divestiture enables us to concentrate our capital, leadership and operational focus on the properties that we believe generate the strongest returns and offer the greatest long-term upside," said Six Flags President and CEO John Reilly in a statement. "Since joining the Company, I have been clear that Six Flags' earnings power has been under-realized. This transaction will simplify our portfolio, strengthen our balance sheet and position us to execute with greater clarity and discipline."
The transaction allows Enchanted Parks to use the Six Flags brand through the end of 2026 operating season. Six Flags officials said 2026 season passes and active memberships will be honored through the end of the year, including multipark access. Customers who purchased 12-month memberships will also be able to cancel them even if minimum contractual terms weren't met.
The transaction will not affect current pricing at the parks, according to Six Flags' corporate office, and future pricing decisions at those seven parks will be made by the new owner.
The parks that are part of the sale are:
- Six Flags St. Louis (St. Louis)
- Worlds of Fun (Kansas City)
- Michigan's Adventure (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston (Galveston, Texas)
- Six Flags Great Escape (Queensbury, New York)
- Valleyfair (Minneapolis)
- Six Flags La Ronde (Montreal)
Copyright 2026 St. Louis Public Radio
