Six Flags/Jazzland

What is The History of The Six Flags/Jazzland Site?

A brief history of the site is as follows:

• 2000
  • The $130M Jazzland opened on 140 acres in New Orleans East.
• 2002
  • Six Flags, Inc. made a deal to buy Jazzland out of U.S. Bankruptcy Court for $69M and added several rides to the park.
• 2005
  • Six Flags closed for Hurricane Katrina and never reopened after 4-7 feet of floodwater sat on park grounds for a month due to a pump failure.
  • Several development deals under consideration for the site were unsuccessful.
• 2009
  • City of New Orleans terminated its 75-year lease with Six Flags, Inc. and the Industrial Development Board (IDB) agreed to take title to the property while the City pursued development opportunities.
• 2011
  • IDB released an RFP to develop the property. A proposal for an outlet mall was withdrawn by the developer after the Outlets at the Riverwalk were announced downtown.
  • Several film production companies began using the property for movie production, bringing some maintenance and security revenue to the property.
• 2014
  • Working with the City, IDB released another RFP for the property. No proposals with solid financial backing emerged.
• 2017
  • Following an appraisal of the property commissioned by the IDB, several proposals were made to purchase the property outright, but action was deferred at the request of the Mayor.
  • IDB handed over redevelopment responsibility to Landrieu administration through a one-year Cooperative Endeavor Agreement to determine a way forward.
• 2018
  • City and the IDB agreed to extend the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement giving responsibility for management of the re-development process to the City.
• 2019
  • City and the IDB agreed to extend the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement for one additional year.
• 2020-2022
  • Mayor Cantrell and the Office of Economic Development released a public solicitation for development of the site and selected development team Bayou Phoenix.
• 2023
  • The IDB transferred title of the property to the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA). 
  • NORA executed a development agreement and draft lease with Bayou Phoenix.

What are the Development Plans for Six Flags/Jazzland Site?

• The Bayou Phoenix team has a website detailing their vision for the development: https://bayouphoenix.com/.

Can I Film a Movie or Otherwise Utilize the Six Flags/Jazzland Site for a Commercial Purpose?

• The site is available for “conditional” short-term and long-term rental subject to certain requirements. A written narrative request should be submitted to NORA at whitney.williams@nola.gov. Permission to use the site for filming or other purposes will be documented by a formal agreement that will be provided by NORA. Unauthorized use or entry onto the site is strictly prohibited and violators could be prosecuted.

How do I Find out About News Related to Six Flags/Jazzland?

• Refer to the Bayou Phoenix website: https://bayouphoenix.com/.