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NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans today announced the approval of a development agreement between the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and Bayou Phoenix for the former Six Flags/Jazzland site in New Orleans East. The NORA Board of Commissioners also approved an agreement with the Industrial Development Board (IDB) to transfer the property from the IDB to NORA and an agreement with the City of New Orleans, committing $1 million towards the redevelopment project, as well as maintenance and security at the site.
“I applaud NORA and Bayou Phoenix on reaching this critical milestone toward the redevelopment of the blighted former Six Flags site,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “The City of New Orleans continues to invest our resources into this project that we believe will successfully return the site to commerce. We will not waver in our commitment to a development project that is transparent, accountable and in the best interest and of the utmost benefit of our community. Let’s keep building together.”
“The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority is proud to assume the role of trusted partner and steward for the redevelopment of the former Six Flags site,” said Brenda Breaux, NORA Executive Director. “We look forward to working with the community and developer to deliver services and benefits for the residents of New Orleans East. Today, we begin a new chapter.”
“The Bayou Phoenix Team is excited to consummate this long-awaited agreement,” said Troy Henry, Bayou Phoenix team leader. “Now that the framework for this public-private partnership is in place, the real development works begins on this important project. Our team has completed the feasibility analysis of this effort with very exciting results, and, as a resident of East New Orleans, I believe that this project will be transformational for the entire region.”
“This partnership between Bayou Phoenix and the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority is an exciting step forward in the redevelopment of the former Six Flags site, and it’s part of the City’s larger strategy of creating catalytic economic development projects at key publicly owned sites,” said Jeff Schwartz, Director of the Office of Economic Development. “On behalf of the City, I want to express gratitude to the Industrial Development Board, which has been a steward of the former Six Flags site for the last 13 years, and to the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority for taking on this leadership role in the redevelopment of the site. I look forward to big things happening at the site in the near future.”
"This important project, for New Orleans East and the entire region, is long past overdue,” said District E Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas, Jr. “Thank you to all of the partners that got in a room with me and decided to put their differences aside to make this project work. Congratulations New Orleans East, and congratulations to NORA and Bayou Phoenix."
“I, and every board member that has served and is serving on the Industrial Development Board since 2011, am excited to see these agreements be signed,” said Darrel J. Saizan, Jr., President of the Industrial Development Board. “The IDB has invested many years of its funds in maintaining, insuring and securing the site and now look forward to signing the final agreement to transfer the property to NORA. This final agreement will cement the next step in moving forward with redevelopment of the site by Bayou Phoenix.”
In October 2021, the City of New Orleans selected Bayou Phoenix, LLC, through a competitive solicitation process as the master developer for the former Six Flags/Jazzland site.
The site is a 227-acre property in New Orleans East at the intersection of Interstate-10 and Interstate-510 that originally opened in 2000 as the $130 million Jazzland theme park. The amusement park was acquired by Six Flags in 2002 but did not reopen after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and has remained shuttered since then. The IDB took title to the property in 2009.
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