Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced Friday that California's Great America in Santa Clara will permanently close after the 2027 season, with its final day of operation set for Labor Day, September 6.

Park manager Dave Vosejpka said in the announcement carried by CBS News that the park has "brought people together, created family traditions and served as the backdrop for unforgettable memories" for more than five decades.

The Farewell Season is scheduled to begin in March 2027, though a specific opening date has not been announced, and Six Flags is planning a program of experiences celebrating the park's history and its relationship with generations of visitors, according to Attractions Daily.

The closure has been looming since 2022, when then-owner Cedar Fair sold the 112-acre property to real estate developer Prologis for $310 million while leasing it back, an arrangement the New York Post reports expires in June 2028.

Cedar Fair held an option to extend the lease another five years, but the company decided against it, a choice that depended on the park's profitability.

After Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags in 2024, executives told investors that Great America ranked near the bottom of the combined company's portfolio in profit margins, with high operating costs contributing to the decision not to renew.

The New York Post reports that the site, situated directly beside Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, has potential for data centers, advanced manufacturing or mixed-use business parks.

However, Santa Clara currently has the property zoned specifically for theme park use, meaning a zoning change would be required for any other type of development.

Attractions Daily notes that Six Flags has not detailed the future of the site or its attractions after the park ceases trading, and that the park will close several months before the existing lease expires.

The announcement follows significant losses at Six Flags, whose third-quarter earnings report released November 5 showed a net loss of $366.1 million, with losses for the first nine months of the year reaching $837.3 million, per the New York Post.

Attractions Daily also notes the move comes a year after the company closed Six Flags America and its Hurricane Harbor Maryland water park.

Opened in 1976 as part of the nation's Bicentennial celebration, Great America welcomed tens of millions of guests over its 51-year run and became an established part of the Bay Area's leisure offering.

For travelers who grew up with the park, the Farewell Season is being pitched as a chance to return.

Six Flags is encouraging visitors to make the most of the final year through its 2027 Gold and Prestige season passes, which Attractions Daily reports include unlimited admission to Great America throughout its last year, plus access to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo as an alternative destination after the Santa Clara property closes.

Throughout the season, the park plans activities on site and across its digital and social channels inviting guests to share memories, and further details on the operating calendar will be posted on the park's official website.