When California’s Great America shuts its gates for the final time, the Bay Area will be losing a space where joy, memories and community all came together. 

If the parent company Six Flags doesn’t extend the lease the park could close as soon as October 2027, according to a June 24, 2025 SFGate article. 

I still remember the first time I went to the park as a guest because everything about it felt larger than life. 

The rides seemed taller, the lights brighter and the excitement in the air was contagious. 

Even as a kid, I knew Great America was more than just a place to pass the time – it was somewhere memories were made.

I still remember when I was barely tall enough to ride half the attractions. 

The park originally opened in 1976 by Marriott Corporation, and later was owned by Cedar Fair in 2006, according to a July 11, USA Today article.  

Growing up, Great America was one of those places my friends and I looked forward to every summer. 

The sound of roller coasters roaring overhead, the smell of funnel cakes drifting through the midway, and the splash from the water rides all made it feel like an escape from everyday life.

For me, going to the park wasn’t just about the rides; it was about the suspense leading up to it. 

Every time I visited, it felt like an adventure because it wasn’t just a place to spend a Saturday; it was a roller coaster of excitement because each visit was different from the last. 

The park then shifted ownership following the Six Flags and Cedar Fair merger, according to the same article. 

In June 2006, Cedar Fair, L.P. finalized its purchase of Paramount Parks from CBS Corporation, according to the Great America Historical timeline webpage. 

Cedar Fair spent about $150 million to buy the 112 acres that Great America sits on, ending the long-standing lease the park had with the City of Santa Clara since it opened in 1976, according to the Great America Historical timeline webpage. 

As of 2024, the land under the park was sold to the Real Estate Company Prologis in June 2022, according to a June 28 San José Inside article.
My connection to California’s Great America runs deeper than childhood memories. I didn’t just visit the park as a guest; I worked there for six years.
I saw the park through two sets of eyes – first as a wide-eyed guest, and later as an employee behind the counter. 

The park carried a sense of community you can’t build with office buildings or condominiums, which is likely what will take its place.

I saw families laughing together, teenagers nervously stepping onto their first roller coaster, and coworkers hustling behind the scenes to make it all happen.

When I think about Great America closing it feels that money and land value are being prioritized over community and joy. 

What we don’t have enough of are places where people can disconnect from stress, spend time together, and feel a sense of community. 

Those are the kinds of experiences that stick with you, the ones you carry into adulthood and share with the next generation.

While the memories were great, the park had its fair share of problems. 

Based on recent reviews, employees at the park have mixed feelings about the working environment. Some people mentioned that the park is a fun place to work, while others said it is a very tiring job, according to the Indeed review webpage. 

Communication between managers and staff was inconsistent, and at times, managers lacked empathy for employee well-being. 

I often felt frustrated, but I still gave my all because I cared about the park and the people around me.

I wasn’t working for the paycheck – I was working because I enjoyed it.

There were moments when I lost my temper under stress, and I wasn’t proud of it, but I always reminded my associates that my frustration was with situations — never with them.

I loved joking around with managers who trusted me, and building friendships that made work feel like a second home.

As a seasonal worker, I expected gaps in employment, but losing my job in 2020 and 2023 still hit hard. Returning in 2021 and 2024 wasn’t just about work — it felt like regaining a piece of myself.

However, attendance never bounced back following the COVID-19 shutdowns.

I also saw how the closure directly affected the employees, many of whom depended on this job to pay bills and feed their families.

The park is going to cut 184 part-time employees at the end of the 2025 season. This was announced by the park in a Sept. 3 letter by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, according to a Sept. 9 San Francisco Chronicle article.

It’s heartbreaking to know that while Great America was never meant to be a long-term career for me, it is a lifeline for others.

When the gates close for good, I’ll remember both the love and the hate, the joy and the frustration.

But most of all, I’ll remember Great America as a place where I grew up – not just as a guest, but as an employee.