California's Great America, the Santa Clara theme park that opened in 1976, will close for good after Labor Day, Sept. 6, 2027. Six Flags Entertainment, which runs the park, says the park will open in March 2027 for a final "Farewell Season," according to the park's announcement. The 2027 operating days and hours have not been released yet.
The company tied the date to its land lease. "As previously announced, the park's land lease expires in June 2028 and will not be renewed," the announcement says, and the company made "the difficult decision that 2027 will be the park's final season."
Why the park is closing
Six Flags does not own the land. Cedar Fair, which merged with Six Flags in 2024, sold it to real estate company Prologis for $310 million in June 2022 and leased it back to keep the park running, according to Cedar Fair's filing with the SEC. The lease ran six years, with an option to extend it five more, and Prologis could end it early with at least two years' notice. Rent started at about $12.2 million a year and rises 2.5% annually.
Six Flags' latest annual report lists the Santa Clara lease as expiring in 2028 and says that when it ends, the park will close and the company will take out its rides and attractions. The company also subleases part of the park's parking lot to the Santa Clara Stadium Authority for events at neighboring Levi's Stadium, prepaid through 2027. Neither the announcement nor the filings say what Prologis plans for the 175-acre site.
What visitors can still do in 2027
Six Flags says the rides, attractions and the South Bay Shores water park should run on their normal seasonal schedule in 2027, though any ride can close for maintenance or weather. Group outings, company picnics and school visits are being booked through Labor Day, and existing passes will be honored under their terms.
The park's season pass page listed these prices on Nov. 7, before taxes:
| Pass | Price | What the park lists |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Pass | $65 | Unlimited visits and free parking |
| Silver Bundle | $159 | Silver Pass plus an all-season dining and drink plan |
| 2027 Gold Pass | $89, renewals $79 | Admission to all West Coast parks, including Knott's Berry Farm, and free general parking |
| 2027 Prestige Pass | $169, renewals $159 | Admission to all Six Flags parks, limited free preferred parking and free drinks every visit |
The Gold and Prestige passes also cover the rest of 2026, and passes bought by Nov. 30 come with a free Bring-A-Friend ticket good through May 31, 2027. Because the park closes on Sept. 6, the 2027 season in Santa Clara ends before any fall events. Gold and Prestige holders can keep using their passes after that date at the other parks they cover, including Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo.
