Abandoned Six Flags New Orleans

Rides, food stands, and midway structures left idle after Hurricane Katrina's 2005 closure

Six Flags Amusement Park — New Orleans

Six Flags New Orleans, a theme park that opened in eastern New Orleans in 2000, closed permanently after Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. Severe flooding and wind damage left the 140-acre site on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain unsalvageable as an operating park, and Six Flags terminated its lease with the city of New Orleans in 2009.

The park had been built on land owned by the city and operated under a long-term lease agreement. When Katrina hit, the entire site flooded, submerging rides, midway buildings, food stands, and retail shops under several feet of water for weeks. The damage was extensive enough that neither Six Flags nor any subsequent operator moved to reopen it.

After the lease ended, the property sat in legal and financial limbo for years as the city sought a developer. Proposals came and went — an outlet mall, a film studio campus, an Amazon distribution center — but none advanced to construction. The coasters, carousel, themed storefronts such as the Creole Kitchen, Basin Street Bakery, and Jackson Square Confectionary, and the park's entertainment theatre all remained standing and decaying in the interim.

The site was eventually cleared and redeveloped as Bayou Phoenix, a mixed-use project, though demolition of the park structures did not begin until years after Katrina. For much of that intervening period, the abandoned grounds became one of the most widely explored derelict sites in the United States.

Six Flags New Orleans roller coaster in eastern New Orleans with green track and blue supports. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans in eastern New Orleans features an abandoned green roller coaster with blue support beams. The park closed after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and remained shut in 2009.

Storm-damaged service building at abandoned Six Flags New Orleans with Mega Zeph roller coaster structure behind. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2002. Hurricane Katrina's storm surge flooded the eastern New Orleans park with several feet of saltwater in August 2005, damaging structures like this one beyond repair. The park never reopened, and ownership reverted to the city of New Orleans, which has weighed demolition and redevelopment proposals for the 227-acre site for years. The Mega Zeph, the wooden coaster visible behind the building, operated at the park from 2000 until the storm.

Abandoned Six Flags New Orleans midway with mermaid-themed facade and Mega Zeph roller coaster structure. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2003, adding coasters and reworking the park's themed sections. The Mega Zeph, a wooden roller coaster visible looping through this plaza, was named for the Zephyr, a wood-framed coaster that ran at the city's old Pontchartrain Beach amusement park from 1939 until that park's closure in 1983. Hurricane Katrina's storm surge submerged the park under several feet of saltwater in August 2005, destroying rides and structures beyond repair. The park never reopened, and ownership disputes between Six Flags and the city of New Orleans over the leased land kept the site in legal limbo for years afterward.

The Jester roller coaster entrance sign at the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans amusement park. — *December 4, 2009* — The Jester was a steel roller coaster manufactured by Vekoma, featuring a signature "cobra roll" inversion element. It operated at the park—then known as Jazzland—starting in 2000, before the property was acquired by Six Flags the following year. Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters submerged the site in 2005, and the park never reopened. Its coasters and structures were left standing in the abandoned grounds for years afterward, corroding in the salt air and humidity of eastern New Orleans.

Skycoaster Gifts storefront at abandoned Six Flags New Orleans amusement park, with neon sign and green doors. — *December 4, 2009* — Skycoaster Gifts sold souvenirs near the park's Skycoaster swing ride, one of the attractions along the abandoned midway at Six Flags New Orleans. The park opened in 2003 on the site of the former Jazzland and closed permanently after Hurricane Katrina flooded the grounds in 2005. Ownership of the property later passed to the City of New Orleans, and the rides and buildings were left standing for years afterward.

Abandoned Cool Zone plaza at Six Flags New Orleans with Mega Zeph roller coaster structure visible beyond wooden buildings. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2002. Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters submerged the park in up to seven feet of saltwater in August 2005, corroding rides and structures beyond repair. The park never reopened to the public, and the Mega Zeph wooden coaster, visible looping through the site, remained standing for years as a landmark of the abandonment. The state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans have held ownership disputes over the land, with demolition plans surfacing periodically since the storm.

Abandoned amusement park midway with red wooden structures and green roller coaster framework at shuttered Six Flags New Orleans. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2002. Hurricane Katrina flooded the 227-acre site in 2005 with several feet of saltwater, corroding rides and structures beyond repair. The park never reopened and Six Flags let its lease lapse in 2009, leaving ownership with the city of New Orleans. Rides including the Mega Zeph wooden coaster and Batman: The Ride remained standing on the grounds for years after the storm, slowly dismantled by decay, scrapping, and later demolition efforts.

Abandoned P. Joe's Pretzels and Churros concession stand at Six Flags New Orleans amusement park. — *December 4, 2009* — P. Joe's Pretzels and Churros operated as a concession stand at Six Flags New Orleans, a 140-acre amusement park in the Eastern New Orleans neighborhood of New Orleans East. The park opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2002 and rebranded it the following year. Six Flags New Orleans closed permanently after Hurricane Katrina flooded the site with several feet of saltwater in August 2005, and ownership disputes with the City of New Orleans have kept it shuttered ever since. Several ride structures from the park's operating years remain standing nearby.

Wooden storefront building with "Rita's Creole Kitchen" sign at abandoned Six Flags New Orleans amusement park. — *December 4, 2009* — Rita's Creole Kitchen was one of the food concessions built along the Jazzland-era midway that became Six Flags New Orleans in 2003. The park sits on former wetlands in eastern New Orleans, near Interstate 10 and the Industrial Canal. Hurricane Katrina's storm surge flooded the property with several feet of saltwater in August 2005, and the site never reopened. Six Flags terminated its lease with the land's owner in 2009, leaving the wooden storefronts and painted signage to weather in place for years afterward.

Abandoned "It's Playtime!" promotional cutout at Six Flags New Orleans amusement park with roller coaster in background. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags acquired it in 2002. Hurricane Katrina flooded the park under several feet of brackish water in August 2005, and it never reopened. The property, owned by the City of New Orleans and leased to Six Flags, sat abandoned for years afterward, with rides, signage, and promotional displays left standing amid the wreckage. Six Flags and the city eventually ended their lease agreement, and the site remained vacant while various redevelopment plans stalled.

Abandoned Cosmopolitan Hotel facade and French Quarter-themed streetscape at shuttered Six Flags New Orleans amusement park. — *December 4, 2009* — The Cosmopolitan Hotel facade fronts a stretch of Jazzland's old French Quarter-themed streetscape at Six Flags New Orleans. The park opened as Jazzland in 2000 and was rebranded under the Six Flags name in 2003, with sections designed to evoke New Orleans architecture. Hurricane Katrina's storm surge in 2005 flooded the site under several feet of saltwater, corroding structures and ending operations for good. The property has sat undisturbed in eastern New Orleans in the years since, with ownership disputes between the city and Six Flags stalling redevelopment plans.

Jackson Square Confectionary building at abandoned Six Flags New Orleans with colorful French Quarter-style facades. — *December 4, 2009* — Jackson Square Confectionary anchored the park's Mardi Gras-themed section, designed to evoke the French Quarter facades that inspired its name. The building's cast-iron balconies and pastel paint scheme mimicked the architecture found around the real Jackson Square in downtown New Orleans. Six Flags New Orleans closed permanently after Hurricane Katrina flooded the park in August 2005, and the confectionary has stood empty since, part of a site that has never reopened to the public.

Theatre building with New Orleans-style architecture at the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans amusement park. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans occupied a 227-acre site in New Orleans East, built around a Jazzland-themed streetscape meant to evoke old New Orleans architecture, complete with wrought-iron balconies and shuttered facades like those on this building's theatre storefront. The park opened as Jazzland in 2000 and was purchased by Six Flags in 2002. Hurricane Katrina flooded the property with several feet of saltwater in August 2005, and the park never reopened. Ownership passed to the city of New Orleans, and the site has sat vacant for years amid repeated redevelopment proposals.

Basin Street Bakery storefront at abandoned Six Flags New Orleans with Mega Zeph roller coaster visible beyond. — *December 4, 2009* — Basin Street Bakery once sold snacks to visitors at Six Flags New Orleans, a theme park in the city's Eastern New Orleans neighborhood built on the site of the former Jazzland park. Six Flags took over operations in 2003, two years before Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters inundated the site in 2005. The park never reopened, and its rides and buildings were left to decay for years afterward. The Mega Zeph wooden roller coaster, visible beyond the bakery, was one of the park's signature attractions before the storm.

Ornate swing ride at abandoned Six Flags New Orleans amusement park, untouched since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. — *December 4, 2009* — The swing ride at Six Flags New Orleans has stood untouched since Hurricane Katrina flooded the park with several feet of saltwater in August 2005. The park, then known as Jazzland before Six Flags acquired it in 2002, never reopened; ownership reverted to the city of New Orleans, which has left the grounds largely intact for two decades. A Ferris wheel and a wooden roller coaster remain visible nearby, part of the same abandoned midway.

The SkyCoaster gift shop building at the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans amusement park. — *December 4, 2009* — Skycoaster Gifts sold souvenirs near the SkyCoaster attraction at the former Six Flags New Orleans, a 140-acre amusement park in the city's eastern section. The park, originally opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2002, flooded under several feet of water when Hurricane Katrina breached nearby levees in August 2005. Six Flags never reopened the property, and its lease with the local development authority was later terminated amid disputes over storm damage and unpaid rent. The site has sat abandoned for years, with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority fielding various redevelopment proposals that have yet to materialize.

Ferris wheel and colorful drop tower stand abandoned at the shuttered Six Flags New Orleans amusement park. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags acquired the park a year later. Built on low-lying land in eastern New Orleans near Lake Pontchartrain, the site sat under several feet of floodwater for weeks after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005. Six Flags terminated its lease with the city in the years that followed, and the property has remained closed ever since, with rides like its Ferris wheel and drop tower left standing in place. New Orleans officials have periodically floated redevelopment plans for the roughly 140-acre site, but as of this the park's structures were still intact and abandoned.

Abandoned Six Flags New Orleans amusement park midway with Mega Zeph roller coaster and colorful closed ride structures. — *December 4, 2009* — Six Flags New Orleans opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2002. The park sits in eastern New Orleans, near Lake Pontchartrain, on land that flooded under several feet of water when Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. Mega Zeph, the wooden-steel hybrid coaster visible here, was one of the park's signature rides before the storm. Six Flags never reopened the property, and the company's lease with the city ended in 2009 amid disputes over demolition and redevelopment plans. The site has remained largely intact since the flooding, drawing ers and urban explorers to its rusting rides and empty walkways.

Jococo's Gift Shop stands beneath the deteriorating Mega Zeph wooden coaster at abandoned Six Flags New Orleans. — *December 4, 2009* — Jococo's Gift Shop stood near the entrance of the Batman: Coming Soon area of Six Flags New Orleans, formerly Jazzland, on the eastern edge of the city. The park opened in 2000 and was sold to Six Flags in 2002. Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters submerged the grounds for weeks in 2005, and the park never reopened. The wooden coaster looming behind the shop, known as the Mega Zeph, was left standing but structurally compromised by saltwater corrosion. Six Flags let its lease lapse in 2009, and the site has remained in legal limbo between the company and the City of New Orleans ever since.

Abandoned Mega Zeph wooden roller coaster structure at Six Flags New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina damage. — *December 4, 2009* — The Mega Zeph, a wooden roller coaster built in 2000, once anchored the amusement park at the eastern edge of New Orleans, then known as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2002. Floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina inundated the park in 2005, and the ride's structure was never repaired or reopened. Six Flags allowed its lease with the local levee district to lapse in 2009, leaving the coaster and the rest of the park to sit derelict for years afterward.

Abandoned Mega Zeph roller coaster with green and blue track structure at shuttered Six Flags New Orleans amusement park. — *December 4, 2009* — Mega Zeph was a wooden-steel hybrid coaster at Six Flags New Orleans, built in 2000 and reaching roughly 100 feet at its tallest drop. The park, originally opened in 2000 as Jazzland before Six Flags took over operations in 2002, flooded under several feet of saltwater when Hurricane Katrina breached the levees in 2005. Six Flags never reopened the property, and ownership reverted to the City of New Orleans, which has struggled for years to find a developer for the site. Mega Zeph's rusting track remained standing long after the ride itself stopped operating, one of the few recognizable structures left among the wreckage of the shuttered park.

Abandoned Six Flags New Orleans

Minneapolis Photographer