Six Flags New Orleans was a theme park located near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Interstate 510 in New Orleans. It first opened as Jazzland in 2000, and a leasing agreement was established with Six Flags in 2002 following the previous operator's bankruptcy proceedings. Six Flags invested $20 million in upgrades, and the park reopened as Six Flags New Orleans in 2003. Following substantial damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the park was closed to the public to make efforts to repair and reopen it. However, in 2006, Six Flags declared the property a total loss, and the park was permanently closed. The lease was terminated in 2009 during Six Flags' bankruptcy proceedings.


Information is confusing until more is learned. Spanish Fort existed as early as 1880 with a Casino and other attractions. Pontchartrain Beach is supposed to have a time frame of 1928-1983. I have seen a postcard of 'the end of Spanish Fort' 1923. Until information resolved YES there was of recent years a Jazzland Amusement Park that went bankrupt. Six Flags bought the Park of very recent and is tring to make a 'go of it'.


A Glorious Past..

Amusement parks in New Orleans have a deep rooted history. In the mid 1800's until 1939 patrons would visit a spot on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain called "Spanish Fort". Coined the Coney Island of New Orleans, this venue had it all. Restaurants, hotels, bandstands, and of course amusement shows and rides. Soon becoming too large to continue growing at it's current location, the owners moved the amusement park to it's new and larger plot of land. In 1939, the Batt family moved the amusement park to the reclaimated lake front property on the perch of Elysian Fields Ave (Milneburg). This revelation spun the creation of such classic beach rides as the "Zephyr" and the "Haunted Mansion". In 1983, after much public outcry the Beach was closed forever. Throughout the past 20 years some of the old beach still lives on in parks and museums around the city. None so significant as the crest of the lift hill from the Zephyr forever residing in the park near Kenner City Hall. The remains that are still on the property fade more and more everyday, from the Rajun Cajun loading platform, to the subtle speakers still hanging in the palm trees that used to entertain with the background music and annoucements throughout the park.

A Bright Future..

Since the closing of the beach in 1983, a group of individuals tried desperately to convince leagues of national amusement park companies that New Orleans was starved for their kind of entertainment. Financing was difficult and with the oil bust of the 1980's, it seemed all hope was lost. In 1998 a master plan was devised for the tract of land between the I-10 and I-510 in New Orleans East. The plan would not rebuild the original park in it's former glory, but would instead build a new venue, unrelated to the first. With this plan came a new player in the amusement industry Ogden Entertainment. This company obtained the financing and the support for the 90 million dollar construction project. Construction began almost immediately and the park was on schedule for it's 2000 season debut.

Just prior to the opening of the park in May of 2000, Ogden entertainment sold the park and all of it's other amusement properties to the Alfa Alfa Group. A group of international investors from distant countries, they couldn't manage the park properly from different cultural and continental backgrounds. The park would close early on a whim, the food was sub-par even for an amusement park, and would make a dinner at the local fast-food restaurant seem like a 7 course meal.

Enter the 2001 season...

After an outstanding opening season Jazzland promised patrons it would be adding a new rollercoaster into the mix for the very next season. Even advertising season passes under this premise, the park seemed like it was flying high. Underneath the propaganda, it was a time bomb. Soon the 2001 season came, and there was no new rollercoaster to be found. Along with this disappointment came the obvious decline in attendance, but the park posted profits through most of the season, and eventually tallied-out into the out season. With the advent of the 2002 season on the horizon the park once again announced that they would have a new rollercoaster (the original design for the first) at the park for opening day of the 2002 season. Unfortunately, the 2nd time was the charm, and the coaster was still never constructed. The park soon after declared bankruptcy, but secured finances well enough to open and operate the park for it's opening date.

The Big Step...

In July of 2002 a deal with Six Flags was tabled and agreed on. The park is now under the management of the biggest amusement park operator in the continental United States, and there are new rides planned for the next season. Already on the property are 3 new flat rides, and a Bolliger and Mabillard Inverted coaster themed to the Warner Bros. (Six Flags Entertainment Partner) Property Batman. Only time will tell how it all plays out, but the future certainly looks bright.