Will Minnesota’s Valleyfair Be Impacted by Six Flags Merger?

Update: A previous version of this story said it was unclear if Valleyfair would be rebranded.  A Cedar Fair representative did reach out to tell me: "There are no plans to change the names or branding of any Cedar Fair parks." 

Late last week, we learned that Six Flags and Cedar Fair are merging to create one giant theme park company. The two companies currently operate 27 amusement parks and 15 water parks in North America including Minnesota's very own Valleyfair, located at 1 Valley Fair Dr in Shakopee.

Valleyfair, which first welcomed visitors in 1976, has more than 75 rides and a full water park. I was curious about what kind of an impact the merger might have on Valleyfair, so I reached out to the company with several questions.

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Will Valleyfair Change Its Name To Six Flags?

CNN says the newly merged company will be called Six Flags but will use Cedar Fair’s stock ticker FUN.

Cedar Fair says there are no plans to change its park's names.

I wanted to know if Valleyfair would be adding new attractions and rides.

In a press release, Selim Bassoul, president and CEO of Six Flags, said:

"Six Flags and Cedar Fair share a strong cultural alignment, operating philosophy, and steadfast commitment to providing consumers with thrilling experiences."

Bassaoul added, "By combining our operational models and technology platforms, we expect to accelerate our transformation activities and unlock new potential for our parks."

I also asked about staff reductions.

CBS News says, "The merger will result in an estimated $200 million in cost savings, according to their projections, with more than half of those coming from administration and operational cost cuts."

The $8 billion deal won't be finalized until early 2024 so don't expect any major changes until then but it's safe to say there will be some shakeups once the ink dries.