An adrenaline rush is coming to the Big Easy. Jazzland will reopen April 5th as Six Flags New Orleans, with all of the thrills, spills and excitement of the other Six Flags theme parks.
The park will feature two new roller coasters: one located in the D.C. Comics area and one in the Mardi Gras section. The Batman ride, featured in the D.C. area, is a suspended roller coaster designed at Bollinger and Mabill. The roller coaster consists of 2,700 feet of track, two vertical loops, and enough twists and turns to bring more screams than Tiger football season. The D.C. area will be next to Cajun Country.
Artistic director Robert Thomas said Six Flags plans to bring with the theme and new rides, a “renewed commitment to world class service.”
Thomas is scouting talent at LSU and Southern to fill the seven new shows coming to theaters being built across the park.
There will be country, American pop and state of rhythm shows on various stages, as well as “What’s Up Rock?” a show featured in the children’s area, he said.
Thomas also said during the summer, the park will close nightly with a new multimedia show called “End of the Night” on Ponchatrain Beach. The show includes video, blazers and fire works. Guests also can start planning for a Fourth of July Blowout on the lake.
“Initially, we planned to re-brand the park over the next two years. However, as a result of our growing commitment to the New Orleans region we chose to accelerate our schedule, increase the rate of capital improvements and add the brand to the park for the 2003 season,” said Six Flags President Gary Story.
Six Flags is the largest regional theme park company with more than 39 parks around the world and is the number one brand among ages six to 17, according to Thomas. The corporation holds exclusive licenses with Warner Brothers and D.C. Comics. Sixteen parks bear the brand name Six Flags in the United States, two in Europe and one in Mexico.
Alfa SmartParks originally owned Jazzland. After a drop in attendance, Alfa Alfa Holdings, a part company to Alfa SmartParks, encouraged closing the park. In an attempt to save jobs, ASP CEO Randy Drew made attempts to keep the park open.
The Times Picayune reported in February 2002 that Jazzland filed for bankruptcy. In a last effort to save the park, Drew purchased Jazzland with a group of investors. The state gave Jazzland tax cuts and deferences on loans, but eventually the owners sold the park to Six Flags.
The park is closed and under renovation. Jazzland will reopen as Six Flags New Orleans in April and will close for the season in the fall with an October Night Fest.