# WhY is Six Flags Not Six Flags (Truely Pointless) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757 "2003-07-20T16:17:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/21 "2003-07-20T19:48:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Super Gnat \* > \*\*What were the six flags anyway? Spain, Mexico, USA, Confederacy, France, … ? \*\* Spain France Mexico Republic of Texas Confederate States of America United States of America [http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/6flags.htm](http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/6flags.htm) ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/22 "2003-07-20T21:02:07Z")
Here in Denver Elitch’s was Elitch’s for 50 years. When SIx flags bought it and named it six flags over Elitch Gardens, Everybody now calls it Elitch’s(and always will dadgumit 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/23 "2003-07-20T22:21:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manhattan \* > \*\*. Six Flags itself spent the eighties and nineties bouncing around among owners, including a stint with Time Warner, before ending up a subsidiary of Premier Parks in 1998. > \*\* Being in my Mid Twenties, I remember the point when Six Flags was owned by time Warner, the first trip there that I remember I remember hugging Sylvester and pointing out the roadrunner the coyote and getting really pissed when he didn’t run after him only to fall off a cliff. Damn stuck up coyote. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/24 "2003-07-20T23:14:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Isn’t it called “Six Flags: (something else)” in other places? ie, it wouldn’t be called Great Adventure anyway… Not that that’s the point of the OP. Just being picky. Well, you are right in that the metro Cleveland park is call “World of Adventure,” but I had not really realized that because nobody calls it that, either–just Six Flags. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/25 "2003-07-20T23:59:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TWDuke \* > \*\*Spain > France > Mexico > Republic of Texas > Confederate States of America > United States of America > > [http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/6flags.htm](http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/6flags.htm) \*\* [The Big Guy wrote about this, too.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_235.html) ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/26 "2003-07-21T01:19:58Z")
Like Jeff Olsen said. Great America in Chicago was originally Mariott’s Great America. It later was bought and became Six Flags Great America. We just kept calling it Great America. ---
**Author:** ![AntaresJB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AntaresJB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AntaresJB)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/27 "2003-07-21T01:48:01Z")
I think the one near here is officially Six Flags: Darien Lake, but I’ve always just heard it called Darien Lake. I’m pretty sure it was an independent park before Six Flags bought it, too, so that would explain it. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/28 "2003-07-21T02:39:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*Holdover from the [Marriott](http://www.geocities.com/ezeiza/mga.html) years. \*\* I’m not sure that’s the same “Great America” park here in Chicago … I mean, look at the pictures. The place looks _clean_. That can’t be it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/29 "2003-07-21T03:04:10Z")
From this [fan site](http://www.gadv.com/19741979.html), which looks pretty well-researched, it appears that Six Flags Great America was built by one Warner LeRoy and acquired by Six Flags in 1977. Six Flags the corporation has a pretty convoluted history as I recall, and the corporate website doesn’t have much to say about it - hmm. A [Six Flags Astroworld](http://www.sixflagshouston.com/timeline.html) website mentions some of the transactions - almost falling into bankruptcy, rescue by Time Warner, then in 1998, sale by Time Warner to something called Premier Parks - which promptly renamed itself Six Flags Corporation. The company’s most recent 10-K gives a clue, though, to the name changes: > [@](#): > > We have worldwide ownership of the Six Flags name. To capitalize on this name recognition, since the commencement of the 1998 season, we have rebranded twelve of our parks as “Six Flags” parks, including three of our international parks. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/30 "2003-07-21T03:57:34Z")
Astroworld, in Houston, was bought out by Six Flags in 1976. Although it was still referred to as just Astroworld for many years afterward. Only in the last 10 or so years has Six Flags been saying “Six Flags” Astroworld. I think now they are trying to phase out the “Astroworld” part. But us locals who grew up with it still call it by its original name. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757/31 "2003-07-21T18:17:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by interface2x \* > \*\*I’m not sure that’s the same “Great America” park here in Chicago … I mean, look at the pictures. The place looks _clean_. That can’t be it. 😉 \*\* Well, they _are_ from about 20 years ago. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-six-flags-not-six-flags-truely-pointless/189757.md?page=1)