Six Flags appoints John Reilly as CEO
Posted
From the press release:
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) (the “Company”, “Six Flags” or the “Combined Company”), the largest regional amusement park operator in North America, today announced the appointment of John Reilly as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective December 8, 2025. Mr. Reilly will also join the Six Flags Board of Directors (the “Board”) at that time. The appointment concludes a robust succession planning process led by the Six Flags Board with the assistance of a leading global executive search firm.
Mr. Reilly succeeds Richard A. Zimmerman, who, as previously announced on August 6, 2025, is stepping down as the Company’s President and CEO. Mr. Zimmerman will also step down from the Company’s Board, effective December 8, 2025.
Mr. Reilly brings more than three decades of in-depth experience in the amusement and recreation industry, with significant operational management and strategic growth expertise. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Palace Entertainment U.S. and Group Chief Operating Officer at Parques Reunidos, where he was instrumental in improving guest satisfaction while driving margin expansion across the company’s properties in the U.S., Australia and Europe. Prior to Parques Reunidos, he served as interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer at SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, where he helped deliver meaningful EBITDA growth and total shareholder returns.
“After a thorough search process, we are thrilled to have appointed an accomplished and experienced leader with the right skillset to enable Six Flags to reach its full potential,” said Marilyn Spiegel, Chair-elect of the Six Flags Board. “John is joining at a critical moment for the Company, following the merger of Six Flags and Cedar Fair last year. With a fresh set of eyes, combined with significant experience optimizing theme park operations and performance, we believe John will harness the best of both legacy companies and will reinvigorate profitable growth at our underperforming parks.”
"I am honored to serve as Six Flags’ next President and Chief Executive Officer and look forward to working with the Board, leadership team, and talented associates to deliver results," said Mr. Reilly. "The combination of Six Flags and Cedar Fair created an unrivaled collection of parks with immense opportunity, and I believe we can reach new heights and deliver significant near- and long-term growth. I am excited to deliver even greater experiences for our guests and value to our shareholders.”
Mr. Zimmerman said, “It has been a privilege to lead Six Flags through critical and transformative periods, and I am confident the Company is poised for tremendous growth and success. John’s leadership track record and passion for creating memorable guest experiences make him the ideal choice to serve as this incredible Company’s next leader, and I look forward to supporting a smooth transition.”
ABOUT JOHN REILLY
John Reilly is a seasoned executive with more than thirty years of experience in the amusement and recreation industry. He has a proven track record of delivering operational excellence and driving financial performance. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Palace Entertainment U.S. and Group Chief Operating Officer at Parques Reunidos. Prior to Parques Reunidos, Mr. Reilly was interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer at SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. He earned an MBA from the University of Miami and a B.A. from William & Mary.
Some of John's previous roles with SEAS:
Park President BGW (December 2007–November 2010)
Park President, SeaWorld SD (November 2010–April 2016)
COO (April 2016–February 2019)
Interim CEO (February 2018–February 2019.
John left after not being selected as CEO role after Joel Manby's rift with Scott Ross.
(Speaking of COOs leaving, there's a good chance Tim Fisher will do the same in the next few months.)
Here's an interesting point: John was with SEAS during the darkest days of Blackfish. When he took over as COO, attendance had dropped almost 20%. He deserves some credit for turning that around with capital.
I don't think Palace parks are shining beacons of operations today, but one thing they did get right was consistent capital improvements at scale for their portfolio. While everyone was looking at the debacle that was Steel Curtain, the rest of these parks were doing quality of life upgrades to improve the guest experience.
So this is an interesting selection, and tells me the board values someone with experience on impactful capital, and experience with "small" parks via his time with Palace. I'd call this a bullish hire, as opposed to someone with no industry experience coming in and vomiting out ways to synergize their way to growth.
Yeah, my read is that he's an operator first, financial guy second (or third...). The situation at SEAS was intolerable, and I can't believe he stayed there as long as he did.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
I confess to being pleasantly surprised. I was expecting someone who was more on the money side.
I'm at least a bit optimistic that he seems to be an amusement industry guy and not a finance guy. He was with Sea World in various roles during some of their better times and also through some of their worst times (although having visited some of their parks recently, I think their worst times, at least operationally, might be right now). Kennywood fans don't seem to like him. I believe he would have been COO during the Palace ownership of that park.
I assume Fisher will leave because he didn't get the CEO job? It's my understanding that he was a big driver behind "standardizing" on cheap season pass strategy which came at a time of heavy inflation and trained all their markets into thinking the parks are a cheap product. Now the new guy will get to try to put that genie back into the bottle. I don't envy that position because Wall Street will be too impatient to have it happen over several years and the common folk will reject the product altogether if they raise prices too quickly.
-Matt
This is a solid hire. Now let’s get talent like Jason McClure, Jeffrey Siebert, Colleen Murphy-Brady and a few others promoted and/or given the tools to do what they know needs to be done to right the ship. These mostly legacy CF folks are the ones who can dig this company out of the deep hole it’s in.
I wish him well.
I don't pretend to know what the balance is, but when you're dealing with a £1bn+ public company, I am not sure I buy into the need for them having been a successful GM etc.
With things as they are, your key relationships are going to be with the markets and your creditors, at that scale you shouldn't be going full Kinzel and being so close to the detail, the good people around you should do that.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
With things as they are, your key relationships are going to be with the markets and your creditors, at that scale you shouldn't be going full Kinzel and being so close to the detail, the good people around you should do that.
Witherow who was CFO under Dick is still CFO under new SF, and the last major Kinzel CF person in a high level position, if he outlast Matt, Fisher, Zimmerman, and Bossul, I think that speaks volumes. Reily being at BGW post Busch sale, was still good, and doing more with less, it wasn’t until the last 5 years that United really took a turn. Steel Curtain I would put 85% of that on S&S, PR did many small improvements very well with a very tight budget at KW, not as much as Herschend at KK but close.
With the park president and marketing core hammered, but with the right people mostly promoted, having an operations guy, isn’t a bad thing.
Im really surprised by IAAPA they haven’t announced any concrete cap ex, or where things moving from SFA yet.
I assume with him hired, maybe January once the board, and he gets settled they lock down the plan for the year concretely. And an actual date for Montezuma.
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