New Orleans Six Flags closed in 2005 after being destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and has sat vacant since then. Deals have tried to be reached between developers and New Orleans East in the past but have not gone through. It is finally approved for a private consortium to redevelop the property into a new project that will be put to public use.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration announced Tuesday that Bayou Phoenix, the development group led by Troy Henry, has agreed to partnership terms with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, which oversees the 227-acre site. Bayou Phoenix was chosen in October 2021 for the project. Cantrell said her administration would “not waver in our commitment to a development project that is transparent, accountable and in the best interest and of the utmost benefit of our community.”
They are hopeful that demolition of the roller coaster will begin as soon as 2023. Residents are elated by the news, but Bayou Phoenix will still hold a public forum. At the forum they will present the master plan to the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority. Once it has been approved by the authority’s board, Bayou Phoenix will sign a lease allowing them onto the site. Once the lease is signed, the 42-month redevelopment period begins. There will be benchmarks throughout the 42-month process.
“Probably the first thing is to drain the place, just to get the pump working there so you can drain the water that’s been on there for years. Probably chase a few alligators away,” said Troy Henry of Bayou Phoenix.
Once it is cleared of water, the engineers and architects can actually go onsite to see how they will clear the remaining structures. Bayou Phoenix is still in the process of securing agreements with operators and financiers.
“We don’t have commitment letters at this point in time, but we’ve got an overwhelming amount of financial interest. Nobody is going to just do this off the top of their heads, says Henry.
