Six Flags suspended 9 roller coasters after Georgia accident; Mako reopens

Key Facts

Six Flags temporarily suspended operations at 9 roller coasters across 6 parks on the day of the Goliath roller coaster accident in Georgia, according to the Associated Press, with some rides reopening in the following days. The accident occurred at Six Flags Over Georgia on October 12, according to the state's Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire. Police said a 42-year-old Atlanta resident died after being thrown from the roller coaster that afternoon. Another 4 minors were injured in the accident, ABC News reported, citing police. The suspensions included rides outside the park where the fatality occurred, according to AP coverage of the temporary closures announced by the company.

Georgia's regulator said in an investigation update that the last state inspection of Goliath found no violations or deficiencies. Describing the inspection findings, it added: "No violations, deficiencies, citations or red flags were recorded." Park management said its rides undergo daily, weekly, monthly and annual checks, outlining its inspection procedures in an operational update after the accident. Management announced that the park would open as scheduled on Friday, October 16, following the accident that prompted the regulatory investigation. Goliath remained listed as temporarily closed on the official closures page, with management saying: "Goliath is temporarily closed following the recent incident."

At Six Flags Magic Mountain, management reopened the roller coaster named Goliath after a review, according to an update published by the park. It said the ride was made by a different manufacturer from the Georgia coaster, despite the rides sharing a name and both being classified as hypercoasters. The closures also included Mako at SeaWorld Orlando, which confirmed to AP that it had suspended operations without specifying a reopening date in coverage published after the accident. WFTV subsequently reported, in coverage published on the day of this article, that Mako resumed operations on Tuesday. The station said the closure lasted about a week and that SeaWorld took the precaution out of an abundance of caution.

On its financial performance before the accident, Six Flags reported second-quarter revenue of $865 million, according to its earnings release filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Revenue in the corresponding period a year earlier was $930 million, according to the comparison provided in the same filing. Reported revenue thus fell by $65 million year on year, a decline of 7.0% for the quarter. Same-park attendance, meanwhile, totaled 13.1 million visits, an operating metric the company reported alongside revenue. That attendance rose 4% from the corresponding period, leaving quarterly performance marked by an increase in same-park visits and a decline in the company's reported total revenue.

United Parks & Resorts reported revenue of $483.3 million in the second quarter of 2026, according to its earnings release filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Revenue fell by $6.9 million from the corresponding period a year earlier, according to the company's results for the quarter. That represented a year-on-year decline of 1.4%, according to the financial statement, predating Mako's precautionary closure in October. The chief executive attributed part of the impact on quarterly results to a shift in the timing of Easter, in his explanation of the company's performance during the period. He also cited "continued declines in international visitation" as a factor affecting results, alongside the impact of the holiday's timing mentioned in the filing.

In after-hours trading on Monday, October 12, Six Flags shares fell 9.5% to $10.79, according to Investing.com's coverage published after the accident. The move occurred during extended trading on the day of the accident, before the trading session on the day of this article's publication, according to the timing of the coverage. In a report dated October 16, the website said UBS cut its price target for the company's shares to $18 from $27. The bank maintained its buy rating while lowering the price target, according to the same report on its updated assessment of the company. The outcome of the investigation into the Georgia park accident remains in focus, with the bank pointing to near-term uncertainty surrounding its findings.