Nickelodeon to open theme park in New Orleans

[P.I. Squirrel]

From Nola.com:

Flanked by Mayor Ray Nagin and City Councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis, Nickelodeon officials today announced they plan to build a theme park at the abandoned Six Flags site in eastern New Orleans, starting this fall and opening by late 2010.

In July, the Baton Rouge firm Southern Star Amusement applied for $100 million in bonds for the project. Southern Star plans to partner with Nickeodeon on the deal, with Nickelodeon lending its considerable marketing muscle to the venture.

Officials from the two firms this morning sketched out a vision of a revitalized park that contains a mixture of rollercoasters and other traditional amusement-park fare with water-themed rides.

In an application to the Industrial Development Board for Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds, Southern Star said it wanted the bonds to restore existing buildings and major pieces of equipment at Six Flags, which has not reopened since being damaged in Hurricane Katrina.

Later today, officials from Nickelodeon and Southern Star are scheduled to appear before the IDB in support of their bond application. At the announcement this morning, they indicated that the viability of the project -- which they described as a $165 million deal -- is largely contingent on approval of the bond application.

Looks like they're finally going to do something with the old Six Flags site.

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

Thanks for posting thisMy SIL and I were just talking about the park the other day wanting to know if someone was ever going to come in a do something with it. I hope that it is successful.

 

[Rora]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

 

[cajunmommy]

Third time's the charm??

I hope this serves as a catalyst for redevelopment of an area that's still struggling.