Six Flags is buying Wet 'N' Wild Phoenix.
The theme park operator announced Tuesday that it had entered into a purchase agreement with Premier Parks, LLC to purchase the lease rights to manage five of its water parks, including the 35-acre park near 43rd Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road in Phoenix.
"We are thrilled to welcome these outstanding properties and employees into our family of parks and look forward to sharing the thrill of Six Flags with guests of all ages in these key markets" said Jim Reid-Anderson, Six Flags chairman, CEO and president, in a prepared statement.
He said the properties "complement our existing portfolio and provide tremendous value and cross-visitation opportunities for our extensive membership and season pass base," according to the release.
Sandra Daniels, a spokeswoman for Six Flags Entertainment, said in an email that pass holders would not have immediate access to Wet 'n' Wild "but we hope to be able to offer that access...in the near future."
In a phone interview on Thursday, she said the theme park company is excited to join the Phoenix market and that there are no "immediate plans" to make changes to the water park.
A spokesperson for Wet 'N' Wild Phoenix said it was "business as usual."
Wet 'n' Wild has a mix of thrill and family water slides, including Constrictor and Mammoth Falls; the Monsoon Bay wave pool, Crazy Cactus Roaring River and Wet 'n' Wild Jr.
The sale is pending and expected to close in June 2018, the release said. The deal is worth $23 million, Daniels said.
Once the deal closes, Six Flags said it will be the "largest water park operator in North America."
The other water parks part of the deal are:
- Wet 'n' Wild Splashtown in Houston, Texas
- Darien Lake in Corfu, New York
- Frontier City in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- White Water Bay in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Wet 'n' Wild opened for the season in March. Admission is $31 - $44 dollars depending if tickets are bought online or at the door. Parking is $8.
It is located within the Maricopa County's Adobe Dam Regional Park, 4243 W Pinnacle Peak Rd, Glendale, AZ 85310.
Editor's note: This article was updated to include details from Thursday's interview with Sandra Daniels, spokesperson for Six Flags, and the price of the deal.
