Illinois, also known as Old Chicago, is a themed area at Six Flags St. Louis, based on a metropolitan area in the city of Chicago, Illinois. It opened with the park on June 5, 1971. The area is notable for being the location of the tallest attractions in the park, SkyScreamer.
History[]
Illinois was one of the original "Six Flags" sections that opened with Six Flags Over Mid-America on June 5, 1971.
For the 1973 season, the Dodge City Bumper Cars opened, and the Old Glory Amphitheatre was constructed, a new outdoor music venue that would be used for all live concerts at the park.
In 1976, the Screamin' Eagle opened, which at the time of opening was the world's longest, tallest, and fastest roller coaster.
In 1996, the Aero Flyer was relocated from the Britannia section of the park and was renamed the Riverview Racer, named after the defunct Riverview Park in Chicago.
In May 2006, Superman: Tower of Power opened as the first new attraction to be added to the Illinois section in years. The ride is a 230-foot-tall drop tower themed after Superman. It was notable for being the first ride based on a DC Comics character to be located outside of DC Comics Plaza or Studio Backlot. It also at the time was the tallest ride in the park, changing the skyline.
In late 2010, Riverview Racer was removed for an upcoming 2011 attraction. On May 14, 2011, the 236-foot-tall swing tower ride SkyScreamer opened just in time for the park's 40th Anniversary.[1] It beat Superman: Tower of Power for the title of the tallest attraction at the park.
In late 2012, it was announced that Water Street Cab Company would close at the end of the season. On August 30, Six Flags St. Louis officially announced the addition of Boomerang, an 125-foot-tall standard boomerang roller coaster by Vekoma which was relocated from Six Flags Over Texas, where it had operated from 1989 to earlier that season.[2]
Near the end of the 2015 season, it was announced that Rush Street Flyer would close on November 8, 2015, the final day of the 2015 operating season. In August, Six Flags St. Louis announced the addition of Fireball, one of several Larson Loops to be added to Six Flags parks in 2016. It opened to the public on May 7, 2016.
In the summer of 2018, Tidal Wave closed for an extensive refurbishment, but did not reopen by the end of the season or the beginning of the next one as was initially expected by fans. After being closed for well over a year, it was reported on the week of December 2, 2019 that demolition had begun on Tidal Wave, a sad ending to a fan-favorite ride among families. In a sign posted near the demolition area, Six Flags St. Louis stated that, "After 28 seasons and 14 million rides, Tidal Wave has reached its the end of its useful life and will not re-open for the 2020 season. While we greatly appreciate the history and tradition of this classic shoot-the-chutes water ride, it is simply no longer feasible to refurbish the ride. Thank you for your patience while we evaluate alternatives for a replacement ride in the future." It has not yet been announced what manner of attraction will replace Tidal Wave, but it is expected to be a water ride to fill in the void left by Tidal Wave's departure.
Attractions[]
Current[]
- Screamin' Eagle (Opened 1976)
- Old Chicago Games (Opened ???)
- SkyScreamer (Opened 2011)
- Boomerang (Opened 2013)
- Fireball (Opened 2016)
Former[]
- Riverview Racer (1996–2010)
- Water Street Cab Company (1973–2012)
- Rush Street Flyer (1987–2015)
- Tidal Wave (1991–2018)
- Superman: Tower of Power (2006–2020)
Dining[]
Current[]
- Cotton Candy Factory
- Primo's Pizzeria
Former[]
Old Glory Amphitheatre[]
A concert at the Old Glory Amphitheatre
- Main article: Old Glory Amphitheatre
The Old Glory Amphitheatre is the main outdoor venue at Six Flags St. Louis. It was built in 1973. In recent years, the venue has rarely been used but in the past it used to be the location of yearly music festivals that often drew large crowds.
Timeline[]
- 1973: Dodge City opens and the Old Glory Amphitheatre is constructed.
- 1977: Screamin' Eagle opens.
- 1987: Rush Street Flyer opens.
- 1991: Tidal Wave opens, and Dodge City is renamed Water Street Cab Company.
- 1996: Aero Flyer is relocated from Britannia and becomes Riverview Racer.
- 2006: Superman: Tower of Power opens.
- 2010: Riverview Racer closes.
- 2011: SkyScreamer opens.
- 2012: Water Street Cab Company closes and is demolished to make way for Boomerang.
- 2013: Boomerang opens.
- 2015: Rush Street Flyer closes at the end of the season.
- 2016: Fireball opens.
- 2018: Tidal Wave is demolished at the end of the season.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ SkyScreamer Takes Flight at Six Flags St. Louis. PR Newswire (May 13, 2011). Archived from the original on March 25, 2020.
- ↑ MacDonald, Brady (August 30, 2012). Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2013. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020.
