Six Flags Shares Fall 14% After Fatal Goliath Incident Prompts Ride Closures
The incident compounds existing pressure from activist investor Jana Partners for a sale. Regulatory scrutiny of amusement ride safety standards and insurance costs may rise. No other U.S. operator has reported comparable fatalities in the same period.
Local Georgia police are examining the ejection of one rider from the Goliath coaster. Six Flags closed parallel installations at the park and issued a statement expressing condolences without identifying mechanical or procedural causes. Shares reached their lowest level since December 2009, extending a three-year decline of two-thirds.
Georgia state regulators: within 90 days they will issue at least one public citation or temporary closure order on the Goliath ride or its maintenance protocol.
Sources (3)
- [1]AP News report on Six Flags statement(https://apnews.com)
- [2]Wall Street Journal on Jana Partners demands(https://wsj.com)
- [3]Georgia Bureau of Investigation incident log(https://gbi.georgia.gov)