New Era for Valleyfair: Minnesota Theme Park Officially Sold

A major shift is coming to Shakopee, and the future of Minnesota’s largest amusement park has just been placed in new hands. While the gates will still open later this spring, the signature thrill of the park’s next chapter might be the one happening behind the scenes!

Valleyfair has been Minnesota's lone amusement park for the past five decades. It's been an iconic part of the North Star State, standing tall along Highway 169 in Shakopee since it first opened back in 1976.

New Owners for Valleyfair: Six Flags Announces Massive 7-Park Sale

Valleyfair features more than 75 rides, including eight roller coasters, Planet Snoopy featuring 15 children’s rides, and is home to Soak City, a seven-acre water park filled with slides, a wave pool, lazy river, and children’s water features.

ALSO INTERESTING: Why Mysterious Blue Spots Are Appearing in Lawns Across Minnesota Right Now

Back in 2024, Valleyfair announced that it had new owners, as a merger deal between Cedar Fair and Six Flags officially closed. This means Valleyfair has been part of the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation for nearly two years already.

But in a new deal unveiled on Thursday, March 5, 2026, Six Flags announced that it's selling Valleyfair, along with six other amusement parks in the U.S. and one in Canada, to a new owner.

In addition to Valleyfair, People magazine reported that the deal includes the following properties:

• Michigan's Adventure in Muskegon, Michigan
• Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston in Texas
• Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury, New York
• Six Flags La Ronde in Montreal, Canada
• Six Flags St. Louis in Missouri
• Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri

What the EPR Properties Deal Means for Your 2026 Season Pass

The People story said all seven properties are being sold for for $340 million to EPR Properties, a real estate investment trust company located in Kansas City, Mo, that already owns a variety of movie theaters, ski resorts, and other amusement parks. The parks will be run by Enchanted Parks, which already operates Water Safari in New York and Diggerland USA in New Jersey.

But while Vallefair will soon have new corporate owners, it doesn't look like you'll notice any big differences when you pass through the gates later this spring:

Six Flags says all seven parks will continue normal operations through the 2026 season and all season passes and active memberships will continued to be honored during that time, People reported.

Now Hiring: Valleyfair Prepares for Historic 50th Anniversary Season

Keep in mind, Valleyfair is getting ready to celebrate its 50th anniversary season, which is set to begin on May 10, 2026. As I wrote about last month, Valleyfair is currently looking to hire around 1,600 employees for the upcoming season.

A Valleyfair release said the park is hiring for 'a variety of positions, including rides, food and beverage, aquatics, retail, park services/cleanliness team, and specialty roles such as EMTs, security, and guest services.'

If you're interested, Valleyfair said you're encouraged to apply by visiting jobs.sixflags.com. Before you apply, though, just how well do you know your Valleyfair rides? Keep scrolling to check out a gallery of some of Valleyfair's popular rides and attractions!