The ripple effects of the $8 billion Six Flags Cedar Fair merger have officially reached Southern California, with Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain losing their longtime presidents in a dramatic reshaping of leadership across the company’s 27 amusement parks.
As part of a sweeping operational overhaul under the newly merged entertainment giant, Six Flags Cedar Fair has laid off Knott’s president Jon Storbeck and Magic Mountain president Jeff Harris. Both will remain in their positions through the end of May but will not be replaced.
A screenshot of Knott’s Scary Farm via TheDailyWoo YouTube
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According to a statement from Six Flags, the company has eliminated all individual park presidents, centralizing decision-making at the corporate level under a newly implemented regional operating model.
“Under this new alignment, we have centralized certain functions and responsibilities at the corporate level,” said Six Flags in a statement. “The company also made some changes to the roles and responsibilities of park leaders, sharpening the parks’ focus on execution, the guest experience and associates.”
In total, 10% of the company’s full-time staff will be cut, including 135 full-time roles across California parks such as Knott’s Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Discovery Kingdom, and California’s Great America. The company says eligible employees will either be offered part-time roles or receive severance packages.
A Major Shake-Up for Two Theme Park Veterans
Jon Storbeck joined Knott’s Berry Farm in 2016 after over three decades with The Walt Disney Company. Starting as a ride operator at Disneyland, he rose through the ranks to become vice president of Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Resort Hotels. He was recognized in 2020 by the Orange County Register as one of the region’s most influential figures, in large part due to his leadership transforming Knott’s into a major food festival destination during the height of lockdowns.
Guests ride Westcoast Racers at Six Flags Magic Mountain – YouTube, National Coasters
Jeff Harris, meanwhile, only assumed the role of Magic Mountain president in 2023, but brought with him 30 years of Six Flags experience. His career began at Magic Mountain as a food service cashier and progressed through finance roles, including a long stint at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Industry Reaction: “This Die Was Cast”
Former Cedar Fair CEO Matt Ouimet, who also previously led Disneyland, took to LinkedIn to comment on the layoffs, noting that they weren’t about performance but the inevitable cost-cutting that accompanies mergers of this size.
“This die was cast when the merger agreement was signed,” wrote Ouimet. “It isn’t because the business or the individuals were performing poorly. This is purely math.”
A screenshot of one of the attractions at Knott’s Scary Farm via Sharp Productions YouTube
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Ouimet, who left the Cedar Fair board prior to the merger’s finalization in July 2024, admitted he chose retirement in part to avoid voting on a merger he believed would result in the loss of talented executives.
“Several of the industry’s best are marching into the unknown on a timeline not of their choosing,” he said.
What Comes Next?
The restructuring is expected to wrap by the end of June, but theme park insiders like Screamscape editor Lance Hart believe the effects will continue to reverberate throughout the entire chain. With corporate consolidation often comes decreased autonomy at the park level and increased focus on cost synergies — something investors may applaud but fans and employees may experience quite differently.
A roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain – YouTube, National Coasters
At present, the company has not confirmed whether eliminating Six Flags presidents and additional leadership layoffs will affect park operations or planned expansions, but millions in investments are still flowing into these properties, including a water park renovation at Magic Mountain.
Still, the loss of familiar and respected leadership at two of California’s most iconic parks marks the end of an era — and signals a very different future under the Six Flags Cedar Fair merger.
Are you surprised that Knotts and Six Flags Magic Mountain fired their presidents? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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