Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord

Waterworld California opened in 1995, initially Waterworld USA. It was built by what was then Premier Parks which also leased the original WaterWorld USA (now Raging Waters Sacramento) and operated it. Premier Parks owned Marine World Africa USA (now Six Flags Discovery Kingdom) nearby. The same management managed the three parks, and their close proximity allowed deals such that season passes to Marine World always served at the Waterworld USA parks. On 1 April 1998, Premier Parks purchased Six Flags and subsequently changed its name to Six Flags Inc.

 

In 1998 Six Flags began rebranding various properties, but until 2003, when they became Six Flags Waterworld, the Waterworld parks were not renamed again. Six Flags divested themselves of several properties at the end of the 2006 season including the two Waterworld parks. On 11 January 2007, CNL Lifestyle Properties bought the Concord Property. Premier Parks LLC operated several CNL properties like Waterworld — though similar in name, the park was not designed by the same company. CNL sold its recreational assets, including Waterworld, to EPR Properties in November 2016. Waterworld continues to be owned by Premier Parks LLC. On April 27, 2017, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced it would take over the park's operations from Premier Parks, LLC. On February 22, 2018, Six Flags announced the name of the park would change to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord.

 

On March 13, 2020, Six Flags announced a suspension of operations around the organization due to rising COVID-19 pandemic concerns. The water park revealed on their social media in early August that the 2020 operating season has been canceled and that Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord looks forward to opening up again in 2021. This will be the first water park season to fail to operate since its introduction in 1995.

 

Incidents:

 

The Banzai Pipeline collapsed on June 2, 1997, after students stacked up in the water slide in an effort to break a school record. Under the weight of the students, all of whom had gathered in the section in particular, a portion of the slide gave way, causing the group to fall several meters to the ground. The water slide collapse caused 32 injuries and the death of an 18-year-old woman. It was reported that the weight forces encountered by the slide were three times greater than for which it was intended. This incident had been discussed on a Dateline show.