EPR Properties announced Thursday it has reached definitive agreements with Six Flags Entertainment Corporation to acquire a portfolio of seven regional parks located in the United States and Canada, including La Ronde in Montreal.
The transaction, valued at approximately $342 million USD (roughly $451 million CAD), will see EPR Properties entrust the operation of the Montreal park to La Ronde Operations Inc., a company owned by Kieran Burke, upon closing. This deal significantly expands EPR Properties’ presence in the experiential real estate sector.
Burke similarly operates Village Vacances Valcartier, located in Quebec City, and Calypso Waterpark in Limoges, Ontario.
“I have a special affection for La Ronde, having attended Expo ‘67 as a child. While serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Six Flags [de 1998 à 2005. NDLR], I negotiated the lease with the City of Montreal and managed this park for several years,” Burke said in a press release.
“I am very proud to capture on its management and operation in the years ahead, with a commitment to respecting the traditions and rich history that are so dear to Montrealers and to visitors from around the world,” he added.
La Ronde amusement park, on Île Sainte-Hélène in Montreal. (Archival Photo)
Photo : Getty Images / Sébastien St-Jean
Operational Continuity Expected
La Ronde Operations assures that no immediate organizational changes are planned, and visitors can expect La Ronde to “remain the park they know and love.”
Existing season passes will be honored for the 2026 season, including multi-park privileges with other Six Flags parks.
Six Flags, which previously flirted with bankruptcy in the early 1990s, has changed hands several times, including ownership by Time Warner, Premier Parks, and Red Zone. Following its 2023 merger with Cedar Fair, the company recently managed around twenty amusement parks, including La Ronde, which it acquired in 2001.
“Consistent with our strategy, this divestiture allows us to focus our capital, leadership team, and operational efforts on properties we believe generate the best returns and offer the greatest long-term growth potential,” said John Reilly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Six Flags.
The transaction between Six Flags and EPR Properties is expected to close in the first or second quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals. EPR Properties announced the definitive agreements on March 5, 2026.
The City of Montreal stated it “looks forward to collaborating with the new managers, who operate Village Vacances Valcartier, to boost La Ronde’s appeal and aid make Montreal the best tourist destination in the country.” The current lease between the City and the park operator has approximately forty years remaining.
Addressing Past Challenges
La Ronde has faced several challenges in recent years.
In August 2025, the Titan roller coaster was temporarily closed after experiencing unsettling shaking during operation.
In 2019, two gondolas on the Ferris wheel malfunctioned, though no injuries were reported.
The park operator also faced criticism for a lack of investment, leading to the removal of several original attractions, including the Minirail, Pitoune, and, more recently, La Spirale.
Reduced operating hours in 2022 also drew complaints from park enthusiasts.
Last summer, historian Roger La Roche, an expert on Expo 67, noted how the Montreal amusement park had lost some of its DNA under Six Flags’ direction.
“The company doesn’t even make money from its rides; it’s the food and those kinds of things that generate significant revenue. So the idea of investing solely due to the fact that something is historical is simply no longer present within the current administration,” he said in an interview on ICI RDI.
With information from The Canadian Press
