<P> Six Flags, officially Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, is an amusement park corporation based in the United States, with properties in the US, Canada, and Mexico . It is the largest amusement park company in the world, based on the number of properties owned, and is ranked sixth in terms of attendance . The company maintains twenty properties throughout North America including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks, and family entertainment centers . In 2016, Six Flags properties hosted over 30.1 million guests . </P> <P> Six Flags was founded in Texas and derived its name from its first property, Six Flags Over Texas . The company maintains a corporate office in Midtown Manhattan and its headquarters are in Grand Prairie, Texas . On June 13, 2009, the corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which it successfully exited after restructuring on May 3, 2010 . </P> <P> The name "Six Flags" refers to the flags of the six different nations that have governed Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States, and the Confederate States of America . The original park was (and still is) split into separate regions, such as the Spain and Mexico section which featured Spanish - themed rides, attractions, and buildings . </P> <P> The Six Flags chain originated in 1957 with the creation of The Great Southwest Corporation by Angus G. Wynne and other investors . Construction of "Six Flags Over Texas" started in 1960, and the park was opened the next year for a short (45 - day) season . The first park initially featured a Native American village, a gondola ride, a railroad, some Wild West shows, a stagecoach ride, and "Skull Island", a pirate - themed adventure attraction . There was also an excursion, inspired by the historical La Salle Expeditions in the late 1600s, called "LaSalle's River Adventure", aboard French riverboats through a wilderness full of animated puppets . Over time, all of those attractions, except for the railroad, would be replaced by others, such as roller coasters, swing rides, log flumes, and shoot - the - chute rides, as well as an observation tower . </P>

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