Six Flags Magic Mountain President Neal Thurman will move east and change companies next month to become the new park president at Busch Gardens Tampa.
The SeaWorld theme park today confirmed the change. Thurman will start on September 8. Thurman has run Six Flags' most-visited theme park since 2018, coming to the Los Angeles-area park from Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. Thurman previously worked as park president for Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio.
Here's Thurman, joining me on-ride for the opening of Six Flags Magic Mountain's West Coast Racers earlier this year.
In Tampa, Thurman will be at the helm when Busch Gardens opens its record-setting Iron Gwazi hybrid coaster from Rocky Mountain Construction next year. The conversion and expansion of the former Gwazi wooden coaster was supposed to open this year, but parent company SeaWorld pushed all its unopened new attractions back to 2021, due to the pandemic and result tourism slowdown.
Thurman will replace Stewart Clark, who will move into a new role as Senior Vice President of Zoo Commercial Operations for SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
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I just wrote a few days ago how Magic Mountian only had one coaster listed in the top 50. The last time I went was 2010 and felt the park had lost their touched. I dont know if this good news or bad news for Magic Mountain.