New vice president takes over for Six Flags

Prather wants to steer Largo park through corporate shifts

Friday, March 10, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo Barbara L. Salisbury⁄The Gazette ‘‘It was one of those things that you don’t ever want to go through again,” says Terry W. Prather, new vice president and general manager of Six Flags America in Largo, who ran Six Flags New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina last summer.

‘‘I didn’t move here to see it close,” said Prather, 51. ‘‘I came here because it was a great opportunity to manage this property. We have to bring value to this property. What we as a team will do is improve.”

It’s an uneasy period for Six Flags America. The theme park chain has new management following a board takeover last year by Washington Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder of Potomac. Its new president and CEO, Mark Shapiro, charged with turning around the flagging fortunes of the 45-year-old, 29-park chain, is reportedly mulling the future of the Largo park, including a possible sale.

Six Flags is also shifting its headquarters from Oklahoma City to New York City and, after the 2006 season, plans to sell its two parks in Oklahoma City, according to its Web site.

Prather, a former maintenance worker, moved to Maryland from New Orleans three weeks ago to work what he called his dream job, while steering his 100 full-time employees through this uncertain time. In the summer, the seasonal park employs about 2,000 workers, mostly teenagers and retirees.

Prather said his job is to keep the park on an even keel: ‘‘It’s making sure everyone is moving in the same direction.”

Six Flags officials say the park is a large economic generator for the Prince George’s County economy, but would not provide revenue figures.

Prather said running a theme park is a ‘‘dream come true.” During a trip to Sea World San Diego almost 30 years ago, he fell in love with the industry.

Terry w. Prather Lives in Annapolis with his wife, Shayla. Held management positions in the operations and maintenance departments at Six Flags New Orleans and Sea World in San Antonio. Was managing director of the Witte Museum in San Antonio for two years. Attended Morehouse College in Atlanta.

‘‘I remembered thinking that this would be a cool thing to do, but I never thought it would really happen,” said Prather, who has worked 17 years in the industry. ‘‘Once I got into the theme park industry, I was bitten by the bug and fell in love with it. I decided I wanted to stay in it and learn all I could learn.”

Prather, originally from Atlanta, has experience with calamity.

As the general manager of Six Flags New Orleans, he and his staff dealt with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina last summer.

‘‘It was one of those things that you don’t ever want to go through again,” Prather said. ‘‘I learned a lot from it. You learn so much about other people and yourself.”

Six Flags officials do not have major renovations in mind for the Largo park. Rather, they plan to focus on details — such as landscaping and pavement resurfacing — to increase revenue this season, which is set to run April 8 through Oct. 31.

Six Flags on Wednesday reported another year of losses in 2005. Despite a 9 percent increase of revenues to $1.09 billion from $1 billion in 2004, the company lost $110.9 million in 2005. However, that’s a big improvement from 2004, when Six Flags lost $464.8 million. Attendance was also up last year, to 33.7 million visitors, 4.9 percent more than 32.1 million visitors in 2004.

Correction, March 13, 2006:The original version of this story incorrectly reported the date of probable sale of two Oklahoma City Six Flags parks. The story has been corrected.