Travis Kelce’s $200 Million Six Flags Investment Hit By X2 Ride Closure
Travis Kelce’s Six Flags deal faces a new twist as X2 is retired after injury lawsuits, while falling attendance and major losses put the company under pressure.
A roller coaster tied to Travis Kelce's $200 million Six Flags investment was taken off the tracks for good after a series of injury lawsuits put the ride under scrutiny. Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently retired X2 on Tuesday, ending the run of a coaster that had carried more than 16 million riders since its debut. The decision came at a difficult time for Six Flags, with attendance falling, losses growing and Jana Partners, Kelce's investment partner, urging the company to explore a possible sale.
Why the X2 roller coaster was taken off the tracks
Six Flags Magic Mountain President Brian Oerding announced Tuesday that X2 would be permanently retired. The ride had been closed since July 12, after two women reportedly collapsed after riding it less than a week apart and required hospital treatment.
One of them, 25-year-old Naomi Greer Wilkinson, suffered severe bleeding inside her skull and needed emergency brain surgery, according to the Associated Press. Her family later filed a lawsuit against Six Flags. Three lawsuits were filed last week alleging traumatic brain injuries linked to X2. Attorneys said more than 100 other people had reported brain injuries they believed were connected to the ride, with more cases expected.
Oerding said X2 had consistently passed safety tests, but the park chose to close it after considering guest confidence. Six Flags said the ride had carried more than 16 million riders since opening.
Travis Kelce's Six Flags investment faces financial pressure
X2 was not the only issue facing Six Flags. The company reported a $203 million net loss in the second quarter, compared with a $100 million loss during the same period a year earlier. Guest visits also fell to 13.1 million from 14.2 million.
Those numbers came as Jana Partners, which invested alongside Kelce, urged Six Flags' board to hire an investment bank and explore a possible sale, according to The Wall Street Journal. Kelce and Jana Partners acquired a combined stake of about 9 per cent in October 2025, with the investment valued at $200 million at the time. Kelce had described himself as a lifelong Six Flags fan and said he wanted to help make the parks special for future generations. He later became a brand ambassador for the company.
Six Flags said it remained committed to acting in the best interests of its shareholders and focused on its strategic priorities. Meanwhile, the retirement of X2 followed a wrongful death settlement involving a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022.