As part of the acquisition, Paramount purchased the parks owned by Kings: Great America, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, and a 20% stake in Canada's Wonderland in addition, Paramount would acquire Kings Island, which was operated by Kings for its owner, American Financial Corporation. The company acquired Kings Entertainment for $400 million on July 31, 1992, and created Paramount Parks. Three years later, Paramount Communications (formerly Gulf+Western), the owners of Paramount Pictures, sought to join other entertainment companies as a theme park owner. In the agreement, the city would earn 5% of all revenue that exceeds $56 million. In 1989, the city sold the park to Kings Entertainment, while retaining ownership of the land that the park occupied. Kings Entertainment Company, who owned and operated other amusement parks, was hired in 1985 to manage Great America for the city. Caz Development settled and was allowed to build a hotel and office near the park, which the city renamed Great America. The city acquired the park for $93.5 million from Marriott, which retained 20 acres (8.1 ha) from the sale for development. All parties were able to agree on a compromise, which was signed in marathon sessions taking place in early June 1985. After Marriott refunded a $20 million down payment back to the city, negotiations were restarted. Unable to broker a timely agreement, the city council voted 6–1 to scuttle the sale on February 5, 1985, though the city was still interested in owning the park. The court nullified the sale, forcing the city to attempt to salvage the deal through negotiations with the other parties. Caz Development then sued the city and Marriott in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County to block the transaction. The citywide vote passed, approving the sale by a margin of 3 to 1. Fearing homebuilding on the land by Caz Development would lower home values of existing homeowners, the city council approved a $101 million purchasing agreement on January 31, 1984, by a 4–3 vote that also had to be approved by city residents. Marriott also involved the city of Santa Clara in negotiations, which was already leasing 55 acres (22 ha) of parking space for the amusement park. An interested party, Caz Development Co., appraised the land value at US$800,000 to $1 million per acre. The park, though profitable, was still an earnings disappointment for Marriott, leading the company in 1983 to explore options to sell. View of California's Great America from above A third park was initially planned for the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, but the idea was later abandoned after several failed attempts to sway local opposition. Less than two months later, on May 29, the company opened a second Marriott's Great America – later known as Six Flags Great America – north of Chicago in Gurnee, Illinois. Admission was US$7.95 (equivalent to $41 in 2022) for adults (12 and up) and US$6.95 (equivalent to $36 in 2022) for children (4–11). The hotel and restaurant operator Marriott Corporation completed Marriott's Great America on the site of what had been a pear orchard and opened it to the public on March 20, 1976. While Cedar Fair plans to eventually close the park by 2033, the land rental agreement is a six-year lease through 2028 that gives Prologis the option of extending it another five years. Santa Clara eventually sold the land occupied by the park to Cedar Fair in 2019, who then sold it to Prologis in 2022. Paramount Parks acquired the park in 1992, followed by Cedar Fair in 2006. It was then sold to Kings Entertainment Company in 1989 while Santa Clara retained ownership of the land. Ownership of the park transitioned several times, beginning with the city of Santa Clara's acquisition from Marriott in 1985. The park appeared in the 1994 films Beverly Hills Cop III and Getting Even with Dad. Other notable rides include RailBlazer, a single-rail coaster from Rocky Mountain Construction, and Flight Deck, an inverted coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard. California's Great America features over 40 rides and attractions, and one of its most notable is Gold Striker, which has been featured as a top-ranked wooden roller coaster in Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards publication. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, it originally opened in 1976 as one of two parks built by the Marriott Corporation.
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