Six Flags NO deal pushes on without Nickelodeon

Despite Nickelodeon pulling out of the deal involving Six Flags New Orleans, the company initially interested in the park and formerly partnered with Nickelodeon, Southern Star Amusement, is seeking to push forward anyway.

Southern Star CEO Danny Rogers is now saying that his company has acquired the funds to make an offer to the New Orleans officials to purchase the land out-right. "We're basically wanting to just go ahead and buy the property from the city of New Orleans and stop fooling around," Rogers told New Orleans City Business. "We don't want to play this game anymore. If they want the park redeveloped, we want them to sell us the land and everything that is on it." Rogers claims that he is ready to offer the city $12.5 million for the land and assets.

On Nickelodeon, Rogers says his former partner's cold feet has had little impact on his company's resolve: "Nickelodeon has decided to do what Nickelodeon wants to do," said Rogers. "They were nothing more than a licensing company in the first place. We are still dedicated to redeveloping the site, so we're wanting the city to just sell us the property straight out -- no lease, no nothing -- we just want to buy it and then we'll do what it is we want to do on our own time."

However, Southern Star's own financial adviser and board member David Crais seems to think Rogers' offer will fall on deaf ears. "It's a pipe dream," said Crais. "He doesn't have $12.5 million and the city's not a willing seller... I think the city would want to see $12.5 million in cash," he said. "They'd want to see a bank statement before they would agree to anything. I think at this level the trust factor comes into play."