Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, also known as pop superstar Taylor Swift’s fiance, announced this week that he’s investing in theme park company Six Flags. His inspiration: a love for Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.
“Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to continue the tradition and make Cedar Point and Six Flags even more special for the next generation of families!” said Kelce in an Instagram post. “Excited to partner with JANA Partners as an investor in Six Flags. So crazy to even imagine this is real, but you gotta love it when life comes full circle.”
Kelce, 36, grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, around an hour and a half drive to Cedar Point amusement park on the shores of Lake Erie.
“So many memories from this place,” said Kelce, who grew up going to the park with his family and friends.
According to the park website, its history dates back to the establishment of a public bathing beach in 1870. Development of the area continued and the first Cedar Point roller coaster – the 25-foot-tall and 10 mph Switchback Railway – opened in 1892.
Cedar Point has since become known for its innovative rides. For example, in 1969 it welcomed the Cedar Creek Mine Ride, one of the first roller coasters to utilize steel tubular track. Today, the beloved Midwestern attraction is home to Millennium Force, a coaster that “demanded an all-new category,” when it was created, now known as the “giga-coaster.”
Last July, Six Flags announced a merger with Cedar Point parent company Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, growing its combined roster to 42 parks across North America. However, Celevland.com reported this September that attendance at company parks was down 9% following the merger, that revenue was off by $100 million, and that debt was swelling to $5 billion.
“Executives are now evaluating a sweeping sell-off of parks to stabilize the business,” said the outlet.
JANA Partners, the company Kelce is partnering with to invest in Six Flags, was founded in 2001 by Barry Rosenstein. Per a company press release, it “invests in undervalued public companies and engages with management teams and boards to unlock value for shareholders.” That press release also said consumer executive Glenn Murphy and technology executive Dave Habiger are partnering with Kelce and JANA to invest in Six Flags entertainment Corporation.
“JANA plans to engage with the Company’s Board of Directors and management regarding opportunities to enhance shareholder value and improve the guest experience,” it added.
In the comments section of his Instagram post, people were already speculating how the Kelce connection might change things up at Cedar Point.
One asked “can we get a ride called Cruel Summer,” referring to his fiancée’s hit song. The account for Kelce’s own podcast “New Heights”, hosted with his brother Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles, also offered a coaster name suggestion: “Kelce Coaster coming soon.”