Gurnee mayor candidates address financially strapped Six Flags

Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik and her two challengers have different takes on the possibility of Six Flags Great America's parent company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Kovarik, Anthony "Tony" Maniscalco and village Trustee Greg Garner covered Great America and other topics during a two-hour forum this morning hosted by the Gurnee Women's Business Association. About 50 spectators attended the event at village hall.

Voters will select Gurnee's mayor April 7.

Great America's parent company, Six Flags Inc., raised bankruptcy as a possibility in its annual report filed last week. Great America is projected to generate nearly $2 million in amusement tax revenue for Gurnee over the new budget year starting May 1.

In response to a question about Six Flags' poor financial condition, Kovarik told the crowd Gurnee could weather the loss of the park's amusement tax receipts if it closes. She said Gurnee could tap into $17 million sitting in reserve, if necessary.

"We are not anticipating Great America will close," said Kovarik, 51, who's been mayor since 2005.

But Garner, appointed by Kovarik as a trustee in September 2005, said the village would be better served by leaving its reserve fund alone and instead reducing the work force if Great America closed. He also said the village should be doing more to financially prepare for Great America's possible demise.

"I think if the park goes down, we'll be in trouble," said Garner, 51.

Maniscalco, 51, said he believes Great America's future is grim and too costly for families to visit anymore. He said village officials should consider what else could be built on what he called prime real estate just east of the Tri-State Tollway and Grand Avenue.

"I am very concerned about what happens at the park," said Maniscalco, who made an unsuccessful effort to win a trustee seat in 2005. "And the village should be concerned."

Read more on what the Gurnee mayoral candidates said at the forum in Thursday's Daily Herald or on dailyherald.com.