Coasting to 50: Six Flags Great America celebrates golden anniversary with season of surprises

Anticipation always accompanies opening weekend at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee. But the start of a new season Saturday comes with extra zip.

The big park that literally put a tiny community on the map and long has been a destination driver for Lake County's annual tourism economy — now at nearly $2 billion — is turning 50.

Starting June 20, a full slate of special events, features and throwbacks are planned to honor the park's heritage.

Included are a nightly stage show and parade, legacy museum, return of the Ice Cream Parlor in Hometown Square, live period entertainment through the decades, a memory wall in Carousel Plaza framing a collage of visitor-submitted vintage photos and more.

But approaching middle age hasn't slowed the self-proclaimed “Thrill Capital of the Midwest.”

In fact, the quest to offer the biggest, fastest and most revolutionary rides and attractions has led to constant change through the years. Advances in ride technology have continued to raise the bar.

With 17 roller coasters and counting, the shift to thrill rides has been undeniable.

The days of strolling minstrels, circus performers, dolphin shows and other activities have passed. But each year, millions of visitors spanning generations keep coming for the experience and to see what's new.

“Just knowing it's the 50th year, it is a little more special seeing how the park has evolved. It's our happy place.” said Bob Bendorf, a Gurnee resident and creator of Six Flags Great America Junkies, a Facebook page with more than 17,000 followers.

Bendorf visited the park as an infant when it debuted and goes countless times each season. He plans to be there Saturday.

Many rides and attractions, including the Looney Tunes characters, remain from when the park debuted May 29, 1976.

So do a scenic railway, Hometown Park with three original kids rides and the Whizzer, the first ride for many junior thrill seekers and a designated landmark by American Coaster Enthusiasts.

And as it has been for 50 years, visitors entering the park will be welcomed by a dramatic view of the $1 million two-story Columbia Carousel fronted by a reflecting pool.

One spot frozen in time in the park’s County Fair section is Johnny Rockets, known for hamburgers, shakes and a retro vibe. It was called Burgers on the Run 50 years ago, when John Maguire — after gathering with other workers and staff around the reflecting pool for an iconic photo opp — started his shift and the beginning of a career in hospitality.

On May 1, the lifelong Lake County resident takes the reins as president of Visit Lake County, the county's tourism and marketing bureau. But in 1976, he was a soon to be Mundelein High School senior looking for a job.

Marriott's Great America, strategically located between Chicago and Milwaukee, was hiring.

Maguire interviewed in the living room of an old farmhouse on Washington Street. There was nothing like Great America anywhere in the region, he said.

“Every kid in Lake County wanted to work there,” he said. “Everybody wanted to be a character, but we all ended up in food service or sanitation.”

At that time, workers wore uniforms fitting the location. Maguire wore an orange, green or neon yellow shirt with puffy sleeves. Female employees wore knickers, he said.

Everyone was cross-trained in all restaurant functions, as part of “The Marriott Way,” that quickly instilled a work ethic, Maguire recalled.

“I still to this day hear the managers yelling, ‘Clean as you go,’ ” he said.

Retired teacher Cheryl Ross, a Gurnee village trustee since 2007, grew up in Gurnee. Her late father Gordon Gillings — who served as mayor from 1949 to 1973 — was involved in early discussions with Marriott regarding their plans and proposed annexation.

“He would sit on the bench out in front (and) people watch,” Ross said. “He had a smile on his face — he was so thrilled.”

Marriott got out of the business in 1984 and sold the park to Bally Manufacturing Corp., then owner of Six Flags. The park generates about $4 million per year in amusement taxes for the village.

“Six Flags opened in Gurnee when I was 16 years old and it was built upon farmland,” said Mayor Thomas Hood, who grew up in town. “I did not foresee the really great and positive changes that were to come.”

Saturday will be like other opening days, said Rachel Kendziora, Six Flags' regional manager of public relations. But there will be a series of undisclosed events May 29.

“We don't know what they have in store,” Bendorf said, “but I don't think they'll let us down.”