Southwest Territory (Six Flags Great America)

This article is about the attraction at Six Flags Great America. For the incorporated territory of the United States, see Southwest Territory.
For other uses, see Southwest Territory (disambiguation).
Southwest Territory
An overview of Southwest Territory, highlighting the Chubasco mission building, Giant Drop, and Raging Bull.
LocationGurnee, Illinois, United States
Coordinates42°21′59″N 87°56′10″W / 42.366333°N 87.936017°W / 42.366333; -87.936017.
ThemeThe Wild West
Area11 acres (4.5 ha)[1]
Attractions
Total6
Roller coasters2
Six Flags Great America
StatusOperating
Opened1996

Southwest Territory is an 11-acre (4.5 ha) themed land at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. The area opened in 1996 for the park's 20th anniversary, and was the largest expansion since its opening in 1976.

Originally planned as The Great Southwest as a future expansion to then-Marriott's Great America in the 1970s, the area was never constructed. Construction on Southwest Territory began in 1995 in three phases, situating it outside the park's original "Duell loop" layout.

Set in an 1800s themed Wild West town, the area features six attractions, including the roller coasters Raging Bull and Viper, along with multiple flat rides such as Chubasco and Ricochet.

History

The Great Southwest concept (1977-1982)

During the initial planning of Marriott's Great America in Gurnee, a seventh themed land, The Great Southwest, was intended to be added the park as its first major expansion after opening. The land was planned to open in 1979, but the plans never materialized.[2] Early signs of another land came in 1977, the park's second season, with the addition of the Southern Cross Skyride. Manufactured by the Swiss firm Von Roll, the Southern Cross was one of the tallest and longest gondola rides that the company ever produced for an amusement park, at 120 feet in the air.[3] The reason for the height was that the Southern Cross intersected perpendicularly and also passed over the Delta Flyer/Eagle's Flight skyride. The Southern Cross was a round trip to the future plot of The Great Southwest, which was just a large pile of dirt. After the park missed its intended 1979 opening for the land, the Southern Cross operated for just three more seasons before being removed after the 1982 season.[4]

Southwest Territory expansion phases (1995-1997)

Pre-phases: Viper (1995)

Main article: Viper (Six Flags Great America)

After years of planning, Six Flags finally began to develop The Great Southwest in time for the park's 20th anniversary, now known as Southwest Territory. Although not announced, the park would open Southwest Territory in three annual phases from 1995 until 1997.[2] The first of these phases was Viper, an all-new wooden roller coaster. It was the first roller coaster to be designed and installed directly by Six Flags.[5] It was modeled after the Coney Island Cyclone, and constructed from 700,000 board-feet of southern pine. The ride's station is themed after Colonel Peabody's Snake Oil Elixir Pharmaceutical Factory, a facility which was abandoned and overrun with snakes, hence the ride's name. As Southwest Territory was still relatively a secret, Viper was listed as being part of Hometown Square.[6][7]

Phase 1: Southwest Territory opening (1996)

For the 1996 season, the second phase of the Southwest Territory expansion came in the form of an eleven-acre themed land that opened adjacent to Viper, and would be built in three different phases.[8] It was built outside of the park's original layout design called the "Duell loop".[9] The Old West Town featured 1800s-themed western-style retail stores and restaurants, as well as a saloon split across two sides of a single block.[10] The front part of the area's signature Spanish Mission opened, with the back part with the Chubasco tea cups still under construction.[2]

Phase 2: Giant Drop (1997)

Main article: Giant Drop (Six Flags Great America)

For the 1997 season, the Giant Drop debuted as the second official phase of Southwest Territory. It is a 227-foot tall Intamin drop tower, themed after an "Ore excavator" owned by the Loco Diablo Mining Company. Construction on the attraction began in October 1996 and had completed construction in December 1996.[11]

As part of the ride's opening ceremony, 200 couples from throughout the Midwest participated in a wedding ceremony on the ride. The couples were pronounced husband and wife just before they dropped, and the wedding ceremony was held in the Southwest Territory Amphitheater. The mass wedding ceremony took place in the Southwest Amphitheater.[12][13] Also that year, the backside of the Spanish Mission was completed.[2]

Phase 3: Raging Bull (1999)

Main article: Raging Bull (roller coaster)

The third and final phase was built for the 1999 season with the addition of a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster on the former site of Rolling Thunder. This attraction would be Raging Bull, and is the park's tallest roller coaster. The ride is themed after a ferocious beast that once terrorized the citizens of Southwest Territory.[14][15][16]

2000s-present

Trailblazer, a Zamperla Rainbow attraction, was removed from the area before the 2007 season.[17] To make way for the construction of Justice League: Battle for Metropolis, the Southwest Territory Ampitheater was demolished and the section where it resided was annexed into the mini-area Metropolis Plaza.[18]

Attractions

Roller coasters

Southwest Territory features two roller coasters.

Ride Picture Year opened Manufacturer Model Description Rating
Viper 1995 Six Flags Wooden roller coaster In-house constructed wooden roller coaster, a mirrored clone of Coney Island Cyclone. Max
Raging Bull 1999 Bolliger & Mabillard Twister Hypercoaster (Hyper-twister) Hyper-twister roller coaster. It is the tallest roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America, at a height of 208 feet (63 m). Max

Flat rides

In total, Southwest Territory features four attractions. Only one attraction has been removed, Trailblazer, in 2006.

Ride Picture Year opened Manufacturer Model Description Rating
Chubasco 1996 Zamperla Teacups A teacup attraction located inside of a Spanish mission. Moderate
Ricochet 1977 Huss Rides Swing Around A "Swing Around" attraction built by Huss Rides, painted with cow spots. Moderate
River Rocker 1996 Zamperla Bounty Ride A pirate ship attraction, swinging back and forth. Moderate
Giant Drop 1997 Intamin Giant/Multi Drop A 227 feet (69 m) high drop tower based on the "Loco Diablo Mine." Max

Restaurants

  • Fiesta Fries Cantina
  • Mijo's Authentic Mexican Food
  • The Oasis
  • Six Below
  • Windy City Sports Bar & Grill

Former restaurants

  • Crazy Buffalo Saloon (1996-2010s)
  • JB's Barbecue and Sports Bar
  • Waterin' Hole

Entertainment

Southwest Territory Amphitheater

The Southwest Territory Amphitheater was a large, outdoor stunt arena that was built in 1993 for The Batman Stunt Show.[19] With the debut of Southwest Territory in 1996, the theater received a renovation to fit in with the new land, and was renamed the Southwest Territory Amphitheater. That year, it featured the Warner Bros. Western Stunt Show, a crossover show that features characters from many different Western films and television shows, including Maverick, F Troop, and Blazing Saddles.[20][21] In 2007, the theater's last major production came in the form of Operation SpyGirl, a stunt show created by Joel Surnow, co-creator of the TV series 24.[22][23] In 2015, it was finally demolished to make way for Justice League: Battle for Metropolis and the new Metropolis Plaza area.[24]

References

  1. ^ "In 20 years, Six Flags has made its mark". Chicago Tribune. 16 June 1996. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  2. ^ a b c d "Six Flags Great America - Part 3: The Great Southwest (in the Midwest)". Themerica. May 4, 2019.
  3. ^ "65 Great Ways To Spend A Day". The Pantagraph. 1977-05-26. p. 14.
  4. ^ Wilson, Steven (2018-03-24). "Southern Cross". GREATAMERICAparks.com. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  5. ^ Westhoff, Jefferey (1995-05-05). "Great America takes old-fashioned route for newest roller coaster". Northwest Herald. p. 43. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  6. ^ Berry, Lynn (1995-06-01). "Great America features new coaster". The Times. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  7. ^ Mallham Jr., Howell J. (1995-06-01). "Great America adds thrills". Chicago Tribune. p. 130. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  8. ^ Davis, Marc (1996-06-16). "In 20 years, Six Flags has made its mark". Chicago Tribune. p. 492. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  9. ^ "Six Flags Great America - Part 1: Marriott in the Midwest". Themerica. 2019-04-06. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
  10. ^ "Fabulous Family Fun... All Summer Long!". The Dispatch. 1996-07-28. p. 69. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  11. ^ Beyers, Jennifer (1997-04-17). "Great America ride not for the faint of heart". The Times-Press. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  12. ^ "Giant Drop". Six Flags Great America. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  13. ^ Westhoff, Jeffery (1997-05-09). "Couples take the plunge". Northwest Herald. p. 88. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  14. ^ "Raging Bull". Six Flags Great America. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  15. ^ Westhoff, Jeffery (1999-05-28). "Reach for the Stars: Raging Bull coasts toward farthest horizons". Northwest Herald. p. 80. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  16. ^ Secor, John (1999-07-11). "Great expectations: Northern Illinois' Six Flags amusement park is ideal for family fun in the summer". The Daily Chronicle. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  17. ^ "Trip Report: Six Flags Great America". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
  18. ^ DeVore, Sheryl (2016-06-02). "Great America breaks out Justice League". Sun-Times.
  19. ^ Plummer, Robert (May 20, 1993). "Great America adds stunt show". The Times - via Newspapers.com. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  20. ^ Westhoff, Jeffery (June 28, 1996). "Great America goes Western with new attraction". Northwest Herald via Newspapers.com. p. 87. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  21. ^ Sharos, David (May 31, 1999). "Just for fun". Chicago Tribune via Newspapers.com. p. 53. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  22. ^ "Lake County men find glory, careers in Medieval Times castle". Chicago Tribune. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  23. ^ Wischnowsky, Dave (January 17, 2007). "Six Flags gives kids plenty of Wiggle room". Chicago Tribune. p. 2.
  24. ^ "Six Flags Introduces Justice League: Battle for Metropolis" (Press release). Six Flags. September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
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