The rollercoasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain are not going to be the only thing in the park reaching for the sun this summer. The theme park located in Valencia California is currently undergoing construction to its multiple parking lots, installing what is soon to be California’s largest solar panel farm.
The solar panels will be constructed over approximately 3,544 guest parking spaces providing not only energy but shade during the summer months. This advancement made by the park is not only beneficial to the environment and its guests but will also help the park in a monetary way. The project is still underway with the employee parking lot being completed and the guest still underworks.
Although the solar panels are not finished, statistics about what it will have to offer and how it will contribute in a positive way to the environment have been released.
The solar panel construction began in November of 2023 and is projected to be completed sometime in the year 2024. Once the farm is completed it will expand over 637,000 square feet creating enough energy to offset 100% of the park’s usage.
The park seems to be leaning towards making more environmentally friendly decisions with the Park President Jeff Harris stating that the park is, “continuing to make advancements towards improving and protecting the environment.”
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When the solar panels are completed and in use, they will be able to offset gas emissions and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, theoretically eliminating about 3,000 cars off the road each year. The construction of the solar panels will end up being an environmental positive but has been seen as a negative by some of the team members working at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
A couple of team members who currently work at the park have spoken up about their opinions and experiences with the ongoing construction of the solar panels. When the solar panels were being constructed over the employee parking spaces, team members were forced to park in dirt parking lots containing all types of hardware and heavy rocks.
Supervisor of 5 years Evangeline Rodríguez had a bad experience with the dirt lot complaining, “I got a flat tire from parking in the lot, Six Flags would not even compensate for it.” Just like Evangeline, many other team members have had not pleasant experiences such as being blocked in by other cars or even getting their cars hit due to the lack of visual parking lines and guides.
Another team member, Jackie Espinoza brought up awareness that, “the solar panels will most likely just trap the heat in the summer, not give off shade.” This makes team members wonder if the construction of the panels are really there to benefit them or just the company. Six Flags just recently finished the construction for the employee parking lot making the dirt lot catastrophe not a problem anymore but, the effects had lasting emotions.
The construction of the solar panel farm in Six Flags Magic Mountain is a huge improvement to the environment and is a step in the right direction. The park is proud of being able to create something so large and beneficial for its environment and cannot wait for the project to be completed.
This is not something new to the corporation though and actually, “ the Six Flags Magic Mountain project is [only] the third solar installation for Six Flags.” (Six Flags Magic Mountain News Room 4)
The company hopes to be able to get solar panels on each one of their parks property and plans on it happening with time. Hopefully the news will spread to other theme parks giving them the same idea, creating a better environment one ride at a time.
