Let’s Not Get Distracted by Six Flags’ Closure
- Bradley Heard
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how Prince George’s County should resist the seductive pull of “white whale” projects—grand, headline-grabbing ideas like redeveloping the Commanders stadium site—that suck all the oxygen out of the room. These flashy initiatives often distract from the more urgent work of transforming our county’s economic future through sustainable, transit-oriented development.
Now, another white whale is splashing onto the scene: Six Flags America announced it is closing in November. Councilmember Wala Blegay—whose district includes the 500-acre amusement park just west of Bowie—traveled to the International Council of Shopping Centers conference in Las Vegas to court developers, with support from the County’s Economic Development Corporation and likely incoming County Executive Aisha Braveboy.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with finding a productive reuse for Six Flags in light of its impending closure. Councilmember Blegay is right to insist the site not become “just another residential development,” and her push for commercial revitalization is welcome. Similarly, it’s wise for the County to think about and plan for future development possibilities at Northwest Stadium.
The problem arises when those big fish end up redirecting public focus away from the County’s broader land use priorities. One week it’s the stadium. The next, it’s Six Flags. Meanwhile, the County’s long-term vision for revitalizing and focusing major development around our existing transit stations continues to stall.
Distraction is costing us our future.
While we chase headlines, our most valuable assets—walkable, transit-served neighborhoods in the urban core—are left idle and overlooked. Why does Prince George’s County have the largest number of Metro stations outside of Washington, DC, yet have the fewest number of walkable transit-oriented communities? It’s time to put our public investment where the potential already exists.
The Capitol Heights–Addison Road Metro (CHARM) Regional Activity Center, a mile-long corridor with two Blue/Silver Line Metrorail transit stations, has real potential to drive equitable revitalization and sustainable growth in the Washington region. But the area has had that potential since WMATA built those stations in the early 1980s. Unfortunately, decade after decade, the County has chosen to leave the CHARM Center’s dreams deferred.
Six Flags. Northwest Stadium. Westphalia. Konterra. Brandywine. Prince George’s County is drowning in an ocean of white whales. But the County’s actual gems lie on the dry land where its 15 Metro stations sit, waiting to be discovered, appreciated, and developed.
Yes, it may be easier to chase glitzy, headline-grabbing mega-sites than to commit to the block-by-block work of revitalizing long-neglected neighborhoods. But those steady, grounded investments often yield deeper, more durable returns—especially for communities that have been left behind.
Let’s stop drifting and anchor our strategy where it matters.
For too long, Prince George’s has neglected the high-potential, high-impact areas already served by Metro. While our neighbors in Arlington, Silver Spring, and Bethesda have leveraged their stations into walkable, transit-rich economic engines, we have let ours sit largely underused.
Enough with the white whales. We need a development strategy that centers the urban core, advances our equity and climate goals, and delivers for communities that have waited long enough. Capitol Heights, Addison Road, and Morgan Boulevard aren’t just station names on a map—they’re the places where a more connected, more prosperous Prince George’s County can finally take shape. Let’s stop chasing distractions and build where the future already lives.
If you think public investment should focus on Metro station areas and walkable communities instead of extravagant projects, join our movement to make your voice heard and receive the latest insights from GCHIC.
About the Author: Bradley Heard is a civil rights attorney, smart growth advocate, and the founder and president of Greater Capitol Heights Improvement Corporation, a nonprofit public charity dedicated to revitalizing, redeveloping, and reinvesting in central Prince George’s County, Maryland’s inner-Beltway communities.
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