Six Flags Over Georgia employs 3,500 in the area

Six Flags Over Georgia is an 800-pound gorilla in the amusement park business.

It's the largest regional theme park in the Southeast, and the region's largest employer of seasonal workers —- 3,500 at the Six Flags park in Austell and its White Water property in Marietta.

But even giants sometimes stumble.

The park's parent company filed for bankruptcy in June as a way of dealing with $1.8 billion of debt.

The reorganization is not expected to affect day-to-day operations of its 21 parks in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

New York-based Six Flags Inc. doesn't give a breakdown of the financial performance of its individual parks, but it reported some 25 million total visitors last year at its various properties and, despite its financial troubles, posted record revenues.

On this July Fourth holiday weekend, here is a quick look at Six Flags Over Georgia's footprint in metro Atlanta.

AgendaThe Six Flags file

Opened: 1967

Size: 260 acres

Employees: 3,500 (at Six Flags and White Water)

Population within a 50-mile radius: 4.2 million

Price of admission: $39.99 for adults and $29.99 for kids (everyone pays kids' price if you buy tickets online)

Average time a visitor spends at the park: 8.5 hours

Number of rides: 50 plus.

Number of roller coasters: 10

Largest coaster: Goliath, which covers 8 acres, is 4,400 feet long and reaches speeds of 70 mph.