Marriott’s Great America in Gurnee, now Six Flags Great America, opened to the public for the first time on May 29, 1976. Today we celebrate the park’s fiftieth anniversary. In the photo above, J.W. “Bill” Marriott Jr. speaks to guests at the park’s opening ceremony. Seated on stage, from left are James Bouy, General Manager of the park; Doreen Warvi, “First Lady” goodwill ambassador of the park; Michael Hostage, head of Restaurant Operations, Marriott Corporation; Mel Blanc, legendary voice actor for Bugs Bunny and the other Warner Bros. characters; Randall Duell, park’s architect; David L. Brown, head of Marriott’s Theme Park Group; and Richard Welton, Mayor of Gurnee, Illinois.
Upon opening Marriott’s Great America in Gurnee, Marriott Corporation accomplished the unprecedented achievement of opening two brand new major theme parks just over two months apart. Marriott’s Great America in Santa Clara, California opened first on March 20, 1976.
In some ways, Marriott’s Great America in Gurnee was an even bigger project than the near identical park in California. Gurnee’s Great America got an expansion before it even opened. To better accommodate anticipated demand, Gurnee had a significant additional ride package added that Santa Clara did not get. The pre-opening expansion, consisting of four more rides, was announced in June 1975. The additional rides for Gurnee’s 1976 season included the three-track antique car ride, Traffique Jam, and the Cajun Cliffhanger / Rotor in Orleans place, along with Spinnaker / Super Round Up in Yankee Harbor, and Whirligig / Wave Swinger in County Fair.
Countdown to opening day
Employees from Gurnee were sent to Santa Clara to assist with the March opening of the California park. Santa Clara benefited from having the Gurnee employees there to help with preparations for the opening and for helping to drive the successful execution of the park’s opening. Gurnee employees returned to Illinois with greater knowledge as well as hands-on experience in opening a Marriott’s Great America park.
Fifty years later, Hamp Howell from the Gurnee park’s Public Affairs team, commented to GREATAMERICAparks.com that it was instructive just to see the finished Santa Clara park. In addition, a vivid memory for Howell was seeing Mr. and Mrs. J. Willard Marriott pose in front of Hometown Square’s replica of the original Hot Shoppe root beer stand. The root beer stand in Washington, DC that the couple opened was the beginning of what would become Marriott Corporation.
A fun memory that Howell recalls was when he directed the photography for the Marriott’s Great America family portrait The making of the epic family portrait is seen in the following two photos.
Dedication Day, May 28, 1976
Bill Marriott welcomed guests in the program:
Good Friends:
All realities begin with dreams. We, in Marriott, dreamed of a place where the greatness of America could be capsuled so that those who visit could see and feel the growth of this nation. Today, we see the realization of that dream.
We, in Great America, are grateful to the minds and hands of the many men and women who made this theme park possible. They can be justly proud of their achievement.
To you who are visiting, we sincerely want you to enjoy yourselves, to visit often, and to pleasantly remember what you have seen and experienced, for if this park does bring you enjoyment and a greater awareness of the vitality of America, then we have done what we set out to do.
J.W. Marriott Jr.
The day before Opening Day was Dedication Day, May 28, 1976. On that day, invited guests were welcomed to a late afternoon and evening preview of the new park. During that time, a ceremony was held in the Grand Music Hall to dedicate the park to Mr. and Mrs. J. Willard Marriott. Originally planned for Carousel Plaza, the Dedication Ceremony was moved indoors reportedly because of rain. VIPs present included Illinois Governor and First Lady Roberta Walker, his first wife.
During the ceremony Bill Marriott presented his parents with a dedication plaque. The plaque was later installed on a pedestal at the front of the reflecting pool in Carousel Plaza. An identical plaque was installed in the same place in Santa Clara.
Dedication Day’s schedule as printed in the program:
4:00 P.M.
Gates Open
5:00 P.M.
Concert in Carousel Plaza
Warren Township High School
Marching Blue Devils
Mr. Kurt Braa, Director
5:30 P.M.
Dedication of Park, Carousel Plaza
5:30 P.M. & 7:30 P.M.
Theatre Royale, Orleans Place
Premier showings of ‘Bugs Bunny’s Magic World’
7:00 P.M.
Dedication of AMC Grand Music Hall
Hometown Square
7:15 P.M. & 8:30 P.M.
AMC Grand Music Hall
Premier showings of ‘Music! America!’
9:15 P.M.
Premier showing of the ‘Merry Mardi Gras Parade’
Follows trolley tracks from Hometown Square
thru Orleans Place
Opening Day, May 29, 1976
When the big day, May 29th, 1976, finally arrived, Excitement was running high. But Mother Nature kept it a bit subdued. Weather forecasts that called for rain and an overcast sky helped to suppress turnout. Reportedly, however, the park stayed out of the rain and the sky improved later in the day. Attendance numbers were a bit disappointing, but crowds were still strong.
America. It’s a family country.
Video: The following video shows one of the 1976 commercials used to introduce Marriott’s Great America to Chicagoland and the four-state region. Produced in Santa Clara, the commercials were also used for Gurnee. Click on the image below to play the video. Click on the full screen icon in the bottom right to view larger.
Happy 50th Anniversary, Marriott’s Great America / Six Flags Great America!