An entertainment development company is seeking to reopen and restore the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans into a more “family friendly” theme park called Legends City Adventure Park.

“We’re going to attempt to, if the city will allow us to,” said Danny Rogers, president and chief executive of the company, Southern Star Amusement, based in Baton Rouge, La.

Six Flags New Orleans has been closed since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

One of the world’s largest theme parks companies, with 19 parks across the country, Six Flags does not plan to reopen the park, claiming in a recent report that the park did not make money even before Katrina.

“That’s incorrect. We saw the books ourselves,” said Rogers. “The park has always made money.”

Rogers plans to expand the park, opening it year-round and offering more rides and a sports complex while combining a water park and amusement park.

“Six Flags is seasonal and we’re more year round,” Rogers said.

“It will basically be the first of its type in the nation, because it combines the water park literally within the comprising amusement park itself, instead of separate. We’re adding the water elements all the way around the internal park where you can ride the rides and stay wet all day if that’s what you like to do.”

Southern Star has also conducted research to see what local residents and tourists want.

Though the city is talking to more than one company about operating the theme park, Southern Star still expects to buy and rebuild the park soon, not wanting to lease.

“They’re still arguing with Six Flags,” Rogers said.

Six Flags, a New York-based company, signed a contract with the city of New Orleans in 2002 to lease the park. According to park officials, Six Flags New Orleans sustained approximately $150 million in damage from flooding.

Rogers said he believed the damage was closer to $35 million to $40 million, “which is still substantial,” he said.

The theme park was originally opened in 2000 under the name Jazzland and was owned by Alfa Smartparks, a company based in Jacksonville, Fla. It filed for bankruptcy protection in 2002.

That same year, Six Flags bought the theme park out of bankruptcy, investing approximately $30 million and operating it until Katrina struck.

As for Southern Star Amusement, Rogers is confident that the park will do well under the new management.

“We’re willing to risk $50 to $60 million,” Rogers said.