BAYONET POINT — The rumor came, it failed, it withered, it skulked away.
Or did it?
One of our favorite never-say-die rumors is back after a few years of dormancy, and it goes like this:
Six Flags over Hudson!
More specifically, the story goes, the giant amusement park will make its home on the USA Flea Market site. Or maybe it's on the old mine property proposed for a major marina development.
Either way, it's coming, right? Haven't you noticed those two hotels under construction? They've got to know something we don't.
"Our customers are telling us about Six Flags," said Mike Pizzo, manager of the Publix at U.S. 19 and State Road 52. (He'd heard it was the mine property.)
Except … well.
"I've been hearing it, but I haven't seen anything to substantiate it," said Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano.
Nothing is on file with the county. And none of the people at the two rumored sites know anything about it.
"That's not true," said Michele Overbeck, manager of the flea market. In fact, she said, she just signed a long-term lease on the property.
"We're not moving anywhere," she said. "I haven't heard rumors like this since I was in high school."
Another rumored spot for Six Flags: part of the Sunwest mine property proposed for a marina, convention center, homes, stores and offices. The 2,300-acre tract is up for sale.
Rebecca Bray, spokeswoman for SunWest Harbourtowne, chuckled when asked about the rumor. Later she put out a written statement that seemed almost like a polite call for action.
"At this point, we haven't heard from Six Flags. We know we have a beautiful piece of property with a lot of potential, and it wouldn't surprise us if they were interested," she wrote. "If interested, we're willing to talk to them about our property."
Six Flags didn't seem interested in putting the rumor to rest Friday. Corporate headquarters did not return multiple phone messages.
This isn't uncharted gossip mill territory. Back in 2004, there was a rumor that Six Flags was building in Hernando County. Business owners and government officials all got questions about it. (Needless to say, it was not true.)
In 2006, a Web site called themeparkinsider.com featured a blog about Six Flags coming to Florida. A number of spots around the state were touted as the possible location for Six Flags' first showing in the state.
One posting said, "There's been rumors circulating around these parts here in Florida lately that Six Flags owns property in either Pasco County or Hernando County and have plans to build a park here in the future."
Maybe it's something about the name. Another Web site also poses the question of whether Six Flags is coming to Pasco.
Only it's Pasco, Wash.
Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6247.
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