Southwest Territory

Southwest Territory is a themed area exclusive to the Gurnee park. The section was opened in 1996 in the land of what was once planned by Marriott to be The Great Southwest.

History
The flagship of the Great America chain, the Maryland park, was slated to be the biggest of the trio. Due to the park having much more land available, Marriott wanted that park to feature two extra themed areas, The Great Southwest and an unnamed antebellum South area. At least two known rides were planned for that section, the Wild Wigwam and the Wells Fargo Express. Marriott also wanted to expand the Gurnee park to include its own southwest section in a separate annex, to the very right of the park.

The Great Southwest in Gurnee was announced for the 1979 season and in preparation for it, the Southern Cross gondola skyride connecting Orleans Place to what would one day be The Great Southwest was built and opened in 1977. Eventually, the 1979 deadline came and went and the land was never built. The wild west theme was used in the Picnic Grove which opened in 1982. In 1983, the Southern Cross was removed and plans for a southwest area were fully killed off when Marriott sold the park in 1984.

In 1995, Six Flags Great America announced a new ride, Viper, which would open in the Hometown Square area of the park. The ride's entrance was far away from Hometown Square and accessible via a path.

In 1996, the entire area was unveiled and it was revealed that the section would be opened gradually.