Six Flags agrees to Avenue Capital bankruptcy plan

By Tom Hals

WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) - Bankrupt Six Flags Inc (SIXFQ.OB) has submitted a new reorganization plan that represents a victory for hedge fund Avenue Capital Management, which fought an initial proposal that gave little to bondholders.

The world's largest regional theme park operator filed for bankruptcy in the middle of the year with a plan that transferred almost all of its stock to senior lenders, including JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), in return for cutting its debt.

The plan sparked immediate opposition, in part because it was far more favorable to bank lenders than what the company had proposed just prior to bankruptcy.

The company said it realized it had to modify its plan of reorganization after discussions with creditors, and as financial markets improved.

The "stabilization and loosening of the credit markets has created financing opportunities that did not exist at the times these cases were filed and the original plan was formulated," the company said in a court filing.

The new plan, which was filed with the court on Saturday, is based on proposals by the Avenue Capital group of bondholders and includes selling $450 million in new stock to increase the money available for creditors.

Led by Chairman Marc Lasry, Avenue Capital invests in distressed companies such World Color Press Inc (WC.TO), which filed for bankruptcy as Quebecor World Inc, and MagnaChip Semiconductor.

The new plan does not propose changing Six Flags senior management, which is headed by Mark Shapiro, a former ESPN executive.