Things To Do In SW Florida

If there is one word that describes Six Flags’ management strategy, that has to be “persistent.”

Years of underselling its parks with cheap annual passes have failed to deliver positive financial results for the company. So what is Six Flags going to do in 2026? It is going to keep selling cheap annual passes, but this time the company is going to make them even cheaper.

That’ll work, right?

Six Flags has announced that it will allow Gold-level passholders and members admission to all parks in one of four home regions in North America, as well as to their home park. The company also is running a sale on low-level Silver passes at designated parks, upgrading them to the Gold level for no extra charge.

That means that you can now buy a Gold Pass from Six Flags Magic Mountain for just $90. That pass also will get you into Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags’ two parks in the Bay Area for free, all year long. The only catch is the pass does not include $35 daily parking at Knott’s, but it does provide free parking at the other parks. read more

By GLENN GAMBOA, AP Business Writer

For Mónica Ramírez, being named one of this year’s 10 Elevate Prize winners means so much more than the monetary and structural support that comes with it.

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It means the work she does with her Fremont, Ohio-based nonprofit Justice for Migrant Women, which advocates for the rights and needs of migrant and rural women and other marginalized communities, is still valued despite the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

“As immigrant and migrant community members are being threatened and attacked around our country, it’s really important to have shows of support like the Elevate Prize is providing because we’ve seen a retraction — a big retraction — in support,” said Ramirez, who burst into tears when she learned she had won. “The award means we are able to do the work that we know is so urgently needed.” read more

Universal CityWalk will be adding Category 10, a Luke Combs-driven entertainment venue, in late 2027, the country singer and Opry Entertainment Group announced Tuesday.

Groundbreaking is set for this summer, they said, on a three-story, 33,000-square-foot experience at Universal Orlando. It will be the third Category 10 in existence, following the Nashville location that opened in 2024 and one in Las Vegas due to open this fall. The exact location of Category 10 within CityWalk has not been released.

The Nashville location features line dancing, live music, a lounge, sports bar and rooftop bar.  The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, ribs, salads, signature drinks and a 64-ounce “group cocktail” named Life of the Party.

New to do at Universal’s Mardi Gras: Meet Prince Gator, eat flancocho

“Expanding the Category 10 footprint into this world-class entertainment destination allows us to introduce visitors to an authentic country music experience inspired by Luke’s Carolina roots,” Colin Reed, executive chairman of Ryman Hospitality Properties, parent company of Opry Entertainment, said in a news release. read more

By MATT SEDENSKY, AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Death and taxes may be inevitable. A big bill for your heirs is not.

The rich have made an art of avoiding taxes and making sure their wealth passes down effortlessly to the next generation. But the tricks they use – to expedite payouts to heirs and avoid handing money to the government – can also work for people with far more modest estates.

“It’s a strategic game of chess played over decades,” says Mark Bosler, an estate planning attorney in Troy, Michigan, and legal adviser to Real Estate Bees. “While the average person relies on a simple will, the well-to-do utilize a different playbook.”

Consider a trust

First, consider the facts: Despite widespread misconceptions, only estates of the very richest Americans are generally subject to taxes. At the federal level, estates of over $15 million typically trigger taxes. At the state level, 16 states and the District of Columbia do collect estate or inheritance taxes, according to the Tax Foundation, sometimes with lower exemptions than the IRS, but still at thresholds targeting millionaires. read more

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN, AP Business Writer

Hotel magnate Thomas Pritzker will retire as the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels after details of his affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein were revealed in documents related to the burgeoning investigation of ties between the notorious sex trafficker and the elite and powerful.

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Pritzker, in a prepared statement, said he deeply regrets his association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, a long time associate of Epstein.

“I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner,” Pritzker said in a statement. “I condemn the actions and the harm caused by Epstein and Maxwell and I feel deep sorrow for the pain they inflicted on their victims.” read more