STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Future operations at the Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad northeast of Atlanta are unknown after the state-owned park and its operator announced plans to lay off nearly 500 workers.

Thrive Attractions Management, the operator of hospitality attractions at Stone Mountain Park, including its scenic railroad, has issued federally required WARN notices that it will layoff of 497 workers effective June 1. The news was initially reported by online hospitality news site WhatNow.

Among positions included in the layoff notice are variety of operational and leadership roles often associated with tourist railroad operations, as well as a railroad firement. While there is no direct confirmation the railroad is ending operations, the Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad’s website is not accepting train reservations after a 10:40 a.m. departure on Friday, June 5, despite the website saying its upcoming season spans from March 2026 to January 2027.

Thrive Attractions has managed the park and its facilities since 2022. The company manages a portfolio of themed attractions, hotels, golf courses, and recreational venues. The park’s attractions had previously been managed by hospitality group Herschend Family Entertainment from 1998 to 2022.

497 employees is a lot of labor for a 1:1 scale amusement ride.

The Stone Mountain Memorial Association announced on March 30, 2026, that it has selected Stone Mountain Hospitality LLC, a subsidiary of Aramark Destinations, as the next operator of Stone Mountain Park, with an effective date of June 1.

All operations are expected to continue uninterrupted, and existing reservations and commitments — including annual passes, hotel and campground reservations, conferences and group events, and Yellow Daisy Festival vendor registrations — will remain unchanged.

During the transition, Aramark Destinations intends to retain as many existing park and hotel team members as possible. All employees will have the opportunity to apply for positions with Aramark Destinations as part of the transition process.

We are very excited to be a part of Stone Mountain Park and look forward to partnering with the local team members who have dedicated decades of their life to this beautiful place.

From a week-old CBS News Story, [i]