By Greg Roumeliotis and David French

NEW YORK U.S. amusement park operator Cedar Fair LP is exploring a potential merger with peer Six Flags Entertainment Corp, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The companies have discussed a combination in the past, including in 2019, and there is no certainty that the latest deliberations will result in an agreement, the sources said, requesting anonymity because the matter is confidential.

A tie-up between the two companies would come as concerns about a U.S. economic slowdown and consumers curbing their discretionary spending have weighed on their stock performance. Merging would allow them to weather a slowdown from a stronger position.

Cedar Fair and Six Flags, which have a market value of $1.8 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis and David French in New York)