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PortAventura invests more than €25 million to open
After having inaugurated the family themed area SesamoAventura in 2011, PortAventura will open this coming season one of the most anticipated roller coasters of the year in Europe, Shambhala, a Hypercoaster designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard.
The ride, which represents a global investment of more than €25 million (about $33 million) for the Spanish theme park, will be the Europe's tallest roller coaster with a lift hill reaching 76 meters high (about 249 feet) , against 73 meters (239.5 feet) for Silver Star at Europa-Park. Shambhala will also break two others European records by having the longest drop (78 meters, 265 feet) and by being one of the fastest roller coasters with a maximum speed at 134 kph (about 83 mph).
The track, which is still under construction at the moment, is located nearby the Chinese themed area just behind another roller coaster: Dragon Khan. With an Out & Back layout, it will be over 1.650 meters long (about 1,02 miles) and have 5 camelbacks - the shortest of it will be 7 stories high -, an impressive up and down spiral element, several tunnels and even... a Splash zone! 3 trains of 32 seats will be in operation at the same time on the ride. More than 1,600 tons of steel (8 million pounds) will be used for the structure while more than 4,000 m3 of concrete has been needed for the foundations/footers, some of which are up to 18 metres deep.
The backdrop of Shambhala - which means a mythical kingdom hidden somewhere in Inner Asia according to Tibetan and Indian Buddhist traditions - will be an expedition in the Himalayas with the track representing the mountain range. PortAventura describes it as "a fantastic voyage of legends and adventures that will allow the riders to experience the excitement of the Himalayas and feel like they could touch the sky". Shambhala's station will be part of a new themed area of 14.000 m² recreating an imaginary Himalayan kingdom inspired by Bhutan, one of the most isolated and less well-known countries in the world. There will be sceneries, adjacent buildings and even the possibilty for the visitors to go close to the lake where the trains will touch the water.
Antoni Massanell, Chairman of the Board of PortAventura, states "Shambhala is one of the most ambitious projects of PortAventura to date and it will definitely become the key attraction of our park"
With its size and shape, the attraction will be visible for miles around and will completely change PortAventura's skyline, characterised up until now by Dragon Khan. It is set to become the new icon of the park. Luís Valencia, PortAventura’s Director of Development, explained : "Although both roller coasters are side-by-side, Shambhala does not overshadow Dragon Khan but complements and accentuates it. They will cross each other at four different points and Dragon Khan has even been repainted in red and blue, to stand out against the light tones of Shambhala."
The opening date of both ride and themed area are still unknown at the moment, but PortAventura ensures they will be ready before the summer. The 2012 season will start on March 30.
NewsParcs will do a full coverage of the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 in Orlando to have a look at the latest trends and developments of the global theme park industry.
