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Six Flags presents its multi-million dollar investment
plan for 2014
Update : 05/09/13 - 15h32Published by Marc Lacombe the 3 September 2013, New.
U.S. operator Six Flags Entertainment has unveiled the upcoming year investment plan for all of its properties in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The world leader in regional amusement parks is ready, once again, to invest tens of million of dollars (total amount has not been specified) for a capital expenditure plan in line with those of previous years, targeting both families and the thrill seekers not to mention the profitable market of water parks. Six Flags also continues its strategy focused on new rides holding world records, a marketing argument that is all the rage at this times of economic recovery in the United States.
This is indeed a strong trend within the amusement park industry in North America. Six Flags and its competitors, among which Cedar Fair, are looking for unique experiences that are likely to attract the attention of both visitors and media. Longer, bigger, faster... World records are regularly beaten, resulting in the creation of thrill rides and roller coasters that are more and more spectacular.
Race to records
The most striking project that will emerge from this strategy in 2014 has been announced at Six Flags Great Adventure (New Jersey). The world's largest theme park will open the world's tallest free fall tower (126.5 meters/415 feet high) an impressive addition built directly on the steel structure of Kindga Ka, the tallest roller coaster in the world.
Supplied by the Swiss company Intamin Amusement Rides, 'Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom' will consist of three individual drop towers with gondolas of 8 seats that will fall down at more than 90 mph/145 kph in just over 10 seconds. In order to open a new path to the ride – whose African theme is inspired by the very popular 2013 attraction, Off Road Safari Adventure -, Great Adventure will remove Rolling Thunder, the park's classic wooden roller coaster after 34 years of loyal service.
After two successful collaborations with New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas (2012) and Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas (2013), Six Flags has decided to call again in a specialist, Rocky Mountain Construction, to lead two new projects of hybrid wood coasters in 2014.
Six Flags Great America (Illinois) is introducing 'Goliath', the world's fastest wooden roller coaster with the steepest (85°) and tallest (59 meters/180 feet) drop at the bottom of which the trains will reach a top speed of 116 kph/72 mph through a tunnel. Custom designed for the park with the I-Box steel track patented by RMC, Goliath's layout will be one of the most intense on the planet with 3 overbanked turns, an inverted zero G stall and an 180 degrees barrel roll into an inverted drop. RMC will also supply two 'Gen One' next generation wood coaster trains (equipped with lap bars) to complete the new installation.
In Mexico, Rocky Mountain Construction is currently achieving a full retracking of the wooden roller coaster Medusa. Originally opened in 2000, designed and built by the now gone Custom Coasters International company, the ride will reopen next year with a new name 'Medusa Steel Coaster' and the I-Box steel track technology. If the general layout will stay more or less the same, the ride experience will be dramatically transformed and that, right from the top of the lift hill that will be followed by a unique barrel roll on the 35-meter/117-feet high first drop. The new 915-meter/3,000-feeet long track will feature several elements including 4 extreme banked turns and two more inversions.
Always in line with its strategy of record attractions, Six Flags has asked the Australian company Funtime to provide a Star Flyer even taller than the Texas SkyScreamer that opened earlier this year at Six Flags Over Texas. The ride will be located at Six Flags New England (Massachusetts) and will become the world's highest aerial flying chairs with a top to more than tallest carousel of flying chairs with a top to more than 123 meters/400 feet. The 'New England SkyScreamer' will be the eighth copy of a Star Flyer ordered by the group since 2010.
New offering for all guests
After introducing the first Twist'n'Splash of MACK Rides in North America this year at La Ronde, Six Flags has entrusted the German manufacturer to supply in 2014 two new copies at Six Flags St. Louis (Missouri) and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (California). Named 'Tsunami Soaker' by Six Flags, these family water rides will combine the motion of a classic tea cup ride with floating and rotating boats equipped with water canons. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom has also announced that the park is now operating year-round and that it will bring back the highly acclaimed 'Cirque Dreams Splashtastic' show for another season in 2014.
Following the opening this season of the wold's tallest and fastest looping coaster 'Full Throttle', the self-proclaimed thrill capital of the world - Six Flags Magic Mountain (California) - will turn to its family audience in 2014 with the rebirth of the children's area Bugs Bunny World. The expansion includes a new show and a new family roller coaster (whose manufacturer name hasn't been disclosed) that will be the park's 19th unit. Thrill seekers will not be forgotten as the trains of 'Batman - The Ride' (an inverted coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard) and 'Colosssus' (a wooden coaster opened in 1978) will operate backward for a limited engagement, offering new ride experiences.
Moreover, Six Flags Over Texas (Texas) will also focus on its family offering by improving its children area that will receive a face lift with several new attractions, shaded rest areas and an interactive playground. On the other side of the country, Six Flags America (Maryland) will introduce a brand new themed area. 'Mardi Gras' will feature a Larson International 8 tubs Flying Scooter attraction (French Quarters Flyers) and a Zamperla spinning coaster with custom themed cars (Ragin' Cajun) relocated from Six Flags Great America.
Finally, both La Ronde (Canada) and The Great Escape (New York) will add a new flat ride to their park offering : a Roll Over manufactured by Dutch company Mondial Rides for the first (Demon) and a Midi Discovery designed by Zamperla (Extreme Supernova) for the second which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2014.
Major investments on water parks segment
Six Flags will allocate a significant part of its 2014 budget to its water parks with, once again, lot of novelties planned across the United States.
The main addition is planned at Six Flags Over Georgia (Georgia) which will open a brand new water park (Hurricane Harbor) on a site formerly occupied by an amphitheater. The first phase of the project includes notably the installation of a 3,030 m³/800,000 gallon wave pool, an interactive children's water play area, a multi-slide tower and a "world's first" tower combining two distinct extreme water slide whose design was entrusted to ProSlide Technology. Six Flags White Water, located near the park, will continue to operate and will expand the popular Dive-in movies and add a new stage for entertainment in 2014.
Another addition scheduled in 2014: Six Flags Fiesta Texas (Texas) will expand its White Water Bay water park with a new complex of four slides (Bahama Blaster) again supplied by ProSlide Technology with two FreeFALL™ and two SuperLOOP™ equipped with the company's newest SkyBox™ launch system.
Finally, Hurricane Harbor water parks of both Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Magic Mountain will also receive new water slides towers whose details have not yet been revealed by the operator.
"We are committed to delivering thrilling new attractions in every park every year and are tremendously excited about the 2014 season," said Jim Reid-Anderson, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Next season's lineup is one of our most comprehensive packages ever as we truly offer something for every member of the family, from ultimate thrill-seekers to our youngest guests. Six Flags is going bigger each year as we create fun, thrilling and lasting memories for our guests."
Highlights of the 2013 investment plan included Full Throttle at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Texas Skycreamer at Six Flags Over Texas and Safari Off Road Adventure at Six Flags Great Adventure. Six Flags has achieved in the first half of the current fiscal year a record turnover of $451 million (+2%) for a total attendance level of 10.7 million visitors (+1%).
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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.
The world leader in regional amusement parks is ready, once again, to invest tens of million of dollars (total amount has not been specified) for a capital expenditure plan in line with those of previous years, targeting both families and the thrill seekers not to mention the profitable market of water parks. Six Flags also continues its strategy focused on new rides holding world records, a marketing argument that is all the rage at this times of economic recovery in the United States.
