originally posted on 5/27/2024
Photo: Elizabeth Ringas Collection. View full-sized image.
On Friday, May 10, ACE participated as a special guest for the grand reopening of Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Virginia). It was fitting that ACE should be present, as ACE has been there with Nessie throughout the years, beginning with Nessie being the focal point of Coaster Con I in 1978. ACE was also present for the coaster’s 10th anniversary birthday bash in 1988 and partied with it in 2018 for its 40th anniversary celebration. Busch Gardens Williamsburg reached out to ACE, and with the help of ACE President Elizabeth Ringas and some operations volunteers, the Mid-Atlantic region representatives contacted longtime members and all current and past Executive Committee members. Unfortunately, owing to the short notice, it was difficult for many to make the journey to be in attendance.
Nessie and her iconic green Arrow Development trains welcomed ACE members invited to celebrate the coaster’s reopening following offseason improvements.
Photo: John C. Bennett. View full-sized image.
Photo: Will Rook. View full-sized image.
Nonetheless, those able to attend comprised enough ACEers to fill the 28-seat train. Jim Futrell (member #161) was the most senior ACE member in attendance, and Dennis McNulty (member #695) was there along with his son. Mid-Atlantic volunteer Brody Rose also attended — he and Dennis were both at the 10th birthday bash and wore the shirts they received 36 years ago! From the Mid-Atlantic region, assistant regional representatives Bill Galvin (member #1650) and Billy Tyson were present along with Elizabeth Ringas and the author, joined by one of the newest ACE members, Ky Nguyen, a Busch Gardens Williamsburg employee who joined the organization on April 30 this year.
Excitement was in the air as a DJ was jamming some tunes — guests were either dancing or lined up to ride. The ACE contingent was directed to wait in the space that was recently the Loch Ness Monster Preview Center. Dignitaries from James City County along with park President Kevin Lembke and Suzy Cheely, director of design & engineering, were on hand. The procession to the podium began with a Scottish bagpiper, followed by the dignitaries and the ACE crew.
President Lembke provided a few remarks, including acknowledgment of ACE and its connection to Loch Ness Monster. He hit on key words such as tradition, generations and preservation — all of which resonated with ACE members as they stood before the ACE landmark plaque that was bestowed upon Nessie in 2003 during Coaster Con 26, which celebrated the 25th anniversary of the organization.
From the ACE Roller Coaster Landmark plaque to promotional materials, Busch Gardens Williamsburg made sure to celebrate the historical significance of Loch Ness Monster.
Photo: Chris Viola. View full-sized image.
Photo: Evangelos Ringas Collection. View full-sized image.
Following a ribbon cutting, the dignitaries and ACE members poured onto that first train. After the ride, all made their way down the stairs to the lake level, where the interlocking loops levitate above the water. With the photographs and commemorative part of the day completed, it became time for those in attendance to enjoy the rest of the park.
ACE extended gratitude to Busch Gardens Williamsburg for its hospitality as well as its preservation efforts to ensure the legend of Loch Ness Monster lives on!
— Evangelos Ringas, ACE Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative
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