originally posted on 7/23/2021
Rendering courtesy Maurer. View full-sized image.
To Loop or Not to Loop — on a Chinese Spinning Coaster?
Maurer Rides will be unveiling China’s first spinning coaster with a loop — sort of. The SC3000 NIL model features a noninverting loop (think Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit) that will not turn riders completely upside down.
Being built at Sunac Cultural Tourism City, the ride stands 56 feet (17 meters), has a track length of 1,700 feet (519 meters) and a speed of 43 mph (70 kph). The roller coaster will operate with six, four-passenger vehicles. In addition to the noninverting element, the ride will feature a tunnel, an S-turn, a helix and more.
Rendering courtesy Maurer. View full-sized image.
Original plans were for this park to use the Six Flags branding and to be called Six Flags Zhejiang. Construction had begun in 2016, but investors canceled the project in 2020. The park is now doing business under the name of Sunac Cultural Tourism City and is located in Haiyan, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China.
Picture: Courtesy Give Kids The World. View full-sized image.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Auctions Off Coaster Cars, Partners with GKTW
Numerous parks have stepped up to assist Give Kids The World (GKTW) in Kissimmee, Florida, this summer. Busch Gardens Williamsburg is taking the partnership even further. In addition to the Coasting For Kids fundraising event, the Virginia theme park has been auctioning off coaster and ride vehicles via eBay, along with other memorabilia.
From July 4 through July 11, bids were taken for a Big Bad Wolf vehicle. The Arrow suspended coaster opened in 1984 and ran through 2009. It was a fan favorite. It sold for $8,200.
From July 11 through July 18, a 40th anniversary vehicle from Loch Ness Monster was available and went for $5,300.
Log flume fans have through July 25 to bid on a LeScoot vehicle.
Still to come from July 25 through August 1 is one-of-a-kind ride signage, hard hats, pins and other memorabilia, including a 13-foot sign of Curse of DarKastle.
American Coaster Enthusiasts have been longtime supporters of Give Kids The World and its Coasting For Kids fundraising work.
Picture: Alex Rigsby. View full-sized image.
Tonnere de Zeus at Parc Astérix Gets a Refurb
Parc Astérix (Plailly, France) opened Tonnerre de Zeus in 1997 during the glory days of Custom Coasters International. The woodie was highly acclaimed for its thrilling layout, but time took its toll on many large woodies of that era.
The Gravity Group has been called in to do major retracking (of which the first phases have begun). When completed in 2022, the coaster will be called Tonnerre 2 Zeus. Two new Gravitykraft trains will run on the course, and new elements have been designed into the new profile, including a 90-degree banked hill.
Toutatis, a launched, multielement Intamin megacoaster, has been announced for the following year at a cost of €20 million.
Picture: Courtesy Boyd County. View full-sized image.
New Colors for Thunderhawk
Michigan’s Adventure gave its Vekoma suspended looping coaster a new look with some fresh colors this season. Thunderhawk has been at the park since 2008. Prior to that, it was originally built at Geauga Lake as Serial Thriller in 1998. This new color scheme is the ride’s fourth during its 23-year career.
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