April 2008
Mack Rides is to supply a YoungStar junior coaster to Märchenpark, Neusiedlersee, Austria. Measuring 480-metres in length, the ride will have the same theme as the original Pegasus version at Mack’s own Europa-Park in Germany. Märchenpark celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2008.
Avail Corporation, the organiser of two China Themed Attraction Summit events in Shanghai, is to stage a similar conference this summer in Macau. Dates are July 14 and 15, immediately before the IAAPA Asian Expo also planned for Macau. See www.availcorp.com for more details. Meanwhile a new event called the Asia Tourism Property and Attraction Summit will take place in Shanghai in June.
Mondial, the Dutch flat ride manufacturer, has a full order book for the rest of the year and plenty of interest in a number of new ride concepts that could make their way onto the market in 2009. “People are willing to pay for quality again,” notes salesman Theo van Zweiten. This season two more Jet Force rides will leave the company’s premises in Heerenveen, one for a French customer and one for Germany. The attraction is one of the most compact Mondial has ever built, but still boasts the same high specifications and sturdy construction.
Fabbri is due to release its new Sky Tower ride this month. The tower swing attraction will debut in France and is one of two mobile versions of the ride that have already been sold. The attractions will be 30-metres tall and pack up onto one trailer.
Good Choice USA Vietnam has been granted an investment license for the development of a $1.3 billion theme park in Vietnam. The 383-acre project in Vung Tau Town will also include hotels, malls, cinemas and a conference centre.
Brean Leisure Park, near Bristol, England, was due to take delivery of a Flying Swinger (Wave Swinger) from Fabbri in time for the Easter holidays. The pay-as-you-go fun park is run by ex-TV star and children’s entertainer Richard Caddell.
London-based costume character creator Rainbow Productions is working of two new mascots for Alton Towers in England, as well as a duck character for a major park in France. Rainbow has also added a number of new licensed characters to its portfolio for live appearances including Noddy & Friends, The Little Princess and Numberjacks.
Dale Kaetzel has been named general manager and senior vice-president of Hard Rock Park, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Opening any day now, Hard Rock Park is billed as the world’s first rock ‘n’ roll theme park.
A member of staff at Rainbow’s End, New Zealand’s largest amusement park, died in February after he became trapped in a mini Ferris Wheel attraction. Twenty-one-year-old Michael Ross Stuart is believed to have been cleaning the attraction when the incident occurred. “The staff member will be missed by all for his contribution to Rainbow’s End and the friendships he formed,” the park’s general managerm Chris Deere told the press.
