Posted by May 04, 2007 13:06PM
Why?
A. It's economics.
We put the Magnum XL-200 coaster in at Cedar Point in 1989 and that cost us $7.5 million. We put Top Thrill Dragster in four years ago and that cost $25 million.
The Maverick, which is less track than the Magnum XL, cost $21 million. It's very expensive -- the steel, engineering, technology, magnetic brakes.
Q.
Did "coaster wars" hit a point where you really couldn't go any higher or any faster?
A. They could go 800 feet if they wanted.
The body has proven you can go as high as you want. Basically, it's just money that drives it.
You don't want to put people through uncomfortable G-forces where they're going to get sick, but the body could certainly take dropping 800 feet at 90 degrees.
The higher you go, you also eliminate a certain segment of your attendance. People in their 40s and 50s aren't going to ride Top Thrill Dragster, but certainly the teen market is. Young kids aren't going to ride Top Thrill Dragster because it's too intimidating for them.
There's a fine line there. As far as Cedar Fair goes, we have no intention of going over 430 feet. It's not in our five-year plan to do anything like that.
Read the rest of the interview in Sunday's Plain Dealer, or now.
