http://www.kcci.com/news/adventureland- ... r/34051218
ALTOONA, Iowa —Adventureland Park in Altoona announced Wednesday on Facebook that the park will erect a new steel roller coaster that will open in 2016.
PHOTOS: ADVENTURELAND PARK PLANNING NEW ROLLER COASTER
The park says the new ride will open next year and replace the old Log Ride.
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"The Monster" will be a 2,500-foot steel track with a 133-foot vertical lift hill, five inversions, a 101-degree first drop and 10 "airtime" moments, according to Adventureland.
"We knew we wanted to do something big," said Adventureland spokeswoman Molly Vincent.
The cost for the new ride is $9 million.
"This is going to be something that goes far beyond any other coaster we have at Adventureland now, five different inversions, a 90-degree vertical lift hill," said Vincent.
The new coaster will cross the existing Sky Ride eight times, giving riders of both attractions quite a thrill.
Park visitors on Wednesday were excited to hear about the project.
"Pretty excited, we've needed a new one here for a while. I love roller coasters. They are my favorite things to ride," said Heather Heller.
"I am excited to see it. I am really big time fan, I would say so," said Chris Wilson.
"I am really excited. I am glad because it looks really fun and scary -- I like scary things," said Jasmine Wever.
"This is not something we have ever done before so it is a big investment and it's a really big ride and we think roller coaster enthusiasts around the country are really going to enjoy it," said Vincent.
LOG RIDE TORN DOWN:
With the addition of the new ride, Adventureland officials said a classic at the park is on the way out. The beloved Log Ride (River Rapids) that has been in the park for more than 40 years will be torn down.
Officials said: "The Log Ride has been a park staple for decades -- tens of thousands of photos, screams and splashdowns have been had on this ride, but all great things must eventually come to an end. We know that this was a fan (and personal!) favorite, but we want it to go out on it’s own terms. We encourage all of our fans to take advantage of this advance knowledge and get in your last ride. The Log Ride is over 40 years old, and while still structurally sound, technology for rides has advanced by leaps and bounds in that time period. It is requiring an enormous amount of upkeep and maintenance that isn’t feasible long term. We promise to provide our Fans with a suitable replacement, sooner rather than later."
Park officials plan to take down the Log Ride after Labor Day weekend, and will begin construction of "The Monster," scheduled to open in June of 2016.
Guess I have a reason to go back to Iowa.