Article published January 11, 2007
Construction is under way for Cedar Point ride
John Wright of Prodigal Construction works at the base of the new Maverick roller coaster
at Cedar Point .
(
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
)
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SANDUSKY - The steel skeleton of the newest thrill ride at Cedar Point is taking shape this winter, with scores of workers starting to add the guts to the park's 17th coaster.
The Maverick, which will debut when the park opens May 12, will carry passengers on a 2 1/2-minute ride.
The course, 4,450 feet long, takes up a 5 1/2-acre site between the Mean Streak roller coaster and Thunder Canyon water ride.
Maverick will take passengers to the top of a 105-foot-tall first hill, down at a 95-degree angle, at speeds of up to 57 mph, to within five feet of the ground. A second "launch" inside a dark tunnel is designed to send carriages out into daylight at 70 mph.
The Maverick is designed to handle 1,200 passengers an hour.
Eric Berry of Lucas Plumbing makes adjustments to the track. The Maverick, which will be the 17th coaster at the amusement park in Sandusky, will carry its passengers to the top of a 105-foot-tall first hill, then down at a 95-degree angle at speeds of up to 57 mph to within five feet of the ground. The ride will debut when the park opens for the 2007 season on May 12.
(
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
)
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Robin Innes, spokesman for the Sandusky amusement park, said yesterday the general contractor, Adena Corp., of Mansfield, Ohio, and its half-dozen subcontractors have about 100 workers at the park."Right now, the track structure is done," Mr. Innes said.
The foundation and much of the track assembly was completed last year while the park was open, giving visitors an opportunity to watch the growth of the park's next thrill ride.
"Now we're putting in all of the guts," he said.
That includes the machinery needed to operate the ride, the loading station, and other gear needed to operate the IntaRide LLC-designed coaster.
The ride will cost $21 million, second only to the hefty $25 million price tags for the Millennium Force and Top Thrill Dragster rides, Mr. Innes said.
White Water Landing was demolished to make room for Maverick, although its station was retained.
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