Foxwoods announces plans to introduce 'extreme thrill rides'
Mashantucket — Foxwoods Resort Casino announced Monday that Sky Drop and Sky Launch are on the way.
Both, the casino said, will take your breath away.
In a press release, Foxwoods said it plans to open the two new “extreme thrill rides” this summer in addition to the Foxwoods HighFlyer, the much-anticipated zip-line attraction that’s expected to debut in September.
Sky Drop and Sky Launch are part of the Thrill Tower at Foxwoods. No specific date for the rides’ opening was provided.
According to the release, Sky Drop will lift four riders at a time to the top of the Thrill Tower, from which they will then free-fall 120 feet. The ride, Foxwoods said, utilizes a state-of-the-art magnetic breaking system “to safely ensure a smooth, yet gripping free-fall experience.”
Sky Launch will propel two riders sitting back-to-back from the ground to the top of Thrill Tower and back again “at jaw-dropping speed.”
The rides are the creation of Stan Checketts, a famed amusement-ride innovator who got his start designing bungee towers. He founded S&S Worldwide, a manufacturer of amusement rides, in the 1990s and, with a partner, launched Soaring Eagle Inc., of Logan, Utah, in 2010.
The company’s rides are in place in resorts and amusement parks around the country.
In 2013, Checketts designed the VooDoo Skyline, a zip line connecting the Rio casino towers in Las Vegas. His accomplishments also include the Big Shot thrill ride atop Las Vegas’ Stratosphere casino, which whisks riders 160 feet into the air in 2.5 seconds, and the Supreme Scream drop tower at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, Calif.
The Thrill Tower and the HighFlyer zip line reflect Foxwoods’ recent emphasis on outdoors “ecotourism” as the casino seeks to diversify beyond gaming. HighFlyer, which will deliver riders from the top of the Fox Tower to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center at speeds of up to 60 mph, is being developed by Redwood Parks Co., of Redding, Calif.
Foxwoods has been celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
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