Carowinds Tops Off Record-Breaking Roller Coaster

Crews Thursday installed the final piece of the lift hill on the world's tallest and fastest giga coaster, transforming the Interstate 77 skyline

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Carowinds

Dec 04, 2014, 04:04 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Carowinds construction crews Thursday installed the final piece of the 325-foot lift hill on the new Fury 325 – the world's tallest and fastest giga coaster. After finishing work on the hill, which stands 20-feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, construction workers placed a Christmas tree at the peak, with the biggest holiday present for the Carolinas underneath.

Crews hoist the last piece of the Fury 325 lift hill into place at Carowinds in Charlotte, NC at 325 feet tall. Debuting in Spring 2015, Fury 325 will be the world's tallest and fastest giga coaster.

Carowinds Tops Off Record-Breaking Roller Coaster

"When Fury 325 opens this spring, Carowinds will have two of the 10 tallest rollercoasters in North America and we'll have a total of 14 roller coasters, which is something that only several parks in the world can top," says Mike Fehnel, Carowinds' vice president and general manager. "The only thing as thrilling as the rides is the amazing construction story that's currently unfolding."

Consider these numbers:

400 – Trucks needed to haul the pieces for Fury 325 to Carowinds in Charlotte, N.C.
33 – Trucks needed just for the equipment to build the 350-foot crane that's erecting the Fury 325 lift hill.
140 – Tons needed to counter-balance the crane.

Here's a video of what Fury 325 will look like for anyone brave enough to board a ride that will simulate the wild, daring and spontaneous flight of the hornet. Riders will begin an ascent that takes a terrifying 63 seconds to climb, then plunge down an 81-degree drop, reaching speeds of up to 95 mph as they race through a series of hills, curves and quick transitions. All told, it will take each of the three, 32-passenger open air trains nearly 3 minutes and 25 seconds to complete the 6,602-foot ride.

The new ride will be visible from uptown Charlotte, renewing the park's skyline along Interstate 77 and serving as a symbol of changes to come. Fury 325 is part of a planned $50 million multiyear investment to bring new life to founder Pat Hall's original vision for Carowinds. The park is being revamped from top to bottom to celebrate Carolina culture, including new rides, attractions and food from different regions. Fury 325 will be the centerpiece of a new, 8.2-acre main entrance plaza that includes more than 900 parking spaces closer to the gate, upgrades to improve traffic flow and expanded guest service facilities.

For more information, please visit www.carowinds.com/fury325 or contact Peter Smolowitz, 704.916.6163, [email protected].

Carowinds is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publicly traded partnership that is listed for trading on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FUN." In addition to Carowinds, Cedar Fair owns and operates ten other amusement parks including Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH, three water parks, one indoor water park, and five hotels. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in California under a management contract.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141204/162467
Video - http://youtu.be/bOGXaBZNkRU

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SOURCE Carowinds