Press Release: Six Flags Great America
March 2, 2001
GURNEE, IL -- Six Flags Great America stunned the theme park world yesterday by unveiling plans to erect an unprecedented
two new monster roller coasters, that promise to stretch the limits of thrills for the 2001 season.
``Today's announcement is record breaking and history making for Six Flags Great America,'' said Jim Wintrode,
vice president and general manager. ``Never before has Six Flags Great America added two world-class roller coasters
in the same season. The introduction of these rides thrusts the park's coaster count to an astounding 12, launching
the park into the stratosphere of thrill parks.''
Headlining this year's unparalleled addition at Six Flags Great America is one of the most innovative advancement
in coaster thrills of the past ten years -- Vertical Velocity (V2). Powered by state-of-the-art Linear Induction
Motors (LIMs), V2 challenges conventional thrills by boldly going higher and faster. Originally developed for use
by NASA, Vertical Velocity's LIMs harness magnetic power to provide pure acceleration, launching riders at 70 M.P.H.
in less than four seconds. V2 rockets suspended riders through 630 feet of U-shaped, twisted steel track over water.
Once fired out of the station, the vehicle rockets up a 185-foot spiral tower providing the ultimate techno-twist.
After traversing the first peak, the guests swoop backward through the station and up a second, 185-foot tower.
The ride repeats twice with riders going vertical three times to the front and two times to the back of the track.
At the completion of the powerful, lightning-fast journey, guests have ridden over 2,700 feet of steel, challenging
the laws of physics and gravity with pure Vertical Velocity.
Complementing V2 is yet another powerhouse thrill machine, Deja Vu, the first of its kind in the world. Deja Vu
is a twin thrill machine with tight pulsating curves and inclines that will turn the heads of even the most avid
thrill seeker.
Suspended in a single ski-lift style train, guests climb a 178-foot tower at a 90-degree angle using ``cable-lift''
technology. Deja Vu pulls passengers up the tower faster and quieter than conventional chain lifts. Thrill seekers
then plummet straight down and face down at 65 M.P.H. through a 110-foot high boomerang turn and over the outside
of a vertical loop.
The train then lifts up a second 178-foot tower using the cable lift system. Once the vehicle has reached the top,
guests will be released and then travel the entire course again... backwards.
``Deja Vu features several unique elements that are all rolled into one ride experience,'' said Wintrode. ``Deja
Vu delivers a unique ride experience, unmatched in size, speed and scale that can't be duplicated on another coaster.''
Scheduled to open in early spring, both coasters are currently under construction. ``This year the thrills at Six
Flags Great America will be unmatched,'' Wintrode concluded. ``In celebration of Six Flags' historic 40th anniversary,
it is only fitting that we add two coasters on the cutting-edge of thrills and technology. The Six Flags brand
has always been known for producing thrill rides that can't be beat. In 2001, Six Flags Great America will take
our guests farther and faster than ever before in this grand Six Flags tradition.''
Six Flags, Inc. is the world's largest regional theme park company with a total of 40 parks in North America, Europe
and Latin America. Six Flags parks serve 20 of the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The parks
annually host more than 50 million guests worldwide. A publicly held corporation with corporate offices in New
York City and Oklahoma City, the company's stock trades on the NYSE under the symbol: PKS.
SOURCE: Six Flags Great America