Dive Brief:
- The Orange County, FL, board of commissioners has granted zoning approval for the world’s tallest roller coaster — the 570-foot "Skyscraper" coaster — and surrounding $500 million Skyplex entertainment complex , the Associated Press reported.
- Developer Joshua Wallack plans to build the attraction on Orlando’s 11-mile International Drive, located between Universal Studios and Sea World. The entire Skyplex complex, scheduled to open in 2018, will include two additional rides, a 350-room hotel, restaurants and stores.
- Universal Studios has led the opposition to the development, citing the proposed height of the roller coaster as too tall for the area. However, many local residents and business have supported the plan as a way of revitalizing the area. Developers have agreed to limit the size of the roller coaster to under 600 feet and follow an agreed-upon plan to minimize impact on traffic and reduce light pollution.
Dive Insight:
"We couldn't be happier with the board's decision," Wallack said. "Central Florida really needed a renaissance of North I-Drive. It had been decaying and shabby for the last 20 years."
International Drive, once a vibrant tourist mecca benefiting from its proximity to area attractions like Walt Disney World and Sea World, has lost its appeal and become a shell of its former self in the past few decades.
Developers maintain that Universal’s opposition is more about competition than about the impact the project will have on local residents and businesses.
"We want to build the world's tallest roller coaster as our anchor and, of course, Universal didn't want us to have such a competitive ride. Hopefully they've sort of seen (what) the public sentiment is for Skyplex and for the rebirth of I-Drive," Wallack said.
However, John McReynolds, Universal's vice president of external affairs, countered, "It has to fit into the community, and height is the issue."
Developers have said the Skyplex roller coaster, which is expected to have a 450-foot drop, will beat the current titleholder of tallest roller coaster, the 450-foot Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, which has a 418-foot drop.
Recently, the Dodge 2016 Construction Outlook predicted strong growth in amusement and recreational building next year — +15% starts; 52.7 million square feet — as the economy continues to improve.