"Its going to be a SkyScreamer?"
"A Full Throttle-esqe Launched Coaster?"
"New Flat Ride?"
"A Green Lantern ZacSpin?"
"A total re-do of American Eagle!"
Then around the 1st week of August, SFGAm started what in my opinion was one of the best teaser campaigns the park has ever seen.
From the onset of this short 14 second youtube video, with the breaking concrete walls/floors even the most skeptical person could think just maybe something big was on the way.
Other videos followed featuring park Employee "David" who was video taped snooping around the park, looking for clues about what 2014 would bring, causing the forums and social media covering Great America to pop, still though no idea specifically what 2014 would bring.
That changed about a 2 weeks later when, Variance hearing signs appeared around the outside of the park. That only meant one thing. Whatever 2014 was going to bring SFGAm, it would be greater than 125 tall.
This as the vignettes the park posted still did not hint at anything coaster related and only added to the speculation.
Before the meeting, the Daily Herald gave the biggest clue yet, a report about the variance mentioned the fact that a Wooden Coaster with world records was possible.
WGN along with others headed to Gurnee to see the Height Variance meeting, (WGN even featured SFGAmWorld.com during the report)
Then the Height Variance meeting, and the Daily Herald was in fact correct, at least to a point about the reason for the meeting was in fact for a roller coaster.
Then came 8/29/2013 the date that will forever be known as the date that Six Flags Great America changed forever. The date that Goliath was announced to the world.
SFGAmWorld, several other enthusiast websites, Local media and others attended a groundbreaking ceremony dedicated to Six Flags Great America's newest coaster set to debut in 2014.
Here are some pictures from this special event:
Entering the park from the Employee Lot and going backstage to an area that I have never seen before was really interesting, all this as landscapers where chopping down trees near the Wilderness Theater.
In the area that was once Iron Wolf, the cleared land made the site very impressive. But was was even more impressive was the layout diagram that greeted us as we made out way into the site.
Cleared during the week prior, this was what the site looked like the Sunday prior
3 World Records- a Shovel for each
Goliath Groundbreaking Ceremony Area
Hank Salemi SFGAm Park President kicks off the festivities
GROUNDBREAKING!
165 FEET!
David has discovered Goliath!
SFGAm put on a great little event that was definitely a lot of fun and something really awesome to be a part of. Here are some of the Official Goliath Stats and Notes and nuggets in addition to the Stats of 85° 1st Drop (World Record 1) Speed 72 mph (World Record 2) 180 Foot tall 1st drop ( World Record 3) 165 Feet tall.
1.3100 feet long
2. 90 second ride time
3.Will feature lap restraints no OTSRs
4. Modified Iron Wolf Station will be used for Goliath
5. Polyurethane Wheels will be used for ride
6. Former Iron Wolf queue and exits will be used
7. No alterations to Wilderness Theater or Camp Cartoon to accommodate Goliath
8. Construction will begin immediately when approved by Gurnee
9. Topper Track- RMC Ground Up Coaster
10. 2 Trains 24 riders each, Park expects to have a better throughput than X-Flight
11. No projected opening day as of yet
12. 2 Tunnels
13. The park considers this to be the 5th wooden coaster, and stated that SFGAm now has more Wooden Coaster track than any other park in the world.
My Take: This will forever change not only the skyline of SFGAm, but this ride will be historic in terms of the rides impression it will make on not only the park but the industry as well. No doubt this ride will go down in the annals of Batman the Ride, Shockwave or American Eagle. It is that much of a big deal.
Goliath's name befits this ride, yes its been reused by Six Flags, but so what? The name fits this ride perfectly, and I cant see anything with this ride that there isn't to like. A 3100 foot long ride in an area that held Iron Wolf and having it being able to do what this ride advertises is absolutely incredible!
Six Flags Great America has definitely hit a GRAND SLAM with this ride!
STAY TUNED!
