Space Spiral
| Space Spiral | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cedar Point | |
| Status | Closed |
| Cost | $350,000 |
| Opening date | May 22, 1965 |
| Closing date | August 14, 2012 |
| Replaced by | GateKeeper |
| General statistics | |
| Attraction type | Gyro tower |
| Manufacturer | Von Roll |
| Model | Observation Tower |
| Height | 330 ft (100 m) |
Space Spiral was a gyro tower built by Von Roll at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It was located near the front of the park, next to Disaster Transport. It opened in 1965 and closed on August 14, 2012 to make room for GateKeeper. It was imploded on September 12, 2012.[1] On its opening year, this ride was the third of its kind to be built.
Ride experience
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Space Spiral gave riders a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. It featured a distinctive two-level cabin, found only on a few early models. However, the second level wasn't used in the ride's later years. The height of the tower was 330 feet (100 m), however riders only reached a height of 285 feet (87 m). It was the first amusement ride in the world to top 300 feet (91 m). It was the tallest ride in the park for decades until Top Thrill Dragster opened in 2003.[1]
Closure and implosion
On July 13, 2012, Cedar Point announced that Space Spiral would close along with the neighboring Disaster Transport.[2] It was first reported that Space Spiral would stay open through Labor Day, however it closed on August 14. On September 12 at 7:30 am, Space Spiral was imploded. It took 17 seconds for the tower to fall. Contractors worked with park maintenance staff to cut into the base of the ride, weakening it and about 10 pounds of explosives were added to the ride's base.[1]
Incident
- On May 18, 1985, ten people were stranded on Space Spiral for seven hours. The cab was raised to the top where the passengers and the operator took the stairs down to the ground on the inside of the tower. There were no injuries.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 Haidet, Ryan (September 13, 2012). "Space Spiral demolished". WKYC. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
- ↑ Gimbel, Cristy (July 13, 2012). "Cedar Point makes special announcement". WTOL. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ↑ "Cedar Point Idles Spiral After Riders are Trapped". Toledo Blade. May 22, 1985. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Space Spiral. |
Coordinates: 41°28′51″N 82°40′46″W / 41.4808°N 82.6795°W