Michigan’s Adventure getting Thunderhawk inverted coaster in 2008

Michigan's Adventure Amusement Park has announced plans to build the first inverted looping roller coaster in state history. Named Thunderhawk, the Vekoma-designed coaster will rise 105 feet above the ground, boast an 86-foot

first drop, and will feature five inversions with a top speed of 50 mph. "Thunderhawk will bring a new dimension of thrills to the park," said Camille Jourden-Mark, the vice president and general manager of Michigan's Adventure. "It will be an exciting ride that twists, turns and flips. A suspended coaster that loops will be an instant favorite with our guests." Michigan's Adventure is owned and operated by Cedar Fair. For more information, check out the rest of the press release below.

Located near RipCord and Adventure Falls, Thunderhawk will have a massive steel structure with tubular steel track. It will stretch 2,260 feet in length and will provide an electrifying ride time of approximately 2 minutes, 15 seconds. Riders will be seated in pairs in open seats that will be suspended below the track. Each rider will be secured with an over-the- shoulder harness and interlocking safety belt. A train will accommodate 20 riders. Riders must be between 52- and 80-inches tall to ride Thunderhawk. The ride was designed and manufactured by Vekoma International B.V., Vlodrop, The Netherlands.

Thunderhawk will represent the largest single ride expenditure in the history of the park. Michigan's Adventure has continued to add major capital improvements since joining the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in 2001. Grand Rapids, a river-rafting ride, was introduced in 2006 while the Funnel of Fear water slide opened in 2005.

For next summer, Michigan's Adventure will boast more than 60 rides and attractions, including seven roller coasters. Thunderhawk will be a steel complement to the park's perennial favorite, Shivering Timbers, a 125-foot- tall wooden coaster. Since it opened in 1998, Shivering Timbers has been consistently ranked as one of the finest wooden roller coasters in the world by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.

Guests at Michigan's Adventure can also get drenched in WildWater Adventure Waterpark, Michigan's largest waterpark. The waterpark has body slides, tube slides, three wave pools, kiddie play areas, family raft slides and the 313-foot-long Funnel of Fear water slide. Use of WildWater Adventure Waterpark is included with admission to Michigan's Adventure.

Michigan's Adventure will open for the summer on Saturday, May 24, 2008. Michigan's Adventure Season Passes are now on sale, as well as the Cedar Fair Platinum Pass. Guests who purchase a season pass will enjoy admission to the park every day of the 2008 season, while the purchase of a Cedar Fair Platinum Pass will include unlimited admission to all of Cedar Fair's 11 amusement parks and six outdoor waterparks. By purchasing a Michigan's Adventure Season Pass or Cedar Fair Platinum Pass before Nov. 11, guests will receive a free Cedar Fair V.I.P. jacket.