Six Flags Great America To Elevate Thrills This Season

Gurnee, IL — Six Flags Great America stunned the theme park world today 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 – V2 Vertical Velocity. Powered by state-of-the-art Linear Induction Motors (LIM's), 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 mph 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, Déjà Vu, the first of its kind in the world. Déjà 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. Déjà Vu pulls passengers up the tower faster and quieter than conventional chain lifts. Thrill seekers then plummet straight down and face down at 65 mph 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.

"Déjà Vu features several unique elements that are all rolled into one ride experience," said Wintrode. "Déjà 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."