SKYPLEX and Skycraper Coaster Officially Announced
It is official: the world's tallest roller coaster is coming to Central Florida. This massive new attraction is set to debut in 2016, but there will be actually more to see around the SkyPlex Entertainment Center. In fact, all around the ride of humongous proportions there will be shops, dining venues, and other attractions to keep you busy before braving the thrill ride. We reported the news about this new attraction a few days ago, but now it's now been confirmed:
World’s Tallest Rollercoaster and Entertainment Complex “The Skyscraper™ at SKYPLEX™” To Electrify Orlando Skyline in 2016
ORLANDO, Fla. (June 5, 2014) – David and Joshua Wallack, the owners of Mango’s Tropical Café Orlando and Mango’s Tropical Café South Beach, today announced plans to develop the world’s tallest roller coaster The Skyscraper™ and the lavish SKYPLEX™ indoor entertainment complex at International Drive and Sand Lake Road.
The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX, the towering coaster to be built not far from the soon-to-open Orlando Eye 425-foot ferris wheel, will alter the Orlando skyline dramatically. The $200 million SKYPLEX will comprise approximately 495,000 square feet located on 12 prime acres. SKYPLEX will break ground in 2015 and is expected to open in 2016. Along with Mango’s Orlando, SKYPLEX will be bringing an irresistible dining and new nightlife vibe to the International Drive district.
“Next to our theme parks, International Drive is one of the most recognized icons of Orlando,” said Visit Orlando president and CEO George Aguel. “It’s exciting for our tourism community to see this type of investment being made to continuously raise the bar on the dining and entertainment experiences we offer across our destination.”
The Skyscraper at SKYPLEX is 570 feet tall and will feature the first Polercoaster built. This mega-thrill ride is a vertical rollercoaster created with coaster-length tracks featuring “all the other thrilling mayhem” of a great coaster experience, but “in a very small footprint,” according to Michael Kitchen, President of US Thrill Rides, the Orlando based company that created the ride.
Bill Kitchen, Founder of US Thrill Rides and creator of the Polercoaster said "Not only will the ‘Skyscraper’ coaster be the world’s tallest, we believe it will be the most thrilling. There will be incredible heart-pounding inside and outside loops, dives, spirals and inversions like the world has never seen." The SKYPLEX observation deck at the tip of the tallest structure in Central Florida will offer views 535 feet from the ground. To get there, visitors will ride in the region’s tallest glass elevators.
“We’re extremely excited about creating a record-breaking, must-try attraction on International Drive,” said Joshua Wallack, Mango’s Tropical Café chief operating officer, who also will open a Mango’s Orlando next year across International Drive from SKYPLEX. “Nowhere in the world will you have two iconic structures like The Skyscraper and the Orlando Eye. This will be an incredible opportunity for International Drive. ”
Wallack and his father David are partners in the mixed-use development that includes opportunities for additional attractions, entertainment, interactive venues, restaurants and retail to include a two-story prime retail space on International Drive. The SKYPLEX indoor entertainment complex including the observatory and restaurant and lounge at the top of the Skyscraper was designed by global architectural firm HHCP, based in Orlando, and will be constructed by Euforria, a construction management division of Winter Park Construction, based in Winter Park, Fla.
“Imagine a night of incredible dining, lounging and dancing atop a glass elevator ride 55 stories into the air,” said David Wallack. “It’s a true meeting of engineering, technology and art that is making this dream happen for us. We plan to bring Ocean Drive to I-Drive with a new dining and nightlife district that locals and Orlando visitors won’t want to miss.”
The SKYPLEX complex was conceived in late 2012 soon after Joshua Wallack began investigating parking garage locations for the Mango’s Orlando restaurant project.
What began as a search for multi-acre valet parking site for the Mango’s project mushroomed into a whirlwind of negotiations for additional land after Wallack was contacted by US Thrill Rides as to their interest in building the world’s first Polercoaster ride. The Wallacks rolled up five contiguous sites comprising 12 acres of land with 300 front feet on International Drive near Sand Lake Road and were soon collaborating with US Thrill Rides to license and develop the Polercoaster, which they now dub “The Skyscraper.” SKYPLEX will include a 1,500-car parking garage with a valet parking option.
Mango’s Tropical Café in Orlando, opening in 2015, will be a world-class restaurant and nightlife entertainment destination in the heart of the International Drive district and just one mile from the Orange County Convention Center. The restaurant, with 55,000 square feet of entertainment space, live bands, shows and dancing, plus gourmet dining and event packages, will have a parking garage next door to it.
The Wallack family has built a reputation as entrepreneurs and philanthropists in Miami with the Mango’s Tropical Café South Beach restaurant. The Wallacks have pioneered the innovative Community Partnership Program in Miami Beach benefitting Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami Beach, which has yielded more than half a million dollars in the past two years. The Wallacks plan similar philanthropic activities in Central Florida. (end)
Here you are some additional renderings of this new entertainment area (including the Skyscraper):
We definitely cannot wait to see this new entertainment area. We will monitor the construction of the SKYPLEX Entertainment Complex and the Skyscraper, so be sure to check back on OTPN for updates.
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