Six Flags Over Georgia Expects New Ride

Talia Gutierrez
Comm 3330
News Release

KENNESAW, Ga.- This spring 2011, Six Flags over Georgia might just give everybody acrophobia when it opens its 11th roller coaster, Dare Devil Dive. This roller coaster will feature a 10-story vertical climb greeted with Six Flags first ever pause feature before the coaster plummets down to the ground. Don't worry Six Flag regulars, no rides will be eliminated due to the addition of this new and exciting coaster.

      When the park opened in 1967, it started out with only one roller coaster, The Dahlonega Mine Train. The Dare Devil Dive will be the first, new coaster at the park since the famous Goliath, which was introduced back in 2006. Costing roughly $9 million to create, it was custom-designed and engineered by Germany-based Gerstlauer Rides. Any viewer of this ride can see that creators wanted to push the limit.

"The mission begins with guests being pulled straight up to the sky on a special vertical chain lift, then slowly rolling to the top of the tower nearly 100-feet in the air. After an agonizing pause at the crest of the summit, the coaster car plummets downward at an angle that is beyond straight down -- it actually angles inward at a blistering 52 miles per hour,” company spokesman David Matthews, said in an email response.

 With 19 park locations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Six Flags is world’s largest regional theme park company. Six Flags offers thrilling packed roller coasters, but also is family friendly. Certain sections of the park were built especially for the younger thrill seekers, including live shows featuring Bugs Bunny and Friends from the Looney Tunes .

The mission of Six Flags’ parks is to be convenient and affordable. Angus Wynne founded Six Flags in 1961; the same year the first park was built and opened in Texas.

 "A broad entertainment product, featuring innovative rides complemented by brilliant theme presentations, became his formula for success, and his ingenious use of themes turned the centuries-old amusement park idea into the broader theme park concept. Angus' vision, themed designs to enrich an entertainment experience, was right on target — and the regional theme park industry was born," Mel Towne spokesperson of Six Flags over Atlanta said in a conference held in Atlanta, Ga.

Six Flags Over Georgia's also has a nearby sister park, White Water. Six Flags White Water happens to be the South's largest water park and rated on the Travel Channel's Top 10 water parks in the whole country. This park has nearly 50 attractions available. The atmosphere and ideals are very similar to that of the theme park. A friendly staff and excellent customer service is always a major priority next to fun, of course, at all of the Six Flags parks.

The opening day of Six Flags White Water, May 21^st, will be around the same time the new ride will be up and running at Six Flags Over Georgia.

In the recent years, we have all noticed the economy taking its toll on places all around us. Six Flags unfortunately was one of them, but with this new ride comes a new promise of increased attendance for the company. “The company emerged from a Chapter 11 restructuring earlier this year. It reported strong second quarter 2010 financial results, with revenue up 7 percent in the quarter as a result of increased attendance and sponsorship,” company spokesman David Matthews said.

To ensure attendance, Six Flags offers season pass tickets to eliminate having to purchase a day pass each time a guest visits. The season pass helps guest save money in the long run and helps bring guests back to the park. An individual season pass ticket is

-more-

$59.99, while a general admission day pass is $49.99 and children under 48" costs

$34.99. Therefore, if one guest plans on attending Six Flags theme park more than once during the season, the individual season pass will be cheaper. The peak season for Six Flags Over Georgia starts with Spring Break -for students- until Halloween.

Not only does Six Flags offers season passes to save money, they even have side programs to help you save on the admission cost. Some ways to save money on ticket prices are bringing in a can of non-perishable food to help the homeless or bringing in an empty coke can. Both are easy, inexpensive ways for the average person to save. Coca-Cola is the official soft drink provider for Six Flags Over Georgia. Six Flags offers sponsors an exclusive, uncluttered environment to communication to consumers one-on-one. One agreement Six Flags has made with their sponsor Coca Cola is allowing them exclusive rights to serve Coca Cola products to guests in their parks.

Six Flags is not only a large and successful company, but also a charitable one. The company supports causes and organizes events to help raise awareness. This year’s event is A Walk In The Park happening this summer. During this event, 11 Six Flags parks nation-wide will be participating to raise funding and awareness for pediatric illnesses. The funds will go towards Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Six Flag's even delves into education by sponsoring a program called Read to Succeed. This program allows students in grades K- 6 to earn a free ticket to a park within 250 miles of their school if they complete six hours of recreational reading.

Although Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company, the competition is a continuous battle. Big name theme parks such as, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Busch Garden have an advantage because they are easily recognized by their characters and marketing techniques. Six Flags Corporation has the most park locations world-wide reaching out to 25 million guests annually. Also, compared to a Walt Disney World ticket that costs $87.33 USD, a Six Flags Over Georgia ticket is only $49.99 making their parks a steal compared to their competition. Not only are the parks affordable, but they are tons of fun making visitors 90 percent more likely to want to return and visit. Wynne, founder of Six Flags, park mission holds accurate.

For additional information, please contact Talia Gutierrez at (912)695-1226.

# # #