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A change at Hersheypark is already in the air - 200 feet in the air - in the form of a $25 million investment in thrills that park managers hope will pay off in more park visitors and longer stays.
Skyrush will be the tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster at the Derry Township park, hitting speeds of up to 75 mph along 3,600 feet of track, said Hersheypark spokeswoman Kathy Burrows and Gary Chubb, senior maintenance director.
Skyrush is the third roller coaster in the park built by Swiss company Intamin AG, joining Storm Runner, which opened in 2004, and 2008's Fahrenheit.
The new concept ride has two floored seats and two floorless outside seats that are "winged."
The park had to move a ride and a catering area to make room for the new ride, and any changes visitors notice at the park are due to the new ride, not last fall's flood that submerged parts of the park, Burrows said.
"We do massive painting every year. But like everyone in Central Pennsylvania, we want to put the flood behind us," she said.
She said repairs were completed within weeks of the deluge.
The flood delayed work on the roller coaster by about three weeks, but much of that time was made up because of the mild winter, Chubb said.
The park opens for the season May 4; Skyrush will open a couple of weeks later, Chubb said.
Five years in the making
Plans for the new roller coaster began in 2007 when Hershey asked five ride builders to submit ideas for a new roller coaster. They liked Intamin's idea, despite a cost that was double that of the $12 million...