Status In storage Opening date April 28, 2000 Height 68 m Closed 1 May 2011 | Park section Nascar Café Closing date May 1, 2011 Max speed 113 km/h Cost 1 million USD | |
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Status In storage at Akita Plaza Type Steel – Launched – Shuttle Address 2535 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA Similar The Roller Coaster, Vortex, Viper, La Vibora, Cedar Creek Mine Ride | ||
Speed – The Ride is a roller coaster currently in storage, it was located on the Las Vegas Strip at the now-defunct Sahara Hotel and Casino. The coaster operated from April 28, 2000 to May 1, 2011. The roller coaster is currently in storage at Akita Plaza.
Contents
NASCAR Café (2000–2012)
Speed – The Ride was introduced in the Sahara's 1999 remodeling, as part of the NASCAR Café.
As of August 2008, the ride was shut down with no information from the venue. However, the ride reopened in February 2009, then closed again in May 2011 because of the closure of the Sahara. Dismantling of the coaster began in April 2012.
Akita Plaza
According to the contractor dismantling the ride, Speed will be reinstalled at Akita Plaza, a small shopping center across the street from Mandalay Bay, which also plans to add new restaurants and a concert venue. As of 2014 the Akita Plaza development has stalled and Speed: The Ride remains dismantled at the site.
Ride Experience
The ride started with a launch from the inside of the NASCAR Cafe accelerating from 0–45 mph (0–72 km/h) in two seconds. The train dropped into an underground tunnel in front of the resort and then passed through a 92-foot (28 m) vertical loop. Afterwards a second launch accelerated the train from 45–70 mph (72–113 km/h) in three seconds. After a quick snaking turn the train climbed a huge vertical tower before the train fell back and ran through the entire course backwards. On the return trip the second launch area decelerated the train from 70–45 mph (113–72 km/h) before it traveled back through the vertical loop and through the underground tunnel. The train then returned to the station with a complete stop. It was also considered one of the tallest and the longest shuttle coasters in the world.
The ride was designed and manufactured by Premier Rides and fabricated by Intermountain Lift, Inc.