ACE Southwest: ACE Night at Lakeside or “The Coaster With No Name”
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
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Photo: David Stremme. View full-sized image.
More than 50 ACE members and guests celebrated National Roller Coaster Day at the annual ACE Night at Lakeside event in Denver, Colorado. The festivities started with an Italian buffet dinner, complete with table drink service from the friendly Lakeside employees. During the buffet, the ACE regional rep team was able to sit down with Operations Manager Brenda Fishman to get the scoop on Lakeside’s “new” coaster.
The Pinfari Zyklon formerly known as the Big Ohhhh! at Omaha’s Fun-Plex was acquired and assembled last year in the southwest corner of the park, where it has been standing but not operating for more than a year. Last year the focus was on making the coaster compliant with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and this year the park has had challenges in getting parts from Italy. Lakeside recently received a cog for the lift chain that was incompatible with the existing shaft, so now it is waiting for a replacement shaft and lift chain. The park hopes to get the coaster up and running during the fall and open for the 2020 season.
The new coaster still does not have a name. During the 2018 event at Lakeside, Fishman solicited input from ACE members. “Rhoda Coaster” was the clear winner, but Park Owner Rhoda Krasner did not seem enamored of this suggestion. She has threatened to name it “Curly Q” instead.
As the park wound down to a close just after 11 p.m., the staff began nighttime ERT with the traditional double rides on the ACE Roller Coaster Landmark Cyclone, followed by Lakeside’s famous ice cream social around midnight. The Cyclone staff took a quick break to get some ice cream, and then they offered some final rides to end the night. All in all, it was a great way to celebrate National Roller Coaster Day!
ACE Southwest extends its sincere thanks to Ms. Krasner, Ms. Fishman and all of the Lakeside Amusement Park staff for their hospitality in welcoming ACE for another year.
— Kevin Knapp
ACE Southwest Regional Representative
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