Kennywood confirms June 27 target opening date for Sky Rocket

Kennywood has confirmed that it hopes to open its new rollercoaster, Sky Rocket, by June 27, 2010.

As reported by TPT last week, the park has scheduled a media event on June 27 at which it hopes to show off the new coaster in action. In addition, a new message on the Kennywood website confirms that the Sky Rocket will open at some point during the week of June 21 as long as no further delays are encountered.

The message reads: "The track is complete and work is progressing nicely on commissioning the ride. We are currently projecting opening Sky Rocket sometime during the week of June 21 if there are no unexpected delays. We're working very hard to bring you this great new coaster. Check back for updates."

Sky Rocket, manufactured by Premier Rides, was originally due to open in May but was delayed due to severe weather conditions over the winter. The coaster will launch riders from 0 to 50 miles per hour within three seconds, before they soar round a circuit featuring a 90-degree drop, a barrel roll and a "top hat" inversion. It will stand on the site of the Turnpike attraction which was removed in August.

The coaster is based on a standard design from Premier Rides, but has been re-worked in order to fit into the limited space available at the park. Although Sky Rocket will feature several inversions, it will follow the recent trend of avoiding over-the-shoulder restraints and will instead hold riders in placing using lap bars.

A preview video of Sky Rocket can be found on the Kennywood website.

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