Skepticism Amongst Residents 

The Fish Hook coaster was immediately met with criticism. Though Las Vegas is first and foremost known as a party destination, the city itself is actually quite suburban. With homes and neighborhoods just outside the main strip, many residents took issue with this gargantuan ride. The main complaint? Noise. The residents of Las Vegas, specifically the Southridge neighborhood, which is just blocks away from the Stratosphere, immediately began making pushes against the new construction. Already affected by the sounds of the Big Shot and High Roller attractions, residents were not willing to put up with more noise in their neighborhood, raising issues of both comfort for residents and property value. Meeting after meeting, the attraction was opposed.

Arrow and the Stratosphere remained flexible, attempting to work with the nearby residents. Many argued that the coaster would actually be beneficial to the area, bringing in tourists and therefore thousands of dollars to the area. When their appeals were met with denial, the coaster was entirely re-developed, this time standing at 510 feet instead of 750. This would still break the height record, though would no longer break the speed record. In addition to the height change, the cars would now be enclosed to dampen the sounds of riders. This would undoubtedly affect the ride experience, but the Stratosphere was willing to take drastic measures in order to see their ideas come to fruition.

When the Stratosphere recruited Arrow to develop this out-of-this-world coaster, it was a make-or-break moment for the company. Around the same time, Arrow was developing X at Magic Mountain, the world’s first 4th Dimension coaster. This twisted coaster featured trains where the seats were level with the track and would spin in a controlled motion throughout the ride layout. This was and still is an insane ride experience quite unlike anything else in the world (besides its sister coaster in Japan). While a hit, however, X was a maintenance nightmare for Arrow. 

It also cost far more than expected, coming in at 45 million USD. The manufacturer had already been on the downswing in recent years as more modern European manufacturers gained popularity, and with the troubles facing X, the company filed for bankruptcy. Though they attempted to still complete the Fish Hook coaster in their corporate restructuring, their bankruptcy was met by extreme skepticism from the local residents of Las Vegas. If the noise complaints weren’t enough, now residents were fired up by what they viewed as a decline in Arrow’s credibility. The plans were ultimately denied in 2002. Former Arrow Development engineer Alan Schilke (who would go on to create some of the world’s best coasters with Rocky Mountain Construction) said that the denial of the Fish Hook coaster was “the nail in the coffin” for the fate of Arrow.

By the end of 2002, Arrow Development was officially no more, and though their legacy lives on today through their rides and contributions to the amusement world, one can’t help but wonder what if. What if the plans for the Fish Hook coaster were approved? What if Arrow did build the world’s tallest coaster? What if they rebounded from their bankruptcy, and were still making rides today? 

The Fish Hook coaster in Las Vegas, Nevada, was ultimately never built. The Stratosphere would go on to do what they could with the limitations they were met with, and today remains a successful tourist attraction. Kinda-Ka still stands as the world’s tallest coaster. Nothing has gotten close to breaking that record, let alone 700 feet. And although this may have been seen as failure for the Stratosphere and Arrow Development alike, the very concept of a 700-foot roller coaster is awe-inspiring and admirable. The bravery of this partnership, the bravery to ask "why not" even when met with harsh criticism and denial, remains unmatched. Even in the face of failure, this project was an endeavor of bravery and innovation.

Who will ask “why not” next? Who will push the limits in 2020 and beyond?