Linnanmäki Amusement Park in Helsinki, Finland has begun construction on a new Ferris Wheel. The new Ferris Wheel, built by Technical Park, will replace the park’s old 1964 Helsinki Wheel.

The parts arrived last week, with construction starting right away. The Wheel’s hub and supports have already been erected and the work will finish sometime next week. The work has moved fast despite the language barrier between the Italian manufacturers and their Finnish counterparts assisting with the construction.

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A contract worker fell from an extension ladder Tuesday at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. He fell while painting Chang, the theme park’s Stand-up roller coaster.

The worker fell about 25 feet. He regained consciousness and was taken to the hospital late in the afternoon. His condition is unavailable. Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom opens for the season this Saturday, April 1st.

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All winter long, Lake Winnepesaukah has been gearing up for the new season.

The 14-story drop tower is the only one of its kind in the state of Tennessee and will be the tallest attraction at the park when it opens for the season April 1.

The park’s newest thrill ride will be named Oh-Zone and will act as an illuminated billboard for the park as well. Construction on the structure was completed March 15th.

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The VisionLand amusement park in Birmingham, AL, is now officially known as Alabama Adventure according to a press release put out yesterday by the park’s owners, Southland Entertainment.

The name change comes as Southland Entertainment, which has already invested $20 million in the park, prepares to introduce a variety of new additions. Based on the company’s master plan, a hotel (complete with indoor water park), an RV park, an animal park, and a sports complex are just some of the new features on the horizon for Alabama Adventure.

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Following the death of a man on a Lotte World roller coaster earlier this month, the Korean amusement park sought to bring guests back by offering free admission to the first 35,000 visitors over a six-day period. Yesterday a stampede occurred as guests rushed to get free tickets, leaving at least 35 people injured. (more…)

Six Flags Fiesta Texas has some big plans in the works. Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro recently visited the amusement park and intends to invest heavily in it, according to park manager Martin Bozer.

The park has been somewhat ignored by Six Flags over recent years, with the newest ride added in 2002 and the most recent roller coaster opened in 2000. According to Bozer, however, that is about to change. Of the $140 million set aside for park improvements this year, some of it is going to Fiesta Texas for the construction of three new water rides. Bozer also said that park officials are "even more excited" about plans for 2007.

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Paramount’s Carowinds will debut a new film in the Paramount Action F/X Theater when the park opens for the 2006 season on March 25th.

The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera will feature many of your favorite Hanna-Barbera characters such as Scooby Doo, The Jetsons and The Flinstones and Yogi Bear.

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As part of a $2.5 million tourism-boosting initiative, Pennsylvania governor Edward Rendell announced Conneaut Lake Park will receive a $175,000 planning grant.

Via Press Release

The Economic Progress Alliance will receive a $175,000 planning grant to
develop a master plan to re-establish Conneaut Lake Park as a premier tourism
destination. Located in Sadsbury and Summit townships, the project will
entail using professional service providers to enhance the tourist experience.
Funds will be used for a development plan, including facility and
infrastructure assessments, financial and operational assessments, a legal
review, engineering pre-design, and site analyses. The total planning costs
is estimated at $175,000.

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