On Tuesday the Green Bay city council approved the purchase of the Zippin Pippin coaster. By a vote of 7-4 the council approved the purchase for the rights to the wooden coaster famous for being Elvis Presley’s favorite in the city of Memphis, TN.
Officials are hopeful the ride will debut in about 15 months. About $10 thousand will be paid for the name, history, and rights to the ride while the new materials and construction of the wooden coaster at Green Bay’s Beach Bay Amusement Park will bring the total project to about a $3 million price tag.
For the time being the name of a builder has not been revealed. Some residents do not think the project is appropriate for the time considering the nation’s economy but the project will continue forth.
Green Bay mayor Jim Schmitt hopes the ride will be ready for the summer of 2011.
For more information please visit:
http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/gb-city-council-approves-coaster
Tags: Bay Beach Amusement Park, Green Bay, Zippin Pippin
Great to see a wooden coaster being saved for suture generations. Good for them.
Looking at the park's website, their list of rides I can tell this is a simple park. The first part of Zippin Pippin looks like it gives the ride it's own place and variation and then the second half is the simple out n back that would make this coaster a fitting application for that style of park. Way to go.
That was too close. They were already ripping it apart.
I expect the estate would have sold pieces in the gift shop at Graceland.
Did they save the running rail at least or even portions of it so it could be used on the new coaster? If they had a piece of the original coaster on display that would be cool.
did I miss something. While they had started to dismantle the coaster I was under the impression they were doing it in the idea it would be reconstructed.
anyways. The running rail would not be saved. They could put it on display or section it to sell. But the coaster upon reconstruction will need to be completely retracked.
Thats great, now if Big Dipper and Starliner gets saved as well, then this will be a great year for classic woodies.
It sounded like most of the wood was toast so mostly new material it will be.
No mater what the wood from the original structure will need to be gone over. They will replace any wood that is too far gone. Needless to say the footers will also be all new .
so I guess the chain might be usable
. What about the trains? Were they still on the coaster or were they removed or even stolen. ( That one coaster in Lake Chippewa's old park had its train stolen, though I guess the train is now better off than the poor old coaster)
The trains were sold off a couple years back. The train was broke up if I remember right. one car is traveling some Music memorabilia show, another is in another museum style attraction.