Speed - The Ride closes with Nascar Cafe & Sahara Hotel

[The Skooter Guy]

After 59 years of operation, the Sahara Hotel, along with the Nascar Cafe & its main attraction, Speed - The Ride have closed their doors forever!
Here's a tribute to Speed's erection to its early days!
http://www.rcdb.com/593.htm?p=0
Vale Sahara Hotel! (1952-2011)

[Leo C]

Nowadays if I could only get an EnergyStar Guide sticker on this coaster to see how much electricity this thing barrels through in a year. It was a great Premier ride.

[Antoine]

This was the last coaster I rode during my coaster tour in 2003 (best coaster tour I had too!). It wasn't too bad. And well after riding the painfully boring High Roller earlier in the day, there was no way this ride could be worse. Overall, I did enjoy it. Actually gonna miss this ride. One of the rare Premier coasters that was enjoyable.

[The Skooter Guy]

Everything at the Sahara Hotel & Nascar Cafe is up for a huge auction!

[Leo C]

Their logo and sign was one of my favorite on the Strip.

[The Skooter Guy]

I predict that Speed - The Ride would be purchased by an anonymous individual from another country with plans to set it up at his/her own place.

[Leo C]

Probably someone that will laugh at Formula Rossa in UAB.

[Brian H]

I didn't see it mentioned on the auction page. Any chance it was sold before the sale?

[Leo C]

I browsed a Screamscape snippet it wasn't in the auction. I didn't get through the complete thought yet.

[Michael C]

I have not see the coaster mentioned on any of the sales sites. Seems shame to scrap it. I hope it is planed to sell it off, or work it into the new hotel/casino.

[Joe R]

There has been talk of buyers. They had a price value of it when I rode it in March, so that means they've had offers to buy it. It could go to the Adventuredome, it could go to the planned park at the south end of the strip, or it could go to some random amusement park nearby just as a filler attraction that would get good reviews.

[Leo C]

Word out there is that the ride is being taken down now. No report yet on whether it's carefully being disassembled for a new owner or just ripped apart. Supposedly the work is on the tower first.

[The Skooter Guy]

If it's being dismantled, it'll be put in storage up for sale. I would be heartbroken if it's placed in a cold damp place & cut up for scrap!

[Leo C]

SPEED The Ride – Sahara Roller Coaster Removal Starting… | Breslin Builders Blog A blog entry from the contractor removing the ride. It's going to be relocated to the south part of the strip!

"...relocated/reinstalled on the south end of Akita Plaza (northeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard South and Four Seasons Drive – across from Mandalay Bay).

This is one of the many unique projects we are able to do and look forward to the day when we can take the inaugural ride on the new roller coaster configuration on the other end of the famed Las Vegas Strip!"

Interesting words

[Leo C]

Late December blog post: Coaster in a rendering in front of Mandalay Bay.
Akita Retail and Events Center to get a roller coaster… | Breslin Builders Blog

[The Skooter Guy]

SPEED The Ride – Sahara Roller Coaster Removal Starting… | Breslin Builders Blog A blog entry from the contractor removing the ride. It's going to be relocated to the south part of the strip!

"...relocated/reinstalled on the south end of Akita Plaza (northeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard South and Four Seasons Drive – across from Mandalay Bay).

This is one of the many unique projects we are able to do and look forward to the day when we can take the inaugural ride on the new roller coaster configuration on the other end of the famed Las Vegas Strip!"

Interesting words

Thank heavens above!

[Leo C]

Speed had a bridge at the bottom of the ascent up the tower so that traffic could run underneath it to the valet front entrance of the Sahara. The s-turn after the second launch curved around the dome at the valet parking main entrance. If the ride needs to raised in tha section for the proposed new installation site I'm sure Premier could do it. They took the (Taz's) Texas Tornado, the old Schwarzkopf Thriller coaster, and raised the first drop and first two loops at least 5-10 feet when the ride was installed as Zonga at SFDK. I hated that changed as it was to reduce the G's in the first drop. Unfortunately I never got to ride the Texas Tornado/Zonga.

[Joe R]

Ive seen the site where this is going to be installed. This is officially going to be the first ride you see when approaching Vegas via road or sky now. Manhattan Express (Roller Coaster) blends in far too well with the buildings it os against. The blue will stand out PHENOMENALLY down there.

[Wes]

I'm glad it found a new home. I was upset the only looping Premier coaster was going to be scrapped.

[Leo C]

From our site's Joe R. today in Las Vegas. He spotted only half of the Speed tower standing at the Sahara. He then went to the proposed site for the relocation of the coaster. The new Speed site is close to Mandalay Bay. It would need a beacon on the tower for being across the street from the airport. Joe said he saw Speed supports behind the plaza with the McDonalds.