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Posted at 12:43 AM EDT (0443 GMT)
 Oct. 27th, 2005 -- La Ronde announced today the construction of Canada's tallest and fastest roller coaster. The exciting new steel roller coaster will be called Goliath in tribute to its enormous size, supreme speed and awesome height and will be ready to welcome its first high- thrill seekers as of spring 2006. Goliath is without a doubt La Ronde's biggest project since the Monstre was built in 1985. It will be La Ronde's 11th thrill ride.
La Ronde's phenomenal new steel giant will measure over 53 metres (175 feet) in height, making it 13 metres (43 feet) higher than the Monstre and 21 metres (69 feet) higher than the Vampire! After an initial drop of over 52 metres (171 feet), the intrepid passengers will take a 1,231-metre (4,039- foot) route at speeds reaching 110 km/h (68 mph) for over three minutes! Passengers will have to be at least 1.37 metres (54 inches) tall to ride the giant.
The exhilarating new Goliath will have two 36-passenger trains, each with nine cars with a capacity of four people across. To enhance this amazingly smooth and thrilling experience, the wagons will be open on the sides and the safety device will attach from bottom to top, giving passengers the impression that they are flying far above Sainte-Hélène Island. A significant feature of the unbeatable Goliath is that its expansive twisting track will whisk guests outside the park, to the eastern point of Sainte-Hélène Island, before rushing them back into the park, over a series of quick hills and drops and finally to a smooth ending in the station house, located near Tour de Ville.
"I'm proud to confirm that in 2006, La Ronde will further bolster its position as a world-class theme park with the construction of Canada's tallest and fastest roller coaster ! Indeed, as of spring 2006, La Ronde will answer high-thrill seekers' expectations by offering them the astonishing Goliath, custom designed to provide them with extreme thrills they will never forget," said Len Turtora, La Ronde's Vice-President and General Manager. "I invite all Quebecers, Canadians and tourists visiting our beautiful city to come and see for themselves how La Ronde continues not only to evolve but also to offer the most complete family entertainment on the market."
Since 2002, 17 new exciting rides including the Goliath, the Vampire, the Splash and the Pays de Ribambelle have been added to Montreal's favourite playground. Furthermore, La Ronde has built two new magnificent entrances, a beautiful 150-person banquet hall, done upgrades to its food and beverage facilities and added exciting new skill games. Also, several improvements and renovations have been made to the infrastructure of the park such as landscaping, design, decor, fencing, seating areas, sanitary installations and other guest comforts across the site. Throughout the years, these changes have definitely added to the pleasure and comfort of La Ronde's guests.
The Goliath was custom-designed for La Ronde by the famous manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard of Monthey, Switzerland, a company known in the industry for the quality of its thrill-producing rides. Bolliger & Mabillard also designed La Ronde's popular Vampire ride, installed in 2002.
The Goliath will cost $18.7 million, the largest investment for a single ride since the park opened in 1967. Construction has already begun on the giant roller coaster and will continue throughout the winter in order to be ready for thrill-seekers when La Ronde opens. Building this first-ever ride in Canada, will take close to 100 specialized workers, 300 pilings, 150 cement foundations, 106 columns, 1,750 m(3) (61,800 f3) of cement and 850 anchor bolts.
As of October 26, updates, videos and pictures of this large-scale construction project will be regularly posted on www.laronde.com to share the excitement with La Ronde's visitors.
Season extension for Halloween Fright Fest presented by Kraft and 2006 season passes sale
Exceptionally this year, La Ronde's season will be extended until October 30 to give Québec families a head start on Halloween and enjoy their favourite rides during the traditional Halloween Fright Fest presented by Kraft. During this unique event, the site undergoes a complete makeover and features sensational sets and continuous entertainment from numerous talented entertainers dressed as zombies, vampires, ghosts, witches, or comical figures. Visit www.laronde.com for more details. The 2006 season passes are already available on site at $73.90 + taxes for an individual season pass and $190.43 plus taxes for a family season pass.
La Ronde is owned and operated by Six Flags, Inc. the world's largest regional theme park company, which owns and operates 30 parks in North America. Six Flags Theme Parks serve 34 of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Six Flags, Inc. is a publicly held corporation with corporate offices in New York City and Oklahoma City. The Company's stock trades on the NYSE under the symbol: PKS.
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