Ride Entertainment Group
 Company logo | |
| Industry | Entertainment |
|---|---|
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Ed Hiller (CEO) |
| Divisions | Sales Operations Financial Partnerships Installations SkyCoaster®. |
Ride Entertainment is a firm based in the United States specializing in the construction, sales, service, and operation of amusement rides.
Divisions
Sales
The Sales division is responsible for the sale of amusement rides. A number of firms have partnerships with this division, including:
- Gerstlauer – all of Gerstlauer's sales in the Western Hemisphere are handled by Ride Entertainment.[1] The company's products are manufactured in a factory in Germany.[2] Dare Devil Dive, Untamed, and FireChaser Express are among the roller coasters Ride Entertainment has sold.[1][3]
The Iron Shark Euro-Fighter at Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier in Galveston, Texas. This ride was manufactured by Gerstlauer. - Funtime – North American sales of the Austrian company's products are handled by Ride Entertainment Systems.[4] Star Flyers and Slingshots are among the most common products, having been installed at many Six Flags amusement parks (e.g. SkyScreamers).[3]
The Slingshot at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, is a 72-meter Slingshot from Funtime. - HIT Entertainment – Ride Entertainment manages the amusement park integration of HIT Entertainment brands including Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder, and Barney the Dinosaur. This includes the Thomas Towns installed at Six Flags amusement parks, as well as Thomas Land at Drayton Manor and Thomas Land at Fuji-Q Highland.[5]
- Ropes Courses, Inc. – Ride Entertainment is the North American distributor of Ropes Courses, Inc. products for amusement parks.[6][7] Ropes courses at Indiana Beach and West Edmonton Mall were sold and installed by Ride Entertainment Group.[8]
The Ghastly Gangplank Sky Trail ropes course at Nick Universe in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. The ride was manufactured by Ropes Courses, Inc.
Operations
This division operates amusement parks and entertainment facilities at locations in North America, including such prominent locations as Forest Park and Fantasy Forest in New York, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway in Boston, and the Seaglass Carousel in New York to name a few.[9]
Financial Partnerships
This divisions works with various entertainment venues.[10]
Installations
This division installs and rehabs amusement rides around the world. The company has worked with many different park groups like Six Flags, OCT, and the Roller Coaster at New York, New York.[11]
SkyCoaster
SkyCoaster has over 75 locations worldwide.
SkyCoaster, Inc. operated as a wholly owned division of ThrillTime Entertainment International.[12] In 2005, SkyCoaster, Inc. as well as ThrillTime's other amusement ride, Top Eliminator,[12] were sold to Ride Entertainment.[13] This was followed in 2006 by a reverse merger transaction where ThrillTime was acquired by Advanced Proteome Therapeutics.[14]
References
- ^ a b "Gerstlauer busy in 2011". Park World Magazine. 29 December 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Gerstlauer Amusement Rides". Ride Entertainment Systems. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ a b "Projects". Ride Entertainment Group. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Star Flyer opens in Vancouver". Park World Magazine. 5 August 2011. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Hit! Entertainment". Ride Entertainment Systems. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Ropes Courses, Inc". Ride Entertainment Systems. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Developing Custom Challenge Courses". Ropes Courses, Inc. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Ropes Courses Opens at Indiana Beach and The West Edmonton Mall" (PDF) (Press release). Ride Entertainment Group. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Specialties". Ride Operations Group. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Process". Ride Entertainment.
- ^ "Ride Installations and Relocations". Ride Entertainment.
- ^ a b Waddell, Ray (August 3, 1998). "ThrillTime Entertainment purchases Sky Fun 1; to be named SkyCoaster". Amusement Business. 110 (31): 19.
- ^ "Mike Gutknecht". Ride Entertainment Group of Companies. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Company Overview of ThrillTime Entertainment International Inc". Bloomberg Business Week. Retrieved 22 November 2013.