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www.amusementtoday.comTMSEPTEMBER 2012BONUS SECTION BGalveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier a big success16 rides are part ofoverall mix of offeringson $60 million pierSTORY: Tim Baldwintbaldwin@amusementtoday.comGALVESTON ISLAND,Texas — The city of Galveston,with more than 50,000 residents,have always dependedupon a mix of industries forits livelihood. Galveston Islandcertainly draws from thetourism industry bringingin visitors to relax along thebeach and the various hotelsand resorts along the island’sseawall. For 2012 a new drawhas entered into that market,and the city leaders couldn’tbe more pleased.Landry’s Inc., a Houstonbasedconglomerate dedicatedto Dining, Entertainment,Hospitality and Gaming, hasexpanded its considerable repertoirebeyond the high endrestaurants for which it becameknown. Having acquiredcasinos, along with establishedhotels and resorts, the companyhas recently dabbled inamusement rides. Houston’sDowntown Aquarium hasa handful of attractions surroundingthe popular restaurant.Kemah Boardwalk was amuch more successful blend ofrides and restaurants offeringan entire district of diversionsto bring people from centralHouston to an inlet along thegulf to enjoy an entertainingtime away with several ridesand many dining options,along with shopping and thewaterfront atmosphere.In May of 2012, Landry’sdebuted its first location primarilydedicated to amusementrides. While restaurantcomponents still exist at theGalveston Island HistoricPleasure Pier, the true draw isthe fun of the rides.Tilman J. Fertitta, soleowner, chairman and CEO ofLandry’s, has a deeper connectionto this project. He grew upin Galveston and during hisyouth was a lifeguard on thepier at the new Flagship Hotel.While most successful businessventures are sure to befulfilling, restoring the historicpier into a true tourist drawmust bring about an internalizedsatisfaction.“The city put the pier outfor sale about 12 years ago andwe acquired it. I lived rightdown 25th Street from Kindergartento Second Grade andremember them building theFlagship [Hotel] right afterHurricane Carla,” says Fertitta.“Whenever Hurricane Ikecame [in 2008] the whole thingjust became destroyed and thelast remaining tenant was thengone.”More than a century ago,amusements operated justtwo blocks from today’s pier,beginning in 1906. In 1940,the Galveston Pleasure Pierwas built, originally as a recreationalfacility for the U.S.military during World War II.During that decade it becamethe country’s largest — “TheConey Island of the South” —drawing America’s top dancebands inside the massiveballroom and enticing gueststo enjoy a motion picture underthe stars on an outdoorscreen. Hurricane Carla struckin 1961 and after decades ofbeing a source of tourism,the pier would take on a newrole. In 1965, the Flagship Hotelopened on the previouslydevastatedpier. It would bea tourist icon for more than40 years, offering guests hotelrooms positioned over the water.Fertitta’s first inclinationfor the pier was to restore theFlagship to a new grandeur.Hurricane Ike in 2008 had differentideas. With Ike’s furtherdamage, plans for the historicpier would take a new turn. In2009, Landry’s, Inc. informedcity officials that the new directionwould be to bring backan amusement pier to GalvestonIsland.Construction on the piergrew in earnest following theJanuary 2012 press announcement.The pier, which is 1,130feet long and 120 feet wide,was reinforced, and throughthe construction process, thedeck that people walk upontoday is actually 32 inchesabove the original pier, allowingfor all utilities to be below.Memorial Day weekendarrived and the pier was nearingreadiness. Mark Kane,regional director for KemahBoardwalk and the GalvestonIsland Pleasure Pier reflects,“We operated at a reducedprice those first days; 13 ofthe 16 rides were ready andwe felt that offered a goodenough product. We couldn’tmiss the opportunity to showoff the pier on a holiday weekend.”As it turned out, it wasa good call. Guests were readyand were coming in optimisticnumbers. Within a few weeks,all rides were installed and operational.The Pier’s line-up ofrides features 16 attractionsfrom various manufacturers.Chance Rides provided fourof these — a 100-foot GalaxyWheel, Sea Dragon, Revolutionand a 36-foot doubledecker carousel. The carouselfeatures horses, sea creaturesand chariots. The interestingpositioning of the Sea Dragonis quite dramatic as the ship4See PIER, page 2BThe $60 million Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pieropened Memorial Day weekend 2012 with amusements,food, games and entertainment. Above, Bubba GumpShrimp Company awaits guests outside the pier’s mainentrance. Below, the pier features 16 rides including thisStarFlyer ride from Funtime and Giant Wheel from ChanceRides, bottom photo.AT/TIM BALDWIN and GARY SLADE, bottom photo

SEPTEMBER 2012 AMUSEMENT TODAY 5B

6B AMUSEMENT TODAY SEPTEMBER 2012Pleasure Pier by day...Sixteen rides are just part of the new Pleasure Pier experience. Shown here are (top row from left): Texas Tea (Zamperla); Double Deck Carousel (ChanceRides) and Texas Flyer (REG/Funtime). Bottom row from left: SkyShooter (Rides-4U/SBF); Frog Hopper (Rides-4U/S&S Worldwide) and Pier Pileup (Ital International/Bertazzon).AT/GARY SLADE; TEXAS FLYER/JEFFREY SEIFERTPleasure Pier at sunset...The Texas Gulf coast offerssome beautiful sunsets ascaptured here by photographerBilly Hill, shooting forparent company Landry’sInc. In the right photo theCyclone (Larson), PiratePlunge (Interlink) and SeaDragon (Chance rides) areclearly seen. In the far rightphoto the twisted and compactride layout for the IronShark (REG/Gerstlauer) is infull view.COURTESY LANDRYS INC/BILLY HILLPleasure Pier by night...This night view, taken from a fishing walkway, shows the pier with all it’s beauty from the thousands of LED lights draped throughout the park and its rides.Maxtron/Rides-4U provided the LED light package for key rides like the Iron Shark, Texas Flyer and Galaxy Ferris wheel. AT/JEFFREY SEIFERT

Pleasure Pier by night...SEPTEMBER 2012 AMUSEMENT TODAY 7BTop to bottom, The Pleasure Pier rides come alive at nightbeginning with the Gulf Glider (Ital International/Bertazzon)at the front of the park; the Rock & Roll (Ital/Bertazzon) andCyclone (Larson Intl.); Sky Shooter (Rides-4U/SBF) and SeaDragon (Chance Rides); while the Galaxy Wheel (ChanceRides) anchors the ocean end of the pier. AT/GARY SLADE

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SEPTEMBER 2012 AMUSEMENT TODAY 9B

10B AMUSEMENT TODAY SEPTEMBER 2012Gerstlauer-built Iron Shark strikes Galveston PierPopular Euro-Fighter firstfor any Texas parkInterlink’s new Pirate’s Plunge soaking riders on pierGALVESTON, Texas — The France/U.K.-based water ridespecialist Interlink was called upon to supply the two-lift LogFlume, Pirate’s Plunge, to Galveston Island Historic PleasurePier on the Texas Gulf coast. Installation of the ride commencedat the end of 2011, with the opening taking place during the MemorialDay weekend.The flume is approximately 280 meters (918 feet) in lengthand features two drops, one of six meters (19.5 feet) and anotherof 12 meters (39 feet), the latter affording excellent views acrossthe Gulf for patrons as they travel around the highest pointon the attraction. Riders are seated in five seater boats/logs ofwhich there are a total of seven.Pirate’s Plunge is positioned along the left hand edge of thepier as viewed from the landward end and the turnkey projectproved a challenging installation for the Interlink team due tothe location and the limited access available.“The Galveston Pier project has been an interesting andtesting one for us to do,” said Interlink Managing Director JohnHudd. “Building the ride onto a pier structure was itself verydifferent to installing on land, while the limited access availablealso brought its own set of challenges which I’m pleased to saywe successfully overcame.“The Pleasure Pier owners have obviously invested a greatdeal in the redevelopment of the pier and Interlink is verypleased to have been chosen as one of the suppliers who havecontributed towards the regeneration of what I’m sure will be ahugely popular and successful attraction for Galveston Island.”Riders enter the ride through a Pirate Ship built by the park.Throughout the ride’s lower level, guests will find pirate themedprops and various posed pirates. The ride delivers a soakingsplash that spills over into the pier’s main walkway creating a“soak zone” that lets non-riders cool off from the hot Texas sun.—Andrew MellorAbove two photos, The Iron Shark by day and thenby night with its impressive LED lights that followthe ride’s 1,246 foot-long circuit. Bottom twophotos, the Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter steel coasterbecame the first such ride at any amusement facilityin Texas when it debuted in early June at thePleasure Pier. AT/GARY SLADEGALVESTON, Texas — Visitors walking alongthe Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier stoppedand watched in awe the afternoon of June 1. Theysaw Iron Shark, the pier’s newest attraction (a custom-designedGerstlauer Euro-Fighter roller coaster),climbing 100 feet into the sky. In a matter of secondsit took eight guests straight into the air and thendropped them back down to the pier at 97 degrees.The coaster, which features four inversions and1,246 feet of track, has forever changed the look ofthe pier. Its gray columns and blue track highlightthe Euro-Fighter’s signature lift and a 97-degree firstdrop. From there guests are sent upside down twicein matter of seconds. An Immelman leads into a divingloop, which leaves riders wondering which wayis up. The vehicle then flies through the structureand heads through two more inversions, a top hatand vertical loop. The last surprise is the brake run,where the cars are held over 30 feet above the poundingsurf, making for a great visual.In addition to a lot of design work on the tracklayout, Gerstlauer went back to the drawing boardswith their classic Euro-Fighter vehicles. The RideEntertainment Group handled the sale and projectmanagement. Adam Sandy, their sales director,noted “The lap bars were very well-received onDare Devil Dive at Six Flags Over Georgia last yearand we were excited to introduce them on the eightseaterthis year. They offer an open ride experienceand great airtime on that devilish first drop. We havebeen thrilled with the result.”—Adam SandyBeachgoers to Galveston Island are no stranger to the water, and now guests at the newPleasure Pier won’t have to take a dip in ocean to get wet. They only need to take a ride onthe new Pirate’s Plunge, supplied by Interlink, or stand on the midway in the “Soak Zone.”AT/GARY SLADE

SEPTEMBER 2012 AMUSEMENT TODAY 11B

12B AMUSEMENT TODAY SEPTEMBER 2012Galveston Island, Texas enjoyed early day amusementsSTORY: Scott Rutherfordsrutherford@amusementtoday.comGALVESTON, Texas —With all the focus on the openingof the Landry’s HistoricPleasure Pier in Galveston, itmight be easy to forget itsmany area predecessors thatpaved the way.It’s hardly a secret thattraditional amusement parksare an endangered species. Itis estimated that 1,500-2,000such places once operated inNorth America alone. Sadly,that number has dwindled toa mere fraction. Rarer still areseaside parks and those thatextend out over the sand andwater on wooden or concretepiers. The U.S. was once hometo an impressive collection ofcoastal and pier parks.Like Coney Island,New England and SouthernCalifornia, Galveston, Texaswas — on a somewhat smallerscale — once a microcosmof the amusement industry.Perhaps it was the cool breezesoff the Gulf of Mexico duringthe hot Texas summers thatdrew the crowds, or maybeit was simply the hunger forfrivolity in an island setting.Whatever the case, the concentrationof amusement parks inthe coastal island town wasimpressive and unique butoften short-lived thanks to aseemingly endless processionof storms that ravaged theGalveston area.Richard Munch, historianfor the National RollerCoaster Museum & Archives,explains how Galvestongained its amusement resortstatus. “American amusementpark history, with its roots inConey Island, stretched as faras Galveston over 100 yearsago. What we do know is thatall major cities had establishedparks. In fact some very largeparks were built in Dallas,Lake Worth and Houston.Actually, Galveston could beconsidered an early leaderin the field. Unfortunately,it would take one very largenatural phenomenon to bringamusements to the city. OnSeptember 8, 1900 Galvestonwas pummeled by a majorhurricane, which left a barrenisland strewn with flattenedhomes and cottages, andwhere countless lives werelost (estimates are up to 12,000died as the storm approachedwithout warning). At thetime, the Great Storm (or the‘Galveston Flood’ as it wouldbe called), was considered theworst natural disaster in U.S.history. No doubt Galvestonneeded something special inits attempt to rebuild the cityafter this devastating event.”The first step in thisrecovery was the building ofa seawall, which was begunin 1902. Upon completion,two of Galveston’s early parksincluded:Electric ParkInspired by ConeyIsland’s legendary Luna Park(1903) and Dreamland (1904),Electric Park was built togive weekend passenger trainexcursionists from the upstatearea a reason to spend thenight on the island. Openedin May 26, 1906, Electric Parkwas located along SeawallBoulevard and featured all theattractions popular during thisera such as a Figure-8 woodenroller coaster, Traver AerialSwing, carousel, Ferris wheel,bathhouse and bandstand. Ofcourse, one of the park’s mostoutstanding features was thesheer number of electric lights— more than 6,000 in total— that allowed the park tooperate late into the eveninghours. The park prospered fora few years, even adding newattractions such as the Ticklerin 1908.Chutes ParkChutes Park opened justwest of Electric Park in 1907and was most likely financedby Captain Paul Boynton inChicago. Included in its ridelineup was a smaller versionof the larger and more familiarShoot the Chute found atmany northern parks.Various storms and hurricaneseventually took theirtoll on the barrier island, andboth Electric Park and ChutesPark disappeared — mostlydue to a 1909 storm that damagedmost of the structuresand necessitated the rebuildingof the seawall.“After 1910 there wouldbe little left, but Galveston’stourism would continue tothrive with the addition of theCrystal Palace Pavilion (1911),which reportedly built theGiant Roller Coaster in 1920,”added Munch. “Anotherpark, Joyland, opened in 1919,and Charles E. Barfield wouldadd a scenic railway in 1920. Itis possible that these two rideswere actually the same ride,and also likely the famousMountain Speedway.”Joyland ParkLocated in the 2100 blockof Seawall Boulevard from1919 to 1929, Joyland’s founderswere J.E. Stratford and R.S.Lindamood. In August 1919,Daniel W. Kempner sold thepark’s property to the twomen for $35,000. Stratfordand Lindamood establishedthe Galveston PlayhouseCorporation to operateJoyland Park.It seems Joyland wasdeveloped in two phases.The initial opening offeredthe Orpheum theater, Ferriswheel and a carousel. Duringthe next phase (1920-22) theOrpheum became a dancehall while a Great AmericanRacing Derby and an airplaneswing were added.By the late ‘20s, Galvestonwas in need of more upscalehotel rooms and it was decidedthat the land on whichJoyland was situated was theperfect place to build. Thepark’s rides and attractionswere needlessly moved toother locations or destroyedin preparation for a hotel thatnever made it past the planningstages.Mountain SpeedwayLocated approximatelyOpening on May 26, 1906, Electric Park was located along Seawall Boulevard and featured such big ticket items as a TraverAerial Swing and Figure-8 side friction coaster (see image above left) as well as a carousel, Ferris wheel and bathhouse. In1908, The Tickler ride (above right) was added. The park was best known for its sheer number of electric lights that lit thepark at night, thus gaining its name, Electric Park. COURTESY GALVESTON COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONThis historic postcard view shows Galveston’s $1.5 millionPleasure Pier in its heyday. The pier would be constructed in1940 and would see the rides and other attractions addedto the pier in 1943. Though it is unclear how long the amusementsoperated on the pier, it is known that Hurricane Carladelt a severe blow to the pier in 1961, causing the pier to gothough redevelopment.COURTESY GALVESTON COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONone block inland next to theCrystal Palace and in the shadowof the Buccaneer Hotel,the magnificent MountainSpeedway wooden rollercoaster was designed and builtby The Ingersoll AmusementCompany of Pittsburgh.The expanded side-friction,Firgure 8 style ride opened in1921 and reigned for nearly40 years as the area’s largestcoaster. Standing 65 feettall with 3,600 feet of track,Mountain Speedway was amarvel for its time. At night,the structure was outlinedwith brilliant electric lights,which drew throngs of spectatorsas well as riders.Pleasure PierPostcards of Galveston’soriginal Pleasure Pier, whichopened in 1943, show thatpark featured rides, arcades,an aquarium, and a fishingpier. It was severely damagedby Hurricane Carla in 1961.Though many Galvestonparks have come and gone,the island seems to lead asemi-charmed life. Landry’sHistoric Pleasure Pier, built onthe site of the original PleasurePier, is but the latest in a longline of amusement venues.Hopefully, the region’s infamoustropical storms will steerclear and allow this newestventure to prosper and entertainthe visitors like all thosethat came before it.Memories of ElectricPark, Joyland and some of theisland’s other venues are keptalive through photos, maps andother artifacts preserved in theRosenberg Library’s Galvestonand Texas History Center andthe Galveston County HistoricalAssociation.

14B AMUSEMENT TODAY SEPTEMBER 2012THE LISTGalveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier | Galveston Island, TexasName/Ride Type Supplier Height Fast FactsRestrictionIron Shark/EuroFighter coaster REG/Gerstlauer 48" 3 vehicles, 8 passengers per vehicle; 100 feet tall,1,246 feet long, 52 mph; vertical lift, vertical loop,Immelman loop, top hat and airtime hop, LED lightsthroughout ride circuitTexas Flyer/Vertical swing ride REG/Funtime 48" 12 swings, 2 passengers per swing; 200 feet tall;90 foot swing diameter; LED lights on towerGalaxy Wheel/Galaxy Wheel Chance Rides 42" 20 carriages, 6 people per carriage; 100 feet tall,ride is decked out with LED lights on bothsides of wheelRevolution/Revolution 20 Chance Rides 48" 5 arms of 4 seats, 20 total passengers; 60 feet tallat peak arch, nine revolutions per minuteSea Dragon/Pharaoh's Fury Chance Rides 48" 10 rows seating 40 adults or 60 children per ride;boat swings 50 feet tall at maximum heightCarousel/36 Foot Double Decker Chance Rides 42" 17 animals, 2 chariots on lower level; 8 animals,2 chariots on upper level; horses, sea creatures allfeatured on this chariots double decker carouselCyclone/Fire Ball Larson Intl. 48" 20 passengers per ride, 60 feet tall, 25 mph;This redesigned FireBall (Super Loop) is now apark model, thus removing all the cables and otherequipment needed for portable models;outfitted with LED lights from Denny's ElectronicsPirates Plunge/log flume Interlink LG Ltd. 36" 7 boats, 5 passengers per boat; two drops of 40 feetand 22 feet, 900 feet longGulf Glider/Swing Carousel Ital International / 44" Mix of double seats (16) and single seats (32) swingBertazzon 3B Ltd.riders 22 feet high as ride elevates and rotatesRock & Roll Ital International / 48" 16 vehicles seating 2 passengers eachBertazzon 3B Ltd.Pier Pileup/bumper cars Ital International / none 2 rides with18 adult vehicles/10 kid vehicles themed asBertazzon 3B Ltd.Old Timer and Chevy Classic CarsSky Shooter/Airborne Shot Rides 4U/SBF 42" 10 swinging arms seating 2 passengers eachBig Wheelin' Rides 4U/SBF 36" 5 trucks seating 4 kids per truckFrog Hopper Rides 4U/S&S 36" 7 people per ride; 22 feet tallTexas Tea/tea cup ride Zamperla USA 36' 6 oversized twirling cups seating 4 passengers per cupOTHER:•Bob's Space Racers provided 8 midway games including: Whac A Mole, Vertical Water Game, Long Range Basketball, Balloon Dart, Ring Toss,Lucky Duck, Tub Toss and Short Range Basketball•Maxtron/Rides 4U, provided the LED light package for selected rides•Other key suppliers include: Ashley Nostalgia, old time photography; Dippin' Dots, frozen ice cream; Siriusware, Inc., admissions/ticketing system;Coastal Amusements, Electronic Hi Striker and Guess Your Weight; Hi Striker, Winner Every Time Kiddie Hi Striker; Dumor Site Furnishing, tables, benches,trash cans; Ultra Signs of San Diego, park's main entrance sign; Sparkle Sign of Houston, Bubba Gump signage, illuminated signs on pier; Intex United ofHouston, all ride and directional signageSOURCES: Landry's Restaurants/Pleasure Pier/Amusement Today