SeaWorld’s fourth roller coaster in six years has gotten the green light from the California Coastal Commission, paving the way for a possible opening next year.
Although the San Diego Marine Park is still keeping details and renderings of the ride under wraps, what is known is that it is being designed as a more family-friendly ride that will not exceed 30 feet in height. It is planned to be installed in the area of the park dedicated to the Wild Arctic, where a helicopter-themed attraction operated for more than two decades.
The coastal commissioners approved the requested coastal development permit without debate. His staff had recommended approval, with special conditions governing lighting and noise control for the attraction, which will occupy nearly three acres of land.
“The structure will be below the 30-foot height limit, (and) will help minimize views of the structure from the surrounding area,” commission staff wrote in a report. “In addition, the use of a sky-like color scheme will help the structure blend in with the surrounding sky, and the proposed lighting will not exceed 30 feet in height, minimizing its visibility at night.”
The former Wild Arctic attraction closed in early 2020, after park officials decided the simulators had reached capacity and it was time to introduce a new experience. Under approval granted Wednesday, the existing Wild Arctic building, which currently contains a theater and is located just north of the area’s animal exhibits, will be remodeled to serve as a passenger loading area for the new coaster. Russian.
A recent post on a theme park fansite – Behind the Thrills – offered some hints about the new attraction, suggesting that it “will traverse a twisting track course that simulates the movements of a snowmobile on a daring rescue mission in the Artic”.
In recent years, the San Diego park, which has long focused its attention on its marine mammal population, has invested heavily in thrill rides, opening one roller coaster after another. SeaWorld’s Emperor immersion coaster, originally set to open in 2020, debuted earlier this year after a lengthy pandemic shutdown.
Electric Eel opened in 2018, followed the following year by Tidal Twister, though that attraction has been “temporarily closed” for several years.
The Coastal Commission staff report cited the park’s emphasis on attractions as part of a debate about the need for SeaWorld to pay more attention to possible impacts on views and public access to Mission Bay. However, coastal planners noted that the latest roller coaster would not preclude future requirements to provide more access, including a public path along the shore.
SeaWorld’s current master plan, which is supposed to govern future development for a period of 15 to 20 years, was last updated and certified by the Coastal Commission in 2002. The master plan has now reached the “end of its term.” planned planning,” the staff report states, adding that several of the park’s most recent projects were approved despite inconsistencies with the plan.
Since SeaWorld leases its site on public land within a municipal park, it is forced to balance future development “against the public benefit the parks are expected to provide to the general public, regardless of whether a ticket has been purchased,” he says. the commission’s report.
“As development of the theme park area continues to intensify and increase in size, there is an increased possibility that new attractions will impact views and public access to Mission Bay beyond what is anticipated in the Master Plan. . It is essential that the Master Plan be updated in a way that identifies and analyzes future growth in terms of potential impacts on public access, including traffic and access to the coast.
SeaWorld San Diego spokeswoman Tracy Spahr said Wednesday that the park began the upgrade process in December 2018 and has been working on it steadily ever since.
“All park development to date has been consistent with the 2002 Master Plan, which is the current governing document,” he said, “and has been approved by the City of San Diego and the California Coastal Commission.”
One of the special conditions attached to the roller coaster’s shoreline permit states that if SeaWorld’s annual attendance reaches 4 million, future development “will require additional traffic analysis, which may require other traffic mitigation measures beyond which is specifically stated in SeaWorld’s Master Plan Update.”