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Carowinds retires Nighthawk and two flat rides

Peet

Peet

Giga Poster
There are lots of seemingly unsubstantiated posts on social media saying Nighthawk won't be reopening again at Carowinds, some examples:
www.facebook.com

Carowinds News & Updates | BREAKING NEWS: Nighthawk has officially been retired by Carowinds and Six Flags Corporation | Facebook

BREAKING NEWS: Nighthawk has officially been retired by Carowinds and Six Flags Corporation. The midway will be blocked until further notice.
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
kicentral.com

RIP Nighthawk?

According to the admin of the Carowinds News and Updates group on Facebook, Nighthawk is now officially retired. Obviously just a rumor at this point since the park has yet to confirm anything, but it looks like another Vekoma flying coaster could be on the chopping block. This one was originally...
kicentral.com kicentral.com

While there is zero actual evidence at this point, it wouldn't be entirely surprising.

Personally I loved my one ride on this coaster and wrote a homage to it a few years ago:
Post in thread 'Last Cred Review' https://coasterforce.com/forums/threads/last-cred-review.42950/post-1145869
 
Doesn't surprise me. This makes Six Flags America a destination for those who've never ridden a Flying Dutchman, but I wonder how long before Batwing's gone as well?
 
Six Flags are bringing the knife down in terms of coaster closures, it would seem.

I wonder what’s suddenly spurred the merged company to close so many rides?
 
Claim to fame???

I've ridden;
Stealth (2002 at Paramount's Great America), Borg Assimilator (2004 at Paramount Carowinds), Nighthawk (2015 at Carowinds)
X-Flight (2003 at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure), Firehawk (2009 at Kings Island)
Batwing (2004 at Six Flags America)

So that's all 6 names for the 3 coasters in all locations.

Geek.

BorgAss looked the best, got stuck in the restraints for 1/2 hour on Firehawk, don't recall much about Batwing - all were pretty poor coasters tho'
256350346_ad0ab97548_c.jpg
 
These are great rides

ECG said:
Doesn't surprise me. This makes Six Flags America a destination for those who've never ridden a Flying Dutchman, but I wonder how long before Batwing's gone as well?
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Somehow SFA has ended up a multi day (in case it fails to open the first try) priority adventure.
 
Oh snap - I've ridden all of these. I didn't realise. Not quite as neat as @davidm's collection, but it made me realise I'd at least done them all.

So since I've ridden the lot, they can scrap them all tomorrow for all I care.
 
Matt N said:
Six Flags are bringing the knife down in terms of coaster closures, it would seem.

I wonder what’s suddenly spurred the merged company to close so many rides?
Click to expand...

The company's goal is to get its Debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratio down to 3.5x and based on annualizing Q3 2024's numbers, its 2024 Debt to Adjusted EBITDA is over 5x. Closing expensive to operate and maintain rides is one way to grow Adjusted EBITDA. Given what I heard about it in my early days of being a coaster enthusiast combined with it being closed for the season early last October when I first visited for Carowinds during Scarowinds made me surprised it lasted this long. Combine that with its prominent placement front and center in the park and it's a recipe for removal/replacement.

Sad that I probably will never get to ride one of these Vekoma Flying Dutchmen's but it is what it is. Can't help but think that a B&M dive will serve as its replacement as that does make since at the park since the closest one is Busch Gardens Williamsburg (I believe).
 
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Matt N said:
Six Flags are bringing the knife down in terms of coaster closures, it would seem.

I wonder what’s suddenly spurred the merged company to close so many rides?
Click to expand...
The two companies used to be each other's fiercest competition. Now, they've cornered the market together. That means there's less of a reason to maintain the most impressive coaster lineup in each park. They axe some of the least popular ones, because there's no longer a risk of losing customers to the competition.
 
Pokemaniac said:
The two companies used to be each other's fiercest competition. Now, they've cornered the market together. That means there's less of a reason to maintain the most impressive coaster lineup in each park. They axe some of the least popular ones, because there's no longer a risk of losing customers to the competition.
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bingo - it will be interesting to see Six Flags evolution as now competing with other leisure/tourism activities rather than neighboring park competitors. A fan of steps that bring new, improved attractions to market - bummer if it will remain at the cost of attractions that are still objectively good rides.
 
Pokemaniac said:
The two companies used to be each other's fiercest competition. Now, they've cornered the market together. That means there's less of a reason to maintain the most impressive coaster lineup in each park. They axe some of the least popular ones, because there's no longer a risk of losing customers to the competition.
Click to expand...

I do not think this is a major factor especially at a park like Carowinds that is a nearly five-hour drive from any other legacy Six Flags or Cedar Fair park. The legacy Cedar Fair leadership has been removing aging, unreliable and expensive to operate and maintain coasters for some time now. Some of the legacy Six Flags parks are just now getting to experience it. Some notable coaster removal examples within the past decade by Cedar Fair:
Kings Island - Firehawk in 2018 and Vortex in 2019
Kings Dominion - Shockwave in 2015 and Volcano in 2018
Dorney Park - Stinger in 2017
Cedar Point - Wicked Twister in 2021 and Top Thrill Dragster also in 2021 albeit it had other unfortunate circumstances
Canada's Wonderland - SkyRider in 2014

Then I am nearly certain that legacy Cedar Fair saw the damage to the bottom line that Ka was doing and combined likely with a little bit of concern of a repeat TTD incident led to it not operating after this year.
 
Definitely sad to see the original flying machine go. To @Dan Nguyen's comment, Huss Enterprises are also rapidly endangered, and a bummer to see that on the chopping block too.
 
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