Sahara Casino closes, Speed - The Ride SBNO

[Ian]

The Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas closed yesterday as it was no longer "economically viable".

The coaster was introduced as a part of the 2000 remodeling and is included in the NASCAR Cafe.

The coaster now sits SBNO (Standing But Not Operating) unless a buyer can be found.

Here's a POV:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0RU77MsCVI[/youtube]

A night time POV... love the lights!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF-lltGxVZg[/youtube]

 

[nadroJ]

Always a shame to see places like this close, mainly because I've never been =[ Hopefully another casino in Las Vegas or somewhere similar will buy it, can't really see it fitting in anywhere else? It's more of a gimmicky addition to the casino itself, as I understand it anyway, and as a coaster by itself it's not really that great.

But like I said, I've not been on it so can't really comment on the thing itself, but still, shame.

 

[Ben]

Yeah, good riddance you piece of crap.

 

[Martyn B]

Whats happening to Vegas? I thought that 'City Centre' project was supposed to bring it back to life, yet its not "economically viable" for a Casino to carry on operating? Geez, things must be bad!

 

[spicy]

I suppose you can only have so many Casinos and the Sahara is by far one of the worst casinos in Vegas. The only reason I went to the Sahara casino was because of Speed, I wouldn't have bothered otherwise.

Shame about Speed, I hope Circus Circus gets it, its the best coaster in Vegas in my opinion.

 

[sheepboy]

^ I agree, it's such a shame, I have been really looking forward to riding this again when I’m there in June, I was very disappointed when i found out it had been closed.
It's going to be rather frustrating passing it yet not being able to ride it.
Sill I hope someone buys it, and quickly too, don’t want Vegas to lose another coaster.

 

[Snoo]

Whats happening to Vegas? I thought that 'City Centre' project was supposed to bring it back to life, yet its not "economically viable" for a Casino to carry on operating? Geez, things must be bad!

Well.. the Sahara isn't exactly on prime real estate. TBH, the only places that can survive outside of the main strip (where 90% of the booming casinos, including the City Center, are located anyway) are the Stratosphere and Fremont Street.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

I thought that 'City Centre' project was supposed to bring it back to life, yet its not "economically viable" for a Casino to carry on operating? Geez, things must be bad!

Like Snoo said, it's not directly in the prime area of the strip. That's not saying the area is dead by any means, but most of the action that happens in Vegas doesn't happen there. Circus Circus is close by, so I feel like if people want rides and a casino, they'd just go there instead. The casino never looked booming either.

I'm glad I nabbed it while it was still there! I actually enjoyed the ride, I like silly launch coasters like that, that really have nothing to them, like Mr. Freeze and such. Shame it closed, I can't really see anyone buying it besides maybe Circus Circus if they feel the need to install another ride!

 

[Martyn B]

Well if there is no buyer for the resort, I cant see them scrapping the coaster, no doubt it will go to some other park.

 

[rollermonkey]

It's a very custom ride, launching into that twist, drop and tunnel like it does.

Screamscape posted a proposal where with minor modifications it could fit into Circus Circus, but the problem there is that CC isn't in much better shape than Sahara was.

 

[spicy]

^Nah I disagree there, I thought Circus Circus was great and found the Sahara to be pretty terrible.

Unless you mean financial state of course.

 

[rollermonkey]

Outside of the "Tent" CC has been nasty for as long as I can remember, unless they've replaced all the dirty, worn out carpets and more recently...

The rooms are some of the foulest on the strip, too.

 

[gavin]

Yeah, it's not as simple as "no doubt it will go somewhere else."

Someone else needs to actually want it, pay for it and construct it. It's not like it's just an off-the-shelf model either.

Unless they just want rid of it and put it up for a stupidly cheap price, given that whoever buys it would need to pay to have it modified to fit their park, I'd say the more likely option is scrap metal.

 

[Hixee]

^I thought this too. It's a custom ride, built around their building. It's not just some standard clone that they can put anywhere. It's a really unique ride, I can't see many places actually wanting this.

It's a shame really... I thought it looked like fun!

 

[alexr]

There are now plans for the ride to be relocated;

http://www.breslinbuilders.com/blog/201 ... r-coaster/

 

[rollermonkey]

There will be layout changes in this relocation.

 

[nadroJ]

Good, I'm glad they're not scrapping it. That end of the strip seemed a bit dead too compared to where Mandalay Bay was.

 

[Ian]

There will be layout changes in this relocation.

A new cred then!

Hurrah! Another reason to go back to Vegas...not thet I really need one.

I was so upset walking past it last Christmas.

So is this going in front of the Luxor/Mandalay Bay or behind?

 

[Intricks]

I believe they said infront...which makes me confused as the SkyVue (and the proposed park thingy going with it) is supposed to be in that area. Is this apart of that?

Still though, happy to see it saved!

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Martyn B]

Don't know how old this photo is, but the deconstruction has started: