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Emerald Park News/Discussion

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
^Did the proposal for the 2021 hotel fully fall through?
Since they withdrew the planning application in May 2018, the only word on the hotel was in an article in the Independent a couple of weeks back.
The park are still committed to building a hotel but no timescale has been given, as they need more time to draft a new planning application which will address the council's concerns.
It was also mentioned that Tayto are hoping to host a large music event next year in the park.

https://www.independent.ie/business...to-park-hotel-plan-by-officials-37391735.html
Officials from Meath County Council raised concerns with Tayto Park founder Ray Coyle about how a proposed hotel linked to his theme park would impact on traffic in the area.
During a meeting with officials, Coyle spoke of a second roller coaster and the potential future development of the attraction, outlining the possibility of a music event taking place in 2019.

Minutes of the meeting show that Coyle sought the meeting and expressed disappointment that an application in May for the hotel had been withdrawn. However, he "emphasised he was committed to building a hotel and sees it as an essential element of the park".

However, senior council officials said the main issue to be addressed in the new application would be how increased traffic would be managed, particularly at the N2 Curragha junction.
They told Coyle that major structural improvements in the area would be some years away.
Any new hotel plan would need to show how traffic could access the premises without adding to capacity, said officials.
Planners for Coyle undertook to give this consideration in a future application.

The minutes, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show that Coyle enquired what planning issues and licensing would arise for a music event, which might be held in 2019. He was told that generally a licence is required when attendance numbers exceed 5,000.
Coyle "pointed out that there would be a lot more than that in the park on a typical day anyway". He asked if this would be taken into consideration when deciding if a licence was required.
However, he was advised to come back formally when he had more information, but that he should work on the basis that a licence would be needed.
 

ciaran75

Roller Poster
https://m.independent.ie/business/i...ng-for-new-14m-steel-attraction-37578690.html

the new roller-coaster will be the same height as the park's 32 metre high Cú Chulainn but will be 400 metres longer that the 1,082 metre long Cú Chulainn ride.

The new roller-coaster will be two roller-coasters in one. It will be a first for Europe

aim is to secure planning in 2019, build the roller-coaster in 2020 and open it to the public in 2021.
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
Full article:
Ireland’s largest theme park, Tayto Park is to lodge a planning application for its biggest attraction to date, an 'iconic' €14m steel roller-coaster ride in the coming days.

Owner of Tayto Park, Ray Coyle said on Thursday that the new roller-coaster will be the same height as the park's 32 metre high Cú Chulainn but will be 400 metres longer that the 1,082 metre long Cú Chulainn ride.

Mr Coyle said that the new roller-coaster "will copper-fasten the future of Tayto Park".

He said: "The new roller-coaster will be two roller-coasters in one. It will be a first for Europe and ensure the future of the park. If you don’t create something landmark every three of four years, your numbers will start going down and that is the road to closure."

Mr Coyle said that the plans for the roller-coaster will be lodged with Meath County Council next week.

He also said that the aim is to secure planning in 2019, build the roller-coaster in 2020 and open it to the public in 2021.

He confirmed that the cost of the roller-coaster will be €14m and will be able to accommodate 1,200 passengers per hour compared to the Cú Chulainn carrying 1,000 passengers per hour.

Mr Coyle was commenting as new accounts for Tayto Park which show that last year it recorded an 8pc rise in pre-tax profits to €3.65m.

This followed revenues increasing by 5pc to €17.533m - or an average of €92,770 a day in revenues for each of the 189 days Tayto Park was open last year.

Mr Coyle confirmed that 720,000 visitors came to Tayto Park last year and this year numbers will increase by around 3-4pc in spite of numbers down for the month of July due to the hot spell.

He added that Tayto Park’s Earnings Before Interest Depreciation Tax and Amortisation (EBITDA) are €7m for last year.

Mr Coyle said that he was "delighted" with the performance of Tayto Park in 2017 and 2018.

Mr Coyle opened Tayto Park "in a field in Co Meath" in October 2010. He said: "Nobody came for six months. I thought we would have to close it down but in the Easter of 2011 people started to come. You learn as you go along."

Mr Coyle said that the crowds coming to Tayto Park in 2018 will be the highest to date. He said: "Word of mouth is how most people come to Tayto Park - it accounts for around 60pc."

He said that the most popular attraction is the all wood Cú Chulainn roller coaster which opened in 2015.

He said that 40pc of visitors go to the Zoo at Tayto Park with 35pc doing the tour of the Tayto factory.

Mr Coyle also stated that Tayto Park receives a very strong trade from Northern Ireland accounting for 24-25pc of all customers.

Mr Coyle said that the park has been adding incrementally to its attractions each year.

The park has also been a strong employer in the local area - the 2017 accounts show that numbers employed last year totalled 296 with staff costs of €4.4m.

Tayto Park’s post tax profits last year were €3.1m after paying corporation tax of €549,402.

The company’s assets had a book value of €33.48m at the end of last year.

So confirms that the thrill coaster was pushed back to 2021. Still really exciting news. Can't wait to find out more, and what type/manufacturer it will be.
 
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Ethan

Strata Poster
I feel like 2 in 1 could pretty much mean anything. Wood and steel, launch and lift, forwards and backwards etc.

At first, because of how specific they are in that last statement that the Cú Chulainn coaster is "all wood", I thought it might be a hybrid. But then I remembered that Walibi and Energylandia are getting I-Box coasters before this opens so I guess that theory's out :(
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
Automatically the "2 coasters in 1" made me think of duelling coasters. Either just two separate twin tracks of 741m each both with a 32m first drop. Or a Grand National style mobius.
Or a near mobius continuous circuit thing like Twisted Colossus and West Coast Racers where the same track races itself.
I had heard ages ago that a duelling wooden coaster allegedly had been considered for the cancelled 2019 project. IF that was true perhaps the concept a duelling coaster of some kind was kept in mind for this?

Or could it could mean 2 coaster types/experiences in 1? Made me think of the concept video from when Mack Rides first announced the Xtreme Spinning Coaster, and watching that video back it actually uses the term "2 in 1" when showing the concept for having a Spinning Cars and BigDipper Cars on the same track. Possible coincidence or is Ray Coyle quoting the manufacture?
Seen from 1:39 onwards.
The Macks did consult with the Coyles back when they are developing Europa Park's Ireland area and Michael Mack did mention at the time that they had talked about maybe supplying them with a ride in the future. Source
“People from Tayto Park have been visiting us and I showed them plans for the Irish area so they gave me a few hints and a little bit of help with it, so I definitely want to come visit again. We are also in talks to maybe deliver a new ride to them in the near future."
A "2 in 1" Mack Xtreme Spinner & BigDipper would fit the Europe first claim if one does open elsewhere beforehand. (and if the Europe first claim is actually genuine and not like how they continue to market Cu Chuliann as Europe's largest wooden coaster with an inversion).

It would be interesting though to see what kind of custom layout for both trains they'd create.
However I'd be slightly concerned with the reliability/maintenance costs of a switch track but Viking Voyage has shown they won't shy away from turntable/switch technology.

So personally I'm placing my bets on duelling coasters or a Mack "2 in 1" coaster.

Will have to keep an eye on the planning permissions next week to find out! :D
 
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CrashCoaster

CF Legend
I think €14m is way too small for it to be a Mack, Mack rides are expensive, and if it were to have nearly 5,000 ft of track, I'd expect something from the likes of Vekoma.
 

ciaran75

Roller Poster
No mention of the zierer family coaster supposed to be coming next year. Wonder was that canned for some other type ride.
Did they ever get planning permission for this.
 

CrashCoaster

CF Legend
No mention of the zierer family coaster supposed to be coming next year. Wonder was that canned for some other type ride.
Did they ever get planning permission for this.
It is under construction. If you go back a page in the thread, land prep has already begun.
 

ciaran75

Roller Poster
Yeah saw the construction pics before, but do we know for sure land clearing is for coaster and not different type of ride. I didn't see any planning permission coming for this which I presume is needed
 

CrashCoaster

CF Legend
Yeah saw the construction pics before, but do we know for sure land clearing is for coaster and not different type of ride. I didn't see any planning permission coming for this which I presume is needed
The coaster is the only thing we know of coming to the park next year, so I don't see what else it can possibly be, unless it is something we don't know about. Also, do Tayto Park even have to make their plans public?
 

JoshC.

Strata Poster
I think €14m is way too small for it to be a Mack, Mack rides are expensive, and if it were to have nearly 5,000 ft of track, I'd expect something from the likes of Vekoma.

Alpina Blitz at Nigloland is said to have cost €8m, and is 2400ft of track. It's entirely possible to get 5000ft of Mack track for €14m if Tayto negotiate a bit.

I'm very intrigued at the moment for what this could be. The Mack 2in1 sounds implausible to me because of the length. I'd expect a Möbius self duelling thing like Twisted Colossus probably.

However, just to throw it out there, could we possibly see RMC Raptor track (well 2 of them..)? Fits the unique in Europe bill, seems like something crazy Tayto would do.. Just don't know about the cost..

But between this, Intamin's European creds and whatever else crops up, 2021 is looking to be very juicy...
 
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