Silver Dollar City fires up for a big expansion

August 14, 2023, 11:56 AM · Fire in the Hole is coming back to Silver Dollar City next year.

The Missouri theme park this year has been celebrating the final season for the original version of the combination dark ride and roller coaster, which opened in 1972. Next season, the park will unveil a new, $30 million version of the classic ride, built by Rocky Mountain Construction.

Note that this is not a rebuild of the current attraction on Hill Street. The new Fire in the Hole will be set in an all-new, five-story show building located on a new street directly behind Fireman's Landing, and the new combined area will be renamed the Fire District.

Silver Dollar City Company President Brad Thomas called the new Fire in the Hole the largest investment in any single attraction in Silver Dollar City's history. The new coaster will run 1,512 feet for two minutes and 51 seconds, with a top speed of 26 mph. The ride will include a powered incline and gravity descent, with three drops including a splash landing. Riders will pass through 14 show scenes, with enhanced special effects and high-resolution onboard audio, featuring a new custom soundtrack. The ride will run five 12-passenger trains.

The new Fire in the Hole
Concept art courtesy Silver Dollar City

"Like Silver Dollar City, Rocky Mountain Construction is committed to creating custom-built ride experiences that haven’t been done before," RMC President Darren Torr said. "We loved the challenge of engineering, fabricating, and installing the one-of-a-kind Fire in the Hole, creating a new ride experience while honoring a legendary coaster. It feels fondly familiar, yet it will be daringly different."

Fire in the Hole show building
The new Fire in the Hole building. Image via Silver Dollar City

Silver Dollar City also will add new retail and food and beverage locations as part of the Fire District expansion.

Looking ahead, Thomas also announced that Silver Dollar City has acquired an additional 1,000 acres of land for future projects, promising additional announcements about those to come.

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Replies (3)

August 14, 2023 at 12:30 PM

I've never been to Silver Dollar City despite being a big fan of Dollywood. Looks like this may be the addition that finally gets me out to the Missouri park.

August 14, 2023 at 3:23 PM

It’s a great park, and has one of the best coasters anywhere (Time Traveler).

August 15, 2023 at 6:40 PM

Sounds like fun!

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