Atlanta park closure puts highly-rated coaster's future in doubt
Roller coaster fans were supposed to be getting two highly anticipated new coasters this week. Instead, they got news that one of the world's top coasters might be closing.
Fun Spot America announced today that it will close its Atlanta location August 2. The Fayetteville, Ga. amusement park is home to ArieForce One, a RMC coaster that opened in 2023 and claimed a spot on our most recent worldwide top 40 roller coasters list.
I cannot recall such a highly rated coaster closing so swiftly. Fun Spot America could opt to sell the coaster to another park or to relocate it to one of its two Central Florida locations. But U.S. tax rules might push the company to tear down the coaster for its write-off value instead.
"This was an extremely difficult decision," Fun Spot America CEO John Arie Jr. said of the park's imminent closure. "Our Atlanta team has poured their hearts into serving our guests and creating a place where families could have fun together. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and for the support we have received from the Fayetteville community."
"We are proud of the memories created in Atlanta and grateful to everyone who has been part of this chapter of our story," Arie said.
The Atlanta park will continue to open from 10am to 10pm daily through August 2. So coaster fans who want to experience ArieForce One have a little over a month to do so. Season passes and gift cards will be honored at Fun Spot's Kissimmee and Orlando locations, which will remain open.
Tomorrow was supposed to be the official opening date for Tormenta: Rampaging Run, the new Bolliger & Mabillard giga dive coaster at Six Flags Over Texas. But Six Flags canceled that debut earlier this week, with no replacement date announced.
Earlier this month, Universal Studios Hollywood accidentally published a webpage declaring June 26 as the opening date for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, its new, first-of-its-kind launched drifting coaster. Universal immediately walked back that reveal and has yet to announce the coaster's official opening date.
Replies (7)
This is pretty disappointing news, especially given that I had a chance to hit up Fun Spot for a few hours a little over a year ago, and didn't want to make the detour in my plans figuring I'd be back to Atlanta again to ride. Now it looks like I won't make it to experience what is widely regarded as one of the best coasters in the US before it closes in August.
really hope they keep it and if moved to the Orlando park, it would be 20 minutes from me! one can dream!
Oh man... ArieForce was on our radar. We went to Atlanta last year but it was the wrong month for theme parks.
Oh well...hope it can be saved somehow
White lightning brings in a few coaster enthusiasts, but if they relocated AF1 to Orlando it would be a whole new ball game, in respect to visitors going to the park. So removing some of the parking lot would not be a good move. I'd love it to come here, I'd even buy a FS season pass .. LOL, but it's not happening.
Kissimmee is a much better fit. Even though they have Mine blower, AF1 would be a great addition. They could take out Hurricane, and use that space at the back??
In the end, I'd guess that it'll be sold, and moved to another park. A world rated RMC like AF1 deserves better than being scrapped off.
If they can somehow manage to squeeze AF1 onto their Orlando property it would be a huge hit. Having the best coaster in Florida on International Drive...it would be a money printing machine.
The cost to move a custom layout like this and re-install it in a completely different location would be outrageous and probably encroach on the cost of constructing a brand-new ride.
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I rode Arieforce back in February of last year. While I only got one lap, I will admit it was a great coaster and it got into my personal top 10. It's short both in height and duration, but it packs a punch.
Out of curiosity, I took some crude measurements of this coaster's dimensions on Google Earth to see how reasonable a relocation could be, but there's no room at Fun Spot Kissimee. If they brought it to Fun Spot Orlando, it would have to cut into the parking lot and Gator Spot, but they have a huge parking lot. If not at another Fun Spot, maybe BGW could use it, or it could go overseas, but a man can dream. . .
In a discussion forum I said I thought it'd be cool to have visited a defunct park (in reference to Wild Waves). Well, it looks like that wish came sooner than I had hoped.