Darien Lake said it is planning to invest $1.5 million to build a new waterslide at the amusement park for the 2016 season.
The park tells 7 Eyewitness News that a new extreme water ride will be built once the park receives the building permits and an incentive package is approved by the Genesee County Economic Development Center.
The amusement park is applying for $158,887 in sales tax incentives according to GCEDC documents obtained by 7 Eyewitness News. The project is expected to produce an estimated $8.8 million in regional revenue over the life of the project.
According to the documents, two projects are expected to be performed before the park's 2016 opening; a six lane water ride and the purchase of a new roller coaster train for the Ride of Steel roller coaster. Darien Lake will spend an estimated $2.8 million for both projects; $1.5 million going to the RipCurl Racer waterslide alone.
"It's been proven in the past that adding new ride attractions increases the number of visitors to the park and we're expecting the new RipCurl Racer will do the same. And that's good not only for Darien Lake, but for Genesee County as a whole," said Genesee County Chamber of Commerce president Tom Turnbull.
The park announced the addition of the RipCurl Racer Thursday. The project is a 42' high water slide. Riders will race through the ride beginning with a unique light and timing system. Guests will plunge through dark and translucent tunnels and blast into a high velocity finish.
"Bringing in RipCurl Racer, the third new thrill ride to join the park's line-up over the past year, is really exciting for us," said Darien Lake General Manager Chris Thorpe.
The other new improvement to the park will be the addition of a roller coast train for the Ride of Steel. The train will accommodate 32 riders per cycle and will reduce frequent mechanical downtime. It replaces a 17-year-old train from the roller coaster's construction back in 1999.
"The continued growth and expansion at Darien Lake is a testament to our dedication to providing guests with the best entertainment value in the region," said Thorpe.
