The Gravity Group
Encyclopedia
The Gravity Group, based in Cincinnati, Ohio
, is an American based roller coaster
design firm. The firm was founded in July 2002 out of the engineering team of the famed but now defunct Custom Coasters International
. The design and engineering team has more expertise and experience than any other wooden roller coaster
manufacturer. The core group of designers and engineers at The Gravity Group have backgrounds in civil, structural and mechanical engineering
. Their experience comes from work on over 40 different wooden roller coasters around the world. The first coaster designed under the name of "The Gravity Group" is called Hades
and opened at Mount Olympus Theme Park in 2005. The Gravity also designed the currently #1 ranked The Voyage
at Holiday World in Santa Claus
, Indiana, which opened in May 2006. These first two accomplishments of the team have been received with great success by both the industry and coaster enthusiasts alike.
The Gravity Group designed the Ravine Flyer II
at Waldameer in Erie Pennsylvania, which was opened at the start of the 2008 season. In 2009 the Fireball was opened at Happy Valley
in China, becoming China's first wooden roller coaster. Their next roller coaster will be constructed at Quassy Amusement Park
for the 2011 season, this will be the company's sixth wooden roller coaster. The Gravity Group was also involved in the rebuilding of Libertyland
's Zippin Pippin at Bay Beach Amusement Park
in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
In 2008, members of The Gravity Group announced the development of their own wooden coaster trains called Timberliners. They are being produced by Gravitykraft Corporation, a sister company to The Gravity Group. The Gravity Group promotes their trains as the only wooden coaster trains capable of steering through curves, resulting in a more comfortable and maintenance friendly ride. Timberliners were planned to debut on The Voyage
at Holiday World for the 2010 season, but have faced delays. However, in 2011, the Timberliners appeared on Wooden Warrior at Quassy Amusement Park
in Pennsylvania and on Twister at Gröna Lund
in Sweden.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, is an American based roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
design firm. The firm was founded in July 2002 out of the engineering team of the famed but now defunct Custom Coasters International
Custom Coasters International
Custom Coasters International was one of the premier wooden roller coaster manufacturers in the world and produced more wooden coasters in recent times than any other company...
. The design and engineering team has more expertise and experience than any other wooden roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
manufacturer. The core group of designers and engineers at The Gravity Group have backgrounds in civil, structural and mechanical engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
. Their experience comes from work on over 40 different wooden roller coasters around the world. The first coaster designed under the name of "The Gravity Group" is called Hades
Hades (roller coaster)
Hades is the name of a wooden roller coaster located at Mount Olympus Water & Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The trains were built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. It is the largest roller coaster in the park. It was voted "Best New Ride" by Amusement Today magazine in 2005...
and opened at Mount Olympus Theme Park in 2005. The Gravity also designed the currently #1 ranked The Voyage
The Voyage (roller coaster)
The Voyage is a hybrid wooden roller coaster at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, USA. It was designed and built beginning in 2005 by The Gravity Group, with the help of designers Mike Graham, Korey Kiepert, Larry Bill, Chad Miller, and former park President Will Koch; it...
at Holiday World in Santa Claus
Santa Claus, Indiana
Santa Claus is a town in Carter, Clay and Harrison townships, Spencer County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana, between Interstate 64 and the Ohio River. The population was 2,041 at the 2000 census.Santa Claus was established in 1854...
, Indiana, which opened in May 2006. These first two accomplishments of the team have been received with great success by both the industry and coaster enthusiasts alike.
The Gravity Group designed the Ravine Flyer II
Ravine Flyer II
Ravine Flyer II is a hybrid wooden roller coaster that is located at Waldameer Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, United States. It was ranked as the best new ride of 2008 by Amusement Today Magazine. The Ravine Flyer II took place of the park's old Ravine Flyer, which was removed in 1938 due to a tragedy...
at Waldameer in Erie Pennsylvania, which was opened at the start of the 2008 season. In 2009 the Fireball was opened at Happy Valley
Happy Valley
-Canada:* Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador* Happy Valley, Greater Sudbury, Ontario* Happy Valley, King, Ontario* Happy Valley, British Columbia, in the Western Communities area of Greater Victoria, British Columbia* Happy Valley No...
in China, becoming China's first wooden roller coaster. Their next roller coaster will be constructed at Quassy Amusement Park
Quassy Amusement Park
Quassy, which was once called Lake Quassapaug Amusement Park, was founded as an amusement park in 1908 and sits on the south shore of Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, Connecticut, USA. On its plus, it boasts 22 rides....
for the 2011 season, this will be the company's sixth wooden roller coaster. The Gravity Group was also involved in the rebuilding of Libertyland
Libertyland
Libertyland was Memphis, Tennessee's only amusement park. Opened on July 4, 1976, it was located at 940 Early Maxwell Blvd. It was structured under the nonprofit 5014 US tax code. It closed due to financial reasons in 2005.-History:...
's Zippin Pippin at Bay Beach Amusement Park
Bay Beach Amusement Park
Bay Beach is a municipal amusement park in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The park is situated near the mouth of the Fox River as it flows into Green Bay, on the east bank. It features rides, concessions, and a roller coaster. The park's history dates to the 1890s, when entrepreneur Mitchell Nejedlo...
in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
In 2008, members of The Gravity Group announced the development of their own wooden coaster trains called Timberliners. They are being produced by Gravitykraft Corporation, a sister company to The Gravity Group. The Gravity Group promotes their trains as the only wooden coaster trains capable of steering through curves, resulting in a more comfortable and maintenance friendly ride. Timberliners were planned to debut on The Voyage
The Voyage (roller coaster)
The Voyage is a hybrid wooden roller coaster at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, USA. It was designed and built beginning in 2005 by The Gravity Group, with the help of designers Mike Graham, Korey Kiepert, Larry Bill, Chad Miller, and former park President Will Koch; it...
at Holiday World for the 2010 season, but have faced delays. However, in 2011, the Timberliners appeared on Wooden Warrior at Quassy Amusement Park
Quassy Amusement Park
Quassy, which was once called Lake Quassapaug Amusement Park, was founded as an amusement park in 1908 and sits on the south shore of Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, Connecticut, USA. On its plus, it boasts 22 rides....
in Pennsylvania and on Twister at Gröna Lund
Gröna Lund
Tivoli Gröna Lund or Grönan is an amusement park in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located on the seaward side of the Djurgården island and is relatively small compared to other amusement parks, mainly due to its central location, which limits expansion. Gröna Lund is a popular venue for concerts during...
in Sweden.
The Gravity Group Coasters
| Name | Park | Length (ft) | Height (ft) | Speed (mph) | Opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hades Hades (roller coaster) Hades is the name of a wooden roller coaster located at Mount Olympus Water & Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The trains were built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. It is the largest roller coaster in the park. It was voted "Best New Ride" by Amusement Today magazine in 2005... |
Mt. Olympus | 4726 | 136 | 70 | May 14, 2005 | Operating |
| The Voyage The Voyage (roller coaster) The Voyage is a hybrid wooden roller coaster at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, USA. It was designed and built beginning in 2005 by The Gravity Group, with the help of designers Mike Graham, Korey Kiepert, Larry Bill, Chad Miller, and former park President Will Koch; it... |
Holiday World | 6442 | 163 | 67 | May 6, 2006 | Operating |
| Boardwalk Bullet Boardwalk Bullet The Boardwalk Bullet is a high-speed wooden roller coaster in Kemah, Texas, United States, that was opened August 31, 2007. It is part of the Kemah Boardwalk amusement park. Currently, this is the only roller coaster in Greater Houston... |
Kemah Boardwalk Kemah Boardwalk The Kemah Boardwalk is a hotel and restaurant destination in Kemah, Texas, USA. The main attractions of the complex, which opened in 2001, are its many restaurants overlooking Galveston Bay. The area was developed by Landry's Restaurants, which owns all of the restaurants on the boardwalk... |
3236 | 96 | 51 | August 31, 2007 | Operating |
| Ravine Flyer II Ravine Flyer II Ravine Flyer II is a hybrid wooden roller coaster that is located at Waldameer Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, United States. It was ranked as the best new ride of 2008 by Amusement Today Magazine. The Ravine Flyer II took place of the park's old Ravine Flyer, which was removed in 1938 due to a tragedy... |
Waldameer | 2900 | 120 | 57 | May 17, 2008 | Operating |
| Fireball | Happy Valley Happy Valley, Shenzhen Happy Valley is a tourist theme park in Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.Covering an area of 350,000 square meters , the park is composed of nine areas with different themes, including Spanish Square, Cartoon City, Mt. Adventure, Gold Mine Town, Shangri-la Woods, Sunshine Beach,... |
3819 | 108 | 56 | July 28, 2009 | Operating |
| Wooden Warrior | Quassy Amusement Park Quassy Amusement Park Quassy, which was once called Lake Quassapaug Amusement Park, was founded as an amusement park in 1908 and sits on the south shore of Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, Connecticut, USA. On its plus, it boasts 22 rides.... |
1200 | 35 | 35 | 2011 | Operating |
| Twister Twister -Entertainment:* Twister , a comedy film starring Suzy Amis and Crispin Glover* Twister , a disaster film starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton** Twister...Ride it Out, a ride in Universal Studios Florida based on the film... |
Gröna Lund Gröna Lund Tivoli Gröna Lund or Grönan is an amusement park in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located on the seaward side of the Djurgården island and is relatively small compared to other amusement parks, mainly due to its central location, which limits expansion. Gröna Lund is a popular venue for concerts during... |
1574 | 50 | 37.9 | 2011 | Operating |
| Zippin Pippin | Bay Beach Amusement Park Bay Beach Amusement Park Bay Beach is a municipal amusement park in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The park is situated near the mouth of the Fox River as it flows into Green Bay, on the east bank. It features rides, concessions, and a roller coaster. The park's history dates to the 1890s, when entrepreneur Mitchell Nejedlo... |
2865 | 70 | 40 | 2011 | Operating |
| unknown | Happy Valley, Wuhan, Hubei, China | 3914 | 105 | unknown | 2011 | Under Construction |