OKLAHOMA CITY — OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark (OKANA) announces the hiring of nine new leadership team members for the $400 million project along the Oklahoma River near downtown Oklahoma City. These new leadership team hires will join OKANA’s Managing Director, Ken Leone, on the resort’s newly created executive committee.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to growth and excellence, we have strategically expanded our team with individuals who possess diverse skill sets and share a passion for our values,” said Ken Leone, OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark managing director. “There are a significant number of pre-opening and operational milestones to hit when opening a resort property of the scale and size of OKANA. This executive committee will be laser focused on those milestones for each of their departments to ensure we deliver unmatched experiences for our guests.”

The ten-person executive committee brings more than 124 years of hospitality industry experience and will be headed by Leone.

Ken Leone, Managing Director:
Leone most recently served as Chief Operating Officer for SafeHarbor Development Group, developing and operating several Margaritaville resorts in Tennessee. Previously, he held executive roles with Delaware North and Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants, earning numerous awards including General Manager of the Year.

Erling Acosta, Resort General Manager:
Acosta has more than two decades of hospitality experience with a proven track record in driving guest satisfaction, enhancing operational efficiencies, and fostering team development.  His previous role was as Resort Assistant General Manager for Kalahari Resorts and Conventions where he oversaw all operation and administrative functions of the resort.

Genaro Blanco, Director of Revenue Management:
Blanco brings more than a decade of hospitality experience, previously serving as the Regional Director of Revenue Management at Karisma Hotels and Resorts. He has led successful initiatives on execution, and measurement of strategies and tactics designed to maximize revenue, market share, and profitability at notable brands throughout the U.S. and Caribbean such as Nickelodeon, El Dorado, Melia, and Iberostar.

Michael Drayton, Director of Strategy & Analytics:
Drayton previously served as the Director of Customer Experience for Parks Mfg. LLC. Prior to that, he served as manager for the Financial & Operational Analytics teams at Sonic Corp. and the Chickasaw Nation’s Department of Commerce. He has more than a decade of experience in financial planning, data analytics, strategic planning, revenue optimization, and market research, and has implemented initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and departmental collaboration in his previous roles.

Scott Goldberg, Director of Food & Beverage:
Goldberg is a forward-thinking executive leader with a comprehensive background in all aspects of food and beverage operations. He is skilled in planning, coordinating, and executing initiatives in high volume environments. Goldberg joins OKANA from Boyd Gaming in Missouri where he led the team responsible for all food and beverage operations for a large casino resort and spa.

Sabra Millage, Director of Finance:
Millage has extensive experience in financial management, reporting, and team leadership, with a proven track record of improving profitability and ensuring compliance in the hospitality industry. Recognized for her ability to enhance productivity and streamline processes, Millage has received multiple awards for profit and revenue growth.

Talya Regan, Senior Director of Marketing:
Regan has more than a decade of strategic planning, marketing, and public relations experience in the hospitality industry. She joins OKANA from Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark and will be focused on implementing innovative strategies to drive resort growth through a fully integrated marketing strategy and public relations efforts.

Juan Ruiz, Director of Engineering:

Ruiz has more than two decades, with 23 years with Marriot International, of experience in facilities maintenance and operations, and has led engineering teams at Swexan Hotel, JW Marriott Houston, and Hyatt Richardson North Dallas. He excels in managing maintenance operations, complex equipment repairs, budgeting, and energy conservation.

Sonia Saenz, Director of Human Resources:
Saenz brings extensive national and international recruitment, employer branding, and community relations experience. Bilingual in Spanish, she has held key HR leadership roles in prestigious organizations, fostering positive organizational cultures, and driving growth. She has participated in other openings including Bellagio Spa Tower in 2004.

Brian Szydloski, Waterpark General Manager:
Szydloski is an expert in waterpark operations with more than a decade of experience, having contributed to prominent waterparks across the United States. As the former Waterpark Director at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Round Rock, Texas, he managed America’s largest indoor waterpark resort, overseeing a staff of 450 and an annual attendance of 500,000+ guests.

OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark is on track to open in Spring 2025.

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — As a thank you to our military, first responders, teachers and more who work tirelessly every day to serve our country and communities, Dollywood’s Public Employees Appreciation Days returns in 2024 and provides qualifying guests the opportunity to buy a one-day Dollywood admission ticket online for just $45 plus tax.

The exclusive offer can be purchased online at Dollywood.com/PublicEmployee for a limited time and is valid for use July 29- Sept. 15. Members of the military, first responders, school system employees, government employees and medical employees who have verified their employment status through ID.me are eligible for the offer. Verified public employees may purchase up to six $45 one-day admission tickets to Dollywood Theme Park as part of the program. Additionally, they can receive rates starting at $119 per night at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa or at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort on select nights. The resort discount is available July 29-Sept. 15, subject to availability.

Any of the admission tickets that are part of the Public Employees Appreciation Days may be upgraded to season passes, allowing guests to continue the fun of Dollywood’s 2024 season. Guests currently can enjoy Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration presented by Food City through Aug. 11. Extended park operating hours, a nightly drone show and family-fun entertainment make Dollywood a must-visit destination for families this summer.

Later this year, guests can enjoy one of the nation’s top fall events, the Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 9- Oct. 28). The event has quickly become a guest-favorite thanks to thousands of glowing pumpkins that make up Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health. Dollywood guests also can enjoy the spectacular artistry of visiting crafters from across the country or sample the special harvest-themed food items from Dollywood’s award-winning culinary team. Each day is a picture-perfect opportunity for families to enjoy the experiences of a Smoky Mountain harvest.

With festive fun and more than six million lights, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (Nov. 1- Jan. 5, 2024) has earned its recognition as America’s favorite theme park Christmas event. Smoky Mountain Christmas helps families create memories to share for a lifetime. Guests also can enjoy Dollywood’s signature rides and attractions that operate in this merry environment. With award-winning shows and elaborate holiday decorations to twinkling lights and Christmas-themed menus, Dollywood truly captures the essence of Christmas. 

Guests also can enjoy The Dolly Parton Experience which features a number of interactive elements to make guests feel as if they were alongside Dolly as she journeyed from Locust Ridge to stages around the world. The entire Adventures in Imagination area was completely transformed to create The Dolly Parton Experience. Guests can peruse exhibits which span her unparalleled career and include a look at the inspiration behind and the results of her biggest dreams, detail the importance of her family, and highlight many of Dolly’s signature styles through the years. 

The AUGUST 2024 issue includes:

• Bobcat coaster roars in Six Flags Great Escape
• SeaWorld’s new Penguin Trek thrills, educates
• Thorpe Park, Mack Rides debut Hyperia
• Six Flags Great America opens Zamperla’s Discovery Giga 40
• Dinosaurs headline Six Flags Over Texas’ new, returning attractions
• Landry’s Kemah Boardwalk maintains, upgrades Boardwalk Bullet
• Properly trained FEC staff making all the difference
• Strates Shows is brings back rail travel for 2024 season
• Iowa State Fair’s Sky Glider celebrates half-century 
• Silverwood’s Boulder Beach debuts Emerald Forest
• Disney, Florida Governor reach agreement
• Snackville at Pacific Park providing guests with new, exciting foods
• Cedar Fair, Six Flags merger completed
• East Coast parks light up season with rides, events, promotions
• Focus on the Horizon: Haley Knoebel of Premier Rides
• Sandcastle adds colors, sights and sounds for the 2024 season
• Deadlines approaching to attend 2024’s GTA event
• Inspections at CocoCay hold intriguing challenges for Safe Slide
• Busch Gardens’s Loch Ness Monster resurfaces after restoration
• Gravity Group, Texas Skilled Carpentry refurbish Funtown’s Excalibur
• 2024 World’s Largest Swimming Lesson draws thousands
• Europa-Park rebuilds bigger, better revamped Austria … and much more!

ORLANDO — SeaWorld Orlando’s hair-raising Halloween Howl-O-Scream event is preparing to re-emerge, promising a more terrifying experience than ever. This year’s event features five bone-chilling houses – four of them new, seven scare zones – three of them new, five interactive bars and two spectacular shows, plus several all-new attractions creeping into the event line-up. Howl-O-Scream taunts guests with a nightmarish adventure where the deepest fears come to life and new horrors emerge from the shadows, lurking around every corner, ready to haunt every step.

Guests can save up to 70% on Howl-O-Scream tickets now and for a limited time during the Sinister Sale, running until July 28. Tickets start at $32.99, offering a terrifyingly good deal for a night full of fantastic frights.

SeaWorld Orlando has provided a peak at what’s new for Howl-O-Scream this year, including a new haunted house “Farm 51,” where guests will harvest their fears as they navigate through fields of terror, as well as a new scare zone “Seeds of the Coven,” a forest where witches’ curses are sown and harvested. Still to come are details on three new houses, two more scare zones and two new bars.

Returning favorites include the haunted house “Deleri1um666,” and the scare zones “Blood Light District,” “Toxic Turmoil,” “Terrors of the Deep” and “Carnevil Pier.” Guests can also revisit the bars “Tormented,” “Carnevil Curiosities” and “Longshoremen’s Tavern.” Also returning are fan-favorite performances, “Monster Stomp” and “Siren’s Last Call.”

Guests can elevate their night of frights by experiencing SeaWorld Orlando’s roller coasters at night. Ride with ghosts on Mako, Manta, Ice Breaker and Pipeline for bone-chilling thrills all evening.

CHICAGO — At its Spring 2024 opening, Flyover in Chicago became the newest of Flyover Attractions’ immersive indoor flying rides, joining existing installations in Las Vegas; Vancouver, Canada; and Reykjavik, Iceland, that transports guests to the planet’s most epic places through exhilarating flying journeys.

Located within Chicago’s landmark waterfront Navy Pier, the multi-sensory experience, which incorporates leading drone technologies along with impressive aerial shots and first-person narratives, showcases the city from perspectives never seen before. Flyover’s signature Chicago journey is shown on an impressive 65-foot spherical screen with flight motion seats engineered to swoop, dip and turn, giving guests the feeling of flight. The attraction transports 61 guests at a time, with complete sensory immersion using wind, mist and scents, as fliers hang suspended.

The breathtaking ride employs a massive number of audio sources, which are controlled and dynamically spatialized by the advanced audio object and Wave Field Synthesis features of FLUX:: SPAT Revolution immersive audio software, then played through a highly customized system of JBL loudspeakers in a nearly spherical configuration. The FLUX:: software and JBL Professional loudspeakers are supplemented with Crown amplifiers, BSS loudspeaker processing, and control systems from HARMAN Professional, who also supplied extensive support and expertise to the project.

Designing and building an attraction like Flyover is a highly complex undertaking, so the thrilling sonic world of Flyover Chicago is the work of a team of experts from several companies working closely together.

Immersive Entertainment
An extensive presentation occurs primarily in its own immersive theatre, which features a 10-foot diameter, circular “lollipop” screen in the center (serving guests on both sides), plus an elliptical screen wrapping 360 degrees around the audience. Sound designer/mixer Tim Archer of Masters Digital programmed SPAT Revolution to control the soundtrack, which plays through a system designed by Wels, Austria-based Kraftwerk Living Technologies (KLT), who also designed the main flight ride audio system.

Speakers are placed behind the perforated screens, with each side of the venue featuring the same speaker configuration: eight JBL COL800 column loudspeakers inside the lollipop facing out (for a total of 16 cabinets), and six JBL AC18/26 compact two-way loudspeakers behind the wraparound screen (for a total of 12). Low-frequency support is provided by four ceiling-mounted JBL ASB6115 subwoofers.

Crucially, these are not arrays in which every loudspeaker receives the same signal; SPAT Revolution sends a discrete signal to each loudspeaker in order to implement Wave Field Synthesis and other reproduction techniques. Still, a source such as dialogue may need a large contribution of speakers for coverage or perceived sound size reasons, a situation which can create its own problems.

“When you’ve got eight speakers that are not in a simple array and all are receiving the same content, how do you get away with not having comb filtering?” asks Archer. “The answer is that you run the signal through SPAT. I pop one track of dialogue into SPAT and WFS spreads it across the eight columns. And you can be almost around the side of the lollipop before you lose the character of the sound; it’s extremely wide. WFS is killer. It’s a game changer.”

A ring of 10 more AC18/26s mounted above the audience (five on each side of the room) acts as the primary source for presenting the music from composer Elliott Wheeler.

The Main Flight Ride
For the flight ride, guests are seated on one of three separate moving platforms which are vertically “stacked” in the room. Presenting realistic, well-balanced sound to every guest was the biggest challenge facing both Archer and KLT’s Philipp Hartl, responsible for Sales/Lead Audio System Design & Optimisation.

“There are three platforms, and that’s critical. We’re talking about people above, in the middle, and below,” reveals Archer. “That is probably the main thing that makes this mix so unique: traditionally, we are all based in the idea that the person mixing is on the same plane as the rest of the audience. You normally don’t have people located on three different planes.

“But at Flyover Chicago you do, so the guests are having three different experiences. Since everybody doesn’t have the same visual perspective, they should not get the same audio perspective.”

Complicating things further was the sheer number of moving elements, which defined a massive mix process. “I am sitting down with just over a thousand tracks, about six hundred for music and about four hundred and change for sound effects,” Archer reports. Handling this tremendous load required SPAT Revolution to work side-by-side with a second immersive audio system from Encircled Audio.

With the platforms in constant motion, object audio was the only way to place a source and have each person hear it properly. Two guests viewing the same visual element from different platforms need separate mixes that accurately localize the sound for their positions, while the platforms continue to move. Traditional multichannel mixes simply cannot accomplish this. For this reason, localization in SPAT Revolution is not viewed in terms of routing sounds into loudspeakers, but, rather, sending them to “pan points” or virtual speakers to synthesize artificial wavefronts.

What’s more, some musical events relate to visual elements, necessitating moving music sources through space, too. “I’ve got a trumpet player on top of the Wrigley Building, and when the camera flies by him, his trumpet sound has got to whip past us,” Archer details. “Every single thing in the mix moves.” To facilitate this, composer Wheeler and his engineer went to the trouble to deliver the music to Archer already in the form of a SPAT Revolution session.

In his sound system design, Hartl faced the same issue of trying to supply sound appropriately to three continuously moving platforms. “As a practical matter, it’s not possible to achieve the exact same coverage at every seat on each platform,” Hartl explains, “so one of the really tricky things was to find a middle way to tune the speakers that minimized the amount of compromise made at any individual seat.”

Hartl used 34 JBL AM7215-series high power two-way loudspeakers, deployed in four different vertical layers, plus four JBL ASB7128 dual 18-inch subwoofers to furnish prodigious amounts of low-frequency effects. As in the pre-show theatre, SPAT Revolution rendered a different signal feed for each loudspeaker. To ensure clear rear localization, a pair of JBL Control 23-1 ultracompact speakers is mounted on each seat back.

Once the content was generated and the system tuned, the presentation was implemented in a show control system for playback by Miami-based Smart Monkeys.

Teamwork is Key
Bringing such an immensely complex project to a successful conclusion involves plenty of tweaking and problem-solving. As a central contributor to the project, HARMAN gave close support to all the teams involved, with Flux’s Hugo Larin being particularly deeply involved in the design and programming of the immersive audio. “Hugo’s involvement was what got the show across the line,” compliments Eric Sambell, Flyover’s Global Director of Construction and Entertainment. “He was knowledgeable and really jumped in, even with issues that weren’t directly involved with SPAT, like some aspects of design and workflow. It was a really great value-add.”

Teams from Flyover and all of the vendors reported tremendous cooperation and support from all parties, which made a difficult, stressful project actually fun. “It was great to see the different companies work together and not against each other, which was the case at Flyover,” enthuses Hartl. ”We learned from each other, and that was the best thing which could have happened there.”

Archer was just as impressed. “The spirit of collaboration started right with the management of Flyover, who assembled teams of people that could and would work together.”

In the end, of course, the effort is not about the sophisticated systems or even the teams, but providing the guests an amazing experience, as Sambell highlights. “The technology has to be so good that it disappears, like it isn’t even there, so that guests enjoy a seamless experience from the moment they walk in the door to when they walk out afterwards,” he asserts. “We don’t want guests thinking about the technology or where they are, we just want them to be present in what’s happening.”

As we close the final chapter of BDR Design Group, we celebrate over 40 years of creativity, innovation, and unparalleled success. It has been an extraordinary journey, bringing to life entertainment destinations that have delighted and inspired millions around the world.

Our success has been fueled by the incredible talents and dedication of our team. Together, we have designed unforgettable experiences, each project a testament to our shared vision and passion. We are immensely proud of the legacy we leave behind, one built on creativity, collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Bruce D. Robinson, our founder and President, has been the heart and soul of BDR Design Group. His vision and leadership have shaped our path and inspired us all. 

Effective September 30th, Bruce will be retiring to embrace more precious moments with his family, and BDR Design Group will be closing the doors on its traditional design practice. Bruce will continue to share his expertise, consulting on unique projects, serving long term clients, and supporting former teammates in their future endeavors.

As we reflect on our achievements, we are filled with gratitude for the friendships, partnerships, and memories we have forged. The spirit of BDR Design Group will live on in the extraordinary projects we have created and in the hearts of those who have been part of our journey.

Thank you to all of the wonderful people that have been a part of our lives over the years and for being a part of our story. Here’s to the future, filled with new adventures and endless possibilities.

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Jack Morey, the creative force behind Morey’s Piers for the past three decades.  Jack wasn’t particularly fond of titles, but was the Company’s Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer, and, most importantly, champion of “it will be beautiful…we change everything.”

Jack’s life is a testament to his passion, creativity, and unwavering love of the beauty of people, experiences, and life…which he often insisted on viewing upside down via an impromptu handstand..

Although known for his eccentric and gregarious persona, Jack would often dive deeply and quickly into conversations.  Not one to recognize conventional boundaries, a favorite Jack question upon meeting someone was, “What do you love?”  A question which he was genuinely curious about, which presumably left the unguarded recipient pondering the meaning of life a little more deeply than moments prior.

Jack was long fascinated with people, design, and public spaces from all around the world, and spent his life and career working to bring his incredible and innate creativity to life. If you’ve visited Wildwood, you’ve been touched by Jack’s vision.  The Rio Grande Avenue Gateway, the iconic “Wildwoods” sign, the Wildwood Dog Park and Beach, the Socratic Outdoor Learning Center, the Doo-Wop style architecture, Starlux Mini Golf, and his latest project the Big Little 9 Golf Course are just a few, and of course, Morey’s Piers and Resorts, all bear Jack’s unique vision.  He drew inspiration from the most unlikely places and poured his passion for beauty, art, and human interaction into everything in which he was involved. Jack adored the Wildwoods, often describing it as – “not a place for everybody, but it is a place for anybody,” and in answering the question of what’s your favorite project, there was no hesitation, simply – “the next one, but first we much fall in love.”

Jack saw the world in a way few others do, often combining elements which logically shouldn’t work together…but did. Not one for meetings, committees, or offices (and reported to have declared in jest that budgets were for wimps), he was most often found in the field either dreaming, designing, or clearing the way for his next vision.  Jack’s perspective and passion are inspirations that, while irreplaceable, we will strive to follow as we continue with his personal quest to make Morey’s Piers the “Greatest Seaside Park in the World.”

While Jack loved his job, his true passion in life was his family. He loved his Bride of 36 years, Karen, and his two children, Zack (Morgan) and Jordan (Alyssa), and the many dog companions he had throughout his life, presently Hobbes, Finley, and Frankie. When his grandchildren (Jack, Miller, and Nora) were born, he was the first to jump to the ground to teach them to crawl, spending almost as much time on the ground as the newborns.  

We will draw inspiration from Jack’s constant intrigue and inspiration from the world around him and, in turn, his love of life, people, and creativity. For all of this, we, and anyone who spent time with Jack, are forever grateful.

Services will be held on Monday, July 29 at Assumption Church located at 7100 Seaview Ave in Wildwood Crest.  The Gathering will be from 10 AM – 1 PM, with services immediately to follow.

SAN SEBASTIAN — Wavegarden is excited to shine a light on The Bays, a surfing zone that positively impacts both the way people learn surfing and the financial viability of our wave parks. While much attention is often given to the larger, more impressive Turn, Barrel, and Air waves, the Bays are equally as important for the accessibility of surfing and the success of surf parks.

For business owners, the Bays, with their high capacity of 50 surfers (25 on each side), represent 30-40% of the lagoon’s turnover. And, as the Bay waves are the continuation of the Reef waves, known as reform, they require zero additional energy.

For surfers who are starting out, the Bays offer possibly the safest and most optimal conditions to learn, facilitating rapid improvement. The slow-moving white-water and open-face waves that rise 50 cm high provide ideal rides between 14-18 seconds long. During a one-hour session, all surfers have the opportunity to catch 15 or more waves – something almost impossible to achieve in the ocean.

At one of the most recent Wavegarden facilities to open, Surfland Brasil in Garopaba, the depth in the Bays varies between knee and waist-deep, so surfers are never out of their comfort zone. There´s even a non-slip liner with a cushion underlay to further enhance safety. 

Achieving the perfect conditions in The Bays has been no small feat. Surprisingly, it has required almost as much effort as developing a good air section in the Reef area. What initially seemed straightforward – creating a white water wave that rolls towards the shore – turned out to be quite complex. Our main challenges included obtaining the optimum size and power, and managing currents to ensure they move correctly without sweeping surfers away.

But huge strides have been made and our fluid dynamic experts were thrilled with their recent accomplishments at Surfland Brasil, Garopaba, where The Bay waves are ideal, and turbulence is low.

“The Bays of Surfland are the best of any wave pool in the world, an achievement that has taken many years of testing”, explained Josema Odriozola, CEO and Founder of Wavegarden. “The challenge has been to tame the forces in the water, but I think now we have cracked the code.”

The lagoon operations team at Surfland has developed an innovative method of organizing students in a long line as they await their next wave. Students simply hold on to the leg rope of the surfer in front of them, which keeps everyone neatly positioned in the channel.

Importantly, it is in the Bays that tomorrow’s customers are developing their skills, gaining experience, and fostering a lifelong love for surfing. With nearly 20 different waves to master, today’s Bay surfers are set to become the Reef surfers of tomorrow.

Wavegarden continues to lead the way in providing unparalleled surfing experiences, and the Wavegarden Bays are a testament to our commitment to innovation, safety and accessibility.   

Zamperla and Dinosaur Dream Factory are proud to announce the newest Lightning Coaster opening at Dinosaur DreamWorks. This is Zamperla’s third Lightning coaster and the first to use a vertical chain lift hill.

“As one of the 10 most anticipated roller coasters in the world in 2024, Lightning of Zamperla brings visitors a new thrilling experience that will be a highlight in Hubei province and even the whole world,” said Mr. Ruan from Dinosaur Dream Factory.

The guest experience starts with riders looking straight into the air as they climb the 39 meter (127 foot) vertical lift hill. As the din of the park grows quieter guests reach the apex. In a matter of seconds they go from looking skyward to accelerating towards the ground. After flying down the near-vertical drop they enter the signature vertical loop. They are turned upside down three more times before returning to the station.

“The thrills of this coaster cannot be beat,” said Antonio Zamperla, CEO of Zamperla Group. “What is extremely fun for our team is that this layout is similar to others we have manufactured with our previous Thunderbolt system. We promised our clients that we would provide coasters that were just as thrilling as our old experiences but have significantly improved track quality and more comfortable vehicles. We believe we have exceeded everyone’s expectations,” he exclaimed.

Like its launch coaster counterparts, the Lightning train used for this project features many features that save parks both time and money. “Our clients chose us in part because the Lightning train offers a long-term return on investment (ROI),” said Davide Donadello, Sales & Operation Manager for the China & Korea Region. “The combination of a coaster that offers marketable thrills and reduced maintenance cost is extremely popular,” he noted.

The roller coaster is Zamperla’s largest in the country, the third in the country with a vertical lift and represents over a dozen roller coasters operating in China. Zamperla is one of the only ride manufacturers to have a technical support office in China, which has led to over two decades of success in Asia’s largest market.

This Lightning coaster is the first to utilize Zamperla’s new patent pending BBZ track design. “This track design is not only beautiful, but also some of the best we have fabricated in our company’s history. This was fully manufactured at Zamperla’s roller coaster hall in Europe,” said Adam Sandy, the company’s Roller Coaster Sales and Marketing Director. “The new design requires less materials, which helps keep costs down, while also allowing us to manufacture to extremely tight tolerances,” he noted.

Ride Stats:

• Track Length: 689 meters (2260 feet)
• Maximum height: 39 meters (128 ft)
• Maximum speed: 92 km/h (57 mph)
• Number of Trains: 3
• Passengers per-Train: 8
• Height Restriction: 120 cm (48 in) minimum
• Hourly Capacity: 590 people per-hour

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — For the third time in two weeks, SeaWorld San Antonio experienced the birth of a new member of its whale and dolphin family. Arriving on the heels of the births of a beluga whale and a Pacific white-sided dolphin in late June, the new calf, another Pacific white-sided dolphin, was born under the watchful eyes of animal care specialists and the park’s veterinary team. Upon birth, the calf instinctually swam to the surface of the water for its first breath of air and began swimming alongside its mother.

“Our team has been waiting on this moment for months and it’s finally here,” said Katie Kolodziej, Curator of Zoological Operations at SeaWorld San Antonio and manager of the facility in which all three calves were born. “With three new babies now in our habitat, the team is looking forward to providing the best possible care and enrichment for the calves and their mothers, as well as watching them grow and become a part of our existing pod.”

All three calves have had access to each pool in their two-million-gallon facility, including the main presentation pool. Guests can catch a glimpse of them at various times throughout the day and hear updates about their progress from the zoological staff during special educational chats.

The mother, 17-year-old Ohana, gave birth to the female calf estimated to measure 19 inches long and weigh 21 pounds. For a month prior to the birth of the calf, animal care specialists watched the expectant mother around the clock looking for signs of birth that include changes in the mother’s eating and behavioral patterns, temperature monitoring, and the emergences of the tail flukes. Round the clock observations will continue for at least a month, and data is being collected and compiled to help monitor the well-being of these calves and to share with other zoological facilities.

In late June, the same habitat welcomed a beluga whale calf as well as a Pacific white-sided dolphin calf within 48 hours of each other. In the two weeks since those births, both of those calves have been introduced to each other as well as to other members of the pod that now includes 10 beluga whales and nine dolphins. The SeaWorld zoological team is encouraged that these births are a sign of a healthy marine environment and successful species management.

The “baby boom” at the marine park began earlier this summer with the arrival of a harbor seal, a California sea lion, and an endangered radiated tortoise. All newborns are showing signs of good health and SeaWorld officials are cautiously optimistic that all of the babies and mothers will continue to thrive and integrate well.