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Send us your news and pictures. E-mail Keith Miller at kmiller@IAAPA.org.
Six Flags New England Will Run the ‘Gauntlet’
 Six Flags New England’s (SFNE) “Bizarro” roller coaster, which routinely tops lists of the best steel roller coasters in the world, is about to have a thrilling cohort. “Gotham City Gauntlet: Escape from Arkham Asylum” will join “Bizarro” in the DC Super Hero Adventure section of the park as SFNE’s 10th roller coaster. It will feature winding twists and 17 hairpin turns. But some shuffling had to be done to make room for the Maurer Söhne ride, according to park spokesperson Melissa Pinkerton: “The football field was removed—it was a pass-kick game—and we relocated our slingshot ride to the south end of the park. So it’s maybe 100 feet from ‘Bizarro’—I mean right next door!” www.sixflags.com/newengland
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‘Dragon’s Treasure’ Refreshed for New Year
In recognition of the first day of the Chinese New Year, Feb. 3, a new edition of the “Dragon’s Treasure” show opened at The Bubble theater of the City of Dreams in Macau and featured new content created by Falcon’s Treehouse. The Bubble theater is the world’s largest special effects projection dome. www.falconstreehouse.com
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 Taking It to Extremes for Charity
In a symbolic nod to the unusual calendar date, 1/11/11, teams representing various local Selangor, Malaysia, media competed for a grand prize of 11,111 ringgit (US$3,660) and other prizes for charity at the Sunway Lagoon Extreme Sports Challenge. A crowd of 2,000 looked on as the team from KL FM radio station racked up the highest score. The contest heralded the opening of the new extreme sports park, which boasts a permanent bungee jump site, go-karts, paintball, kayaking, and a power bungee trampoline among its offerings. www.sunwaylagoon.com
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Evergreen Magic
 Clostermann Entertainment has completed its work on the stunningly realistic 130-foot-tall rainforest tree in the Ruhr Region’s Gasometer in Ettlingen, Germany, the tallest exhibition hall in Europe. The huge tree weighs nine tons and will be the artistic focal point of the “Magical Places” exhibition opening April 8, 2011. www.clostermannentertainment.com
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 Two ‘World’s Firsts’ Open at Wild Wadi
Thrill-seeking visitors to Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai should be gushing about two new rides. “Burj Surj” and “Tantrum Alley,” both from ProSlide Technology, are a part of the park’s newly opened expansion. “Burj Surj” is the only water ride in the world with back-to-back bowls, designed for four- and five-person rafts, and “Tantrum Alley” is the only slide in the world with three funnels. Jihane El Fadl, the park’s marketing communications manager, answered a couple of questions for Funworld about the slides:
How are guests reacting? The reaction is absolutely amazing—we have very high media coverage and also received a lot of positive comments from our guests.
Has it impacted your attendance? We saw an 8 percent increase in attendance in January, and we can’t help but think the new slides have something to do with it! www.wildwadidubai.com
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One School Project with a Very Nice Payoff
 In playful recognition of Cedar Point’s Math and Science Week, the amusement park and Knex construction toys joined to create the Great Thrill Ride Build-Off. The contest allows classrooms of kids ages 6 to 12 to build amusement park rides using only Knex pieces. Five winning classrooms will receive 15 tickets to Cedar Point, construction sets provided by Knex, and other prizes. www.cedarpoint.com, www.knex.com
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Hot-air Publicity Stunt
This hot air balloon sails over the 15,782-foot summit of Mont Blanc, located in the Alps on the border of Italy and France. The balloon is named for the new extreme roller coaster “Raptor, a chilling flight,” which opens April 1 at Italy’s Gardaland. www.gardaland.it
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