S&S - Sansei Technologies
Industry | Manufacturing |
---|---|
Predecessor |
S&S Sports Inc. S&S Power |
Founded | 1994 |
Founder | Stan Checketts |
Headquarters | Logan, Utah, USA |
Area served | Worldwide |
Products | Amusement rides, roller coasters |
Parent | Sansei Technologies |
Website |
www |
S&S - Sansei Technologies, formerly S&S Worldwide, is an American company known for its pneumatically powered amusement rides and roller coaster designing.
History
S&S - Sansei Technologies was founded by Stan Checketts as S&S Sports, Inc. S&S Sports manufactured bungee jumping and trampoline equipment. S&S Sports was sold in 1996. In 1994, S&S began manufacturing air-powered amusement rides which is now the main stay of the company.[1] S&S - Sansei Technologies is based in Logan, Utah.
In 2002, S&S began looking for opportunities to expand their business, citing acquisitions as the best method to do so.[2] Following the bankruptcy filing of wooden roller coaster manufacturer Custom Coasters International (CCI), S&S hired founder Denise Dinn-Larrick and several other former CCI employees to start a new wooden coaster division for the company.[2] In October 2002, S&S founded S&S Arrow, a limited liability company which purchased the assets of the bankrupt Arrow Dynamics.[3] However, the only Arrow Dynamics coaster design S&S continues to offer is the 4th dimension coaster.
In 2004, after four wooden roller coasters were built, S&S closed that division of the company.[4]
In 2006, S&S Power opened Celebration Centre, a Family Entertainment Center featuring a number of S&S rides and prototypes. The facility was later sold and is currently no longer operating.[5]
On August 25, 2006 S&S Power, Inc. announced that Stan Checketts and Gene Mulvihill, both original founding partners of S&S, had formed a group to purchase a controlling interest of S & S. The negotiations took several months. CEO Checketts was to direct the company based on the same principles upon which it was founded; "...to provide the amusement industry with thrilling, high-quality rides the entire family can enjoy." Checketts also announced that the business operations of S&S would remain under the direction of Rich Allen, who would continue in his role as Chief Operating Officer.
In February 2009, Larsen MacColl Partners acquired a significant equity interest in S&S, including all shares previously owned by Checketts. The Koffman family and affiliated shareholders were to maintain their ownership interest. Checketts ended his consulting relationship with the company in order to pursue other business interests.[6] As of December 2013, those interests included Soaring Eagle Zipline Inc., of Logan Utah.
In November 2012, S&S Worldwide Inc., entered into a binding agreement with Sansei Yusoki Co., Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, whereby Sansei acquired 77.3% interest in S&S.[7][8] Signage at the 2012 and 2013 IAAPA Attractions Expos promoted the new company as S&S - Sansei Technologies.
Types of amusement rides
Roller coasters
Model | First produced | Description |
---|---|---|
Free Spin | 2015 | Variation of a wing coaster in which seats are able to rotate along the pitch axis at 360 degrees. The track does not veer off or tilt in any way, as opposed to S&S' other 4th Dimension model.[9] |
4th Dimension | 2006 | Variation of a wing coaster in which seats are able to rotate along the pitch axis at 360 degrees. The track is laid out like a traditional sit-down roller coaster.[10] |
El Loco | 2008 | Slower-paced roller coaster containing a beyond-vertical drop and thin rails.[11] |
Free Fly | 2009 | Inverted roller coaster with track inversions that are made obsolete due to a revolving carriage.[12] |
Family Inverted Coaster | 2017 | An inverted roller coaster with seating below the rails. |
Wooden Coaster | 2003 (discontinued) | Standard wooden roller coaster with several variations in track layout.[13] |
Screaming Squirrel | 2005 | Variation of the wild mouse roller coaster where there is no defined primary drop, consisting of several "hairpins" and saxophone inversions.[14] |
Air-Launched Coaster | 2001 | Name given to a variety of roller coasters utilizing compressed air launch systems. |
Towers
- Space Shot[15]
- Turbo Drop[15]
- Double Shot[16]
- Combo Tower Ride[15]
- Rotating Tower[15]
- Sky Sling[17] No longer available
- Choose Your Thrill Tower (1 Tower Is Small, Another Is Medium Sized, And Last Tower Is The Tallest
Flat rides
- Sky Swat[18] No longer available
- Screamin' Swing[19]
- Frog Hopper[20]
- Jungle Swing[21]
- Monkey Madness[22]
Notable installations
Name | Model | Park/Country | Year Opened | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dinoconda | 4th Dimension | Dino Watertown, China | 2012 | |
Barnstormer | Screamin' Swing | Dollywood, United States | 2011 | [23] |
Batwing Spaceshot | Space Shot | Warner Bros. Movie World, Australia | 2006 | [24] |
Big Shot | Space Shot | Stratosphere Las Vegas, United States | 1996 | [25] |
Columbia & Discovery | Multi-tower Ride | Mirabilandia, Italy | 1997 | |
Crazy Bird | El Loco | Happy Valley, Tianjin | 2013 | |
Detonator | Space Shot | Worlds of Fun, United States | 1996 | [26] |
Doctor Doom's Fearfall | Space Shot | Islands of Adventure, United States | 1999 | [27] |
Dodonpa | Air-Launched Coaster | Fuji-Q Highland, Japan | 2001 | [28] |
Dominator | Multi-tower Ride | Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, United States | 1999 | |
Down Time | Turbo Drop | Lake Compounce, United States | 2004 | |
Eejanaika | 4th Dimension | Fuji-Q Highland, Japan | 2006 | [29] |
El Loco | El Loco | Adventuredome | 2014 | |
Extreme Rusher | Air-Launched Coaster | Happy Valley Beijing, China | 2011 | [30] |
Giant Barn Swing | Screamin' Swing | Silver Dollar City, United States | 2007 | |
Green Lantern Coaster | El Loco | Warner Bros. Movie World, Australia | 2011 | [31] |
Hell Cat | Wooden Coaster | Clementon Amusement Park, United States | 2004 | [32] |
HellCat | Wooden Coaster | Timber Falls Adventure Park, United States | 2004 | [33] |
Hellevator | Combo Tower Ride | Playland (Vancouver), Canada | 2000 | |
Ice Blast: The Ride | Space Shot | Pleasure Beach Blackpool, United Kingdom | 1997 | [34] |
Merlin's Mayhem (roller coaster) | Family Inverted Coaster | Dutch Wonderland, United States | 2017 | |
Mumbo Jumbo | El Loco | Flamingo Land Resort, United Kingdom | 2009 | [35] |
Powder Keg: A Blast into the Wilderness | Air-Launched Coaster | Silver Dollar City, United States | 2005 | [36] |
Power Tower | Multi-tower Ride | Cedar Point, United States | 1998 | |
Power Tower | Multi-tower Ride | Valleyfair, United States | 2000 | |
Raketti (Space Shot) | Space Shot | Linnanmäki, Finland | 1999 | |
ring°racer | Air-Launched Coaster | Nürburgring, Germany | 2013 | [37] |
The Rocket | Multi-tower Ride | Lagoon Amusement Park, United States | 1999 | |
Rush | Screamin' Swing | Thorpe Park, United Kingdom | 2005 | [38] |
Sasquatch | Multi-tower Ride | Great Escape, United States | 2009 | |
Scream! | Combo Tower Ride | Six Flags Fiesta Texas, United States | 1999 | |
Scream! | Multi & Combo Tower Ride | Six Flags New England, United States | 1998 | [39] |
Sequoia Adventure | Screaming Squirrel | Gardaland, Italy | 2005 | |
Skyhawk | Screamin' Swing | Cedar Point, United States | 2006 | |
Slammer | Sky Swatter | Thorpe Park, United Kingdom | 2005 | [18] |
Steel Hawg | El Loco | Indiana Beach, United States | 2008 | [40] |
Supreme Scream | Turbo Drop | Knott's Berry Farm, United States | 1998 | [41] |
Timber Drop | El Loco | Fraispertuis City | 2011 | |
Tranan | Free Fly | Skara Sommarland, Sweden | 2009 | [42] |
Thunder and Lightning | Screaming Swing | Lake Compounce, United States | 2006 | |
Twist Coaster Robin | El Loco | Yomiuriland | 2014 | |
Xtreme Swing | Screamin' Swing | Valleyfair, United States | 2006 | |
Batman: The Ride | 4D Free Spin | Six Flags Fiesta Texas, United States | 2015 | |
The Joker | 4D Free Spin | Six Flags Great Adventure, United States | 2016 | |
The Joker | 4D Free Spin | Six Flags Great America, United States | 2017 | |
The Joker | 4D Free Spin | Six Flags New England, United States | 2017 | |
The Joker | 4D Free Spin | Six Flags Over Texas, United States | 2017 | |
Screaming Squirrel | El Loco | Dima Ostrov, Russia | 2007 |
Former installations
Name | Model | Park/Country | Year Opened | Year Closed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catapult | Sky Swatter | Six Flags New England | 2006 | 2012 | [43] |
Hypersonic XLC | Air-Launched Coaster | Kings Dominion | 2001 | 2007 | [44] |
Maliboomer | Space Shot | Disney California Adventure Park | 2001 | 2010 | [45] |
VertiGo | Sky Sling | Cedar Point Knott's Berry Farm | 2001 2001 | 2001 2002 | [46] |
References
- ↑ "Company". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- 1 2 O'Brien, Tim (August 12, 2002). "S&S moves to snap up defunct rivals". Amusement Business. 114 (32): 1, 9.
- ↑ O'Brien, Tim (November 4, 2002). "S&S affiliate catches Arrow". Amusement Business. 114 (44): 8.
- ↑ Seifert, Jeffrey (2012). "The Custom Coasters Revolution". RollerCoaster! Magazine. Zanesville, Ohio: American Coaster Enthusiasts. 33 (4): 21–31. ISSN 0896-7261.
- ↑ Logan Celebration Centre – Home
- ↑ "Stan Checketts Out as S&S Worldwide Inc. Announces Ownership Change". ACE News Now. American Coaster Enthusiasts. September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ↑ "S&S Worldwide, Sansei Yusoki Co. join forces". Amusement Today. November 19, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ↑ "SANSEI YUSOKI CO LTD to Acquire S&S Worldwide, Inc.". Reuters News. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ↑ "4th Dimension". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "4th Dimension (Logan, Utah)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ↑ "El Loco". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Free Fly". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results (S&S Wooden Roller Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Screaming Squirrel (Logan, Utah)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 "Tower Rides". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Double Shot". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Moon, Jacob (September 30, 2002). "Cache native breaks a speed record". The Utah Statesman. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- 1 2 "Slammer (Thorpe Park)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Screamin' Swing". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Frog Hopper". S&S Worldwide. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Jungle Swing". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Monkey Madness". S&S Worldwide. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Template:Dollywood.com
- ↑ "Batwing Spaceshot (Warner Bros. Movie World)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Big Shot (Stratosphere)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Detonator (Thorpe Park)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Doctor Dooms Fearfall (Islands of Adventure)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Dodonpa (Fuji-Q Highland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Eejanaika (Fuji-Q Highland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Extreme Rusher (Happy Valley Beijing)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Green Lantern Coaster (Warner Bros. Movie World)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Hell Cat (Clementon Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "HellCat (Timber Falls Adventure Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
- ↑ "Ice Blast (Pleasure Beach Blackpool)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Mumbo Jumbo (Flamingo Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Powder Keg: A Blast in the Wilderness (Silver Dollar City)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "ring°racer (Nürburgring)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ↑ "Rush (Thorpe Park)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Scream (Six Flags New England)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Steel Hawg (Indiana Beach)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Supreme Scream (Knotts Berry Farm)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Tranan (Skara Sommarland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ↑ "Catapult to be removed from Six Flags New England". Blog. March 5, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
- ↑ Marden, Duane. "Hypersonic XLC (Kings Dominion)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Maliboomer (Disney California Adventure Park)". Parkz. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ↑ http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/2002/stories/030702_01.shtml
External links
- Official website
- Media related to S&S Worldwide at Wikimedia Commons