| Desperado | |
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|
| Location | Primadonna Resorts |
|---|---|
| Type | Steel |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 1994 |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
| Designer | Ron Toomer |
| Model | Hypercoaster |
| Height | 209 feet (63.7 m) |
| Drop | 225 feet (68.6 m) |
| Length | 5,843 feet (1,781 m) |
| Max speed | 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:43 |
| Max vertical angle | 70° |
| Capacity | 1700 riders per hour |
| Max g force | 4 |
| Height restriction | 48 inches (122 cm) |
| Desperado at RCDB Pictures of Desperado at RCDB |
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 Amusement Parks Portal |
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Desperado is a hypercoaster located in Primm, Nevada at the Buffalo Bill's Hotel and Casino a part of the Primadonna Resorts complex. According to the roller coaster database, Desperado is one of the tallest roller coasters in the world with a 70-degree, 225 foot drop; a 209 foot lift hill; and top speeds around 80 mph. On the 2 minute, 43 second ride, riders will experience almost 4 Gs.[1] A portion of the ride runs through the interior of the casino. The coaster was listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's tallest roller coaster in 1996.[2]
History
At opening, the coaster was tied for the longest dropping and steepest roller coaster. However, the top speed of 80 mph was slightly slower than the Steel Phantom at Kennywood which had a top speed of 82 mph. There was much discussion when the ride opened that questioned if it's 209' lift height was higher than The Pepsi Max Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in England. The Big One opened in May of 1994, with an advertised height of 235', but many claimed that number was above sea level which was 34' lower than The Big One. Later measurements showed The Big One as being 213' high. For his Top Secret special that first aired on February 24, 1999, magician Lance Burton staged a death-defying escape in a stunt where he was tied to the roller coaster's track and had to break out of handcuffs in order to escape.[3]
References
- ^ Desperado's page on www.rcdb.com
- ^ (August 13, 2001). "Desperado Roller Coaster Fact Sheet" (in English). Press release. Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
- ^ Lance Burton's Escape On The Desperado To Air Next Wednesday. Retrieved on 2007-04-18.
