The developers behind the Polercoaster project in Orlando and other tower-based attractions have formed a new company, ThrillCorp, Inc., and are going public. The group is now searching for “thrill-loving investors to ‘own the thrill’ by investing in its…Polercoaster vertical thrill parks and SkySpire observation attractions.”
Nashville, Tennessee and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, have been named as frontrunners for Polercoaster towers (following Orlando’s) should funding become available.
The group is led by Polercoaster inventor Bill Kitchen, the brains behind the Skycoaster giant swing and iFly indoor skydiving venue.
ThrillCorp will own and operate Polercoaster and SkySpire attractions across the United States.
According to a news release, ThrillCorp “plans to fund its efforts by raising up to $50 million via a new SEC rule, called Regulation A+, that allows companies to sell shares directly to investors.”
This investment strategy is the first of its kind in the amusement industry and possibly the largest financially in the world.
Think of it as a large-scale form of crowdfunding:
Citing the success of non-equity fundraising efforts generated through sites such as Kickstarter, ThrillCorp decided on this course of finance when Congress enacted new SEC rules that allowed sale of up to $50 million in shares directly to investors via the Internet.
“A very tall rollercoaster is an interesting discussion topic,” says ThrillCorp CEO Gust. “Will you or won’t you do it? We expect our prospective investors will view these videos and say: ‘We want to make it happen!'”
Rather than requiring massive tracts of land, the Polercoaster towers stack popular amusement park amenities on top of each other. The resulting tower requires only a half-acre.
The Polercoaster towers stand as tall as 600 feet tall and can include:
- roller coasters
- drop rides
- zip lines
- skywalks
- observation decks
- tower-top lounges
Watch an animation of the Polercoaster in action below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAVY9x7GZoQ
“This really changes the game,” said Kitchen. “We make the best park attractions more thrilling by going taller. We put them where people can use them more frequently and at a much lower cost than a theme park. We make it a casual outing as opposed to a full day’s commitment.
“Guests can come out for a few hours, ride a few world-class rides and shop, dine, or just stroll. It is a new category of experience.”
The observation-focused SkySpire also utilizes a similar tower-building style.
Offering a fresh new take on the ferris wheel, the SkySpire tower “carries guests via spiraling gondolas to the top of a tall tower where they can disembark on an observation level that can incorporate a lounge and/or restaurant.”
The company has already proposed a SkySpire tower as part of San Diego’s waterfront redevelopment:
https://twitter.com/ownthethrill/status/747144368826384384
“In a location with a beautiful view, there is no better experience than the SkySpire,” says Kitchen. “You get unobstructed 360-degree views as you ascend and then you have a self-guided tour of the surroundings in the observation level.”
Kitchen sees near endless opportunities for Polercoaster and SkySpire towers:
“We believe there are 30 to 50 viable markets in the U.S. alone. Our goal is to quickly get one of these up and running and then have a pipeline of eight to 10 additional markets waiting in the queue.”
According to the SEC offering circular, Nashville and Myrtle Beach are the initial targeted markets for a Polercoaster or Skyspire (after Orlando).
Some of those proposed U.S. locations include Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington D.C., among many others.
SkySpire (left) and Polercoaster (right) by ThrillCorp, Inc.
All Images © ThrillCorp, Inc.
The company can develop towers in a stand-alone tower configuration, as part of larger self-contained entertainment centers, or as larger-scale entertainment malls with multiple other attractions, dining and retail offerings.
To learn more about ThrillCorp’s Polercoaster and SkySpire attractions (and invest if you have the means), visit the company’s website.
Where would you like to see a Polercoaster or SkySpire built? Share your ideas in the comments section below.
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