Steel Hawg opening soon

On the Indiana Beach website its been posted that Steel Hawg is expected to open on July 4th.

http://indianabeach.com/blog

Hmmm. I wonder how set in stone that is?

There'd be worse places to spend the fourth. :)

Has it even started testing yet?

I know they wanted to get the ride open by the big holiday weekend but I didn't think they actually would until at least the next weekend. Which sucks because I am a runner up in the first to ride video contest and I don't think I can make it if it opens on the fourth. Bummer.

^^ It says on the Blog that the cars have been running on the track, so safe to assume they are testing.

It also says that State is suppose to be there for inspection this week. So... it probably will happen.

If that's the case, I would think that anyone involved in the inaugural ride would have been given some notice. Even if it's just tentative, it would make sense to give people a heads up.

The advanced notice is important so they can start taking painkillers well ahead of time.

I kid! I kid! *** Edited 6/30/2008 1:55:11 PM UTC by matt.***

Well, regardless, it looks like I will be up there for the 4th. When I told my friends that they should be opening the ride on the 4th the park jumped to the top of the list for places to go. I have never been there for the 4th, and a new ride, could be amazing.
I don't think this ride is going to be painful, a little disorienting, but I don't think it will be traveling fast enough to be painful.

From what I hear and common sense tells me the place will be packed on the fourth. IB is not that big and they usually get crowds anyway on the fourth. I am really glad I am spending that day somewhere else. They might not even have the ride open, yet. The blog says they anticipate the ride to be open on the fourth. That depends on whether the state gets there to inspect the ride, which is completely out of the park's hands and could take weeks to get them there.

Directly from the site.

"Next week, the state will be out to inspect the coaster so that we are able to open the ride."

They may have scheduled it a while ago.

I would not count on that... I have worked with the state before. They are not always the most punctual people.

Well, I had no plans to go on the 4th before they announced it and I still don't. I'm planning more along the lines of September. I was going to go to their usual event later this summer, but from what I've heard it will be on August 16th. I don't see any info on their site or ACE's site though. If it is on the 16th I won't be going to the event. I'll be at the Northern Ohio ACE region's "Summer Send Off" at Cedar Point. Hopefully if Indiana Beach has an event it will be on September 6th or 20th.

None of us have heard anything from Indiana Beach regarding an event this fall. I am not saying there will not be one, just that we have not been notified.

Indiana Beach has updated the status on Hawg and is saying they are planning on opperating the coaster on the 4th.

http://www.indianabeach.com/blog/

I talked to the marketing manager today and she said the state inspector is coming out on Thursday to inspect the ride.

That means if there is an issue, which is a possibility, it will not open on the 4th. I am not trying to be a downer... just trying to keep my anticipation at bay.

Yeah, that is cuttin' it a little too close for me. I wouldn't want to drive 3.5+ hours and have it not open. I think I am going to stick to my original plan this weekend and try and check out Zoombezi Bay and Jungle Jack's Landing instead.

Anyone have the inside scoop and know if this thing is opening tomorrow for sure or not?

Don't make me call the park. :)

^^Well, Gonch, one thing to consider is it's been raining in Indiana all day!! (probably in Beave-creek too) So can you test a ride for inspection in the rain??

The only other two factors to consider are a.) from my understanding, Indiana is not as scrupulous about their ride inspecting as Ohio is, and b.) it's pretty obvious IB is VERY determined to get SH opened by tomorrow!...I wish they had thought about that a few months earlier, though! Weren't there rumors not too long ago about it not opening until the end of July?