World's tallest roller coaster coming to Orlando

'The Skyscraper' to be built on International Drive

ORLANDO, Fla. – The world's tallest roller coaster will be constructed in the tourist district of Orlando, developers announced on Thursday.

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Developers David and Joshua Wallack said a 570-foot vertical coaster, which would be the tallest in the world, will be located at International Drive and Sand Lake Road in Orlando.

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The ride will be known as "The Skyscraper" and will be built on 12 acres around a Skyplex, which will feature other entertainment and shops. 

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The entertainment complex Skyplex, which will be 495,000 square feet, will also have a place to take a 55-story elevator ride to an observation deck.

Developers said riders will be inverted 50 feet in the air with rolls and the coaster's track will be nearly a mile long. The ride will be 3 minutes long and will reach speeds of 65 mph.

Officials said they plan to break ground in 2015 and the ride is scheduled to open in 2016. The estimated budget to build the Skyplex is $200 million.

"Next to our theme parks, International Drive is one of the most recognized icons of Orlando," said Visit Orlando president and CEO George Aguel.  "It's exciting for our tourism community to see this type of investment being made to continuously raise the bar on the dining and entertainment experiences we offer across our destination."

It' s not clear exactly how much it will cost to ride the coaster, but the developer says it will likely be less than $20 for unlimited daily rides.

Riders must be 48 inches tall to go on the coaster, which will was created by US Thrill Rides.

The towering coaster will be built near the Orlando Eye, a 425-foot ferris wheel that is scheduled to open in the first half of 2015.

"Nowhere in the world will you have two iconic structures like The Skyscraper and the Orlando Eye.  This will be an incredible opportunity for International Drive," developer Joshua Wallack said.

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