Arts & Entertainment

Gwazi's Final Ride Coming Soon

Busch Gardens has named the date for the roller coaster's official closing.

Fans of Busch Gardens’ only wooden roller coaster don’t have much longer to ride.

The park announced Friday that Gwazi will go on its last ride Feb. 1. After that, it will be permanently retired.

Plans to close the ride, which opened in 1999, were announced late last year. When it initially opened, Gwazi was the state’s first “dueling wood roller coaster.”

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As of right now, it’s unclear what will replace the ride that includes 1.25 million feet of lumber and cost an estimated $10 million to build, The Tampa Tribune reported.

“No decisions have been made about what lies ahead for Gwazi or for the future plans of that area of Busch Gardens,” Park President Jim Dean was quoted on the Busch Gardens blog as saying. “But, we are always looking for ways to enhance guests’ experiences, so stay tuned for more news.”

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What would you like to see built in Gwazi’s place? Share your ideas by commenting below!

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