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Starliner Returns To Panama City

Old 'Starliner' roller coaster to return to Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY BEACH — The couple behind refurbishing the painted ponies of the old Miracle Strip Amusement Park carousel and giving them new life at Pier Park have purchased the old wooden “Starliner” roller coaster and will bring it back to Panama City Beach.

Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven purchased the popular roller coaster in 2006 after Miracle Strip closed in September 2004 after 41 years of operation. But after Cypress Gardens was replaced with Legoland, the coaster, the oldest wooden roller coaster in Florida, went into storage, Teddy Meeks said.

Besides the carousel, Teddy Meeks and his wife, Jenny, also purchased the old balloon ride and the biplane ride from the old Miracle Strip, both of which are also now attracting a new generation of fans at Pier Park.

Teddy Meeks said Friday that he and two partners will bring the Starliner to one of three locations currently under consideration, all of which are on the west end of the beach near Pier Park. The cost of the project, including the purchase, transport and reconstruction, will be about $2 million, Meeks said.

“We are excited about it, for sure,” Meeks said.

The coaster is currently in storage outside of Tampa, and when reconstructed will still maintain its original wooden structure, but with a couple of safety features added to bring it up to date, such as a new magnetic braking system, he said.

Meeks said the popular Starliner coaster deserves to return to its rightful place in Panama City Beach, and he hopes the popular attraction will help give the area an economic boost and new jobs after the dismal effects of this summer’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Meeks said he hopes to have the coaster up and running by the 2012 summer season, complete with its 18 seats and wooden character.

According to http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com, the 1963 Starliner, the first permanent wooden roller coaster in Florida, was 2,640 feet long, 70 feet high with a top speed of 55 mph. The coaster, designed by renowned roller coaster designer John Allen for the Philadelphia Toboggan Co., was by 2006 one of only 11 of its kind worldwide that remained operational.

Meeks said that he and his partners originally planned to just buy the coaster’s wood to form a boardwalk for the carousel and other refurbished Miracle Strip rides at Pier Park. But after several discussions with Cypress Gardens officials, “we just decided to take the risk,” he said, and bring the entire coaster back to Panama City Beach.

The Meeks say they are also in the running for a $250,000 grant from Pepsi to help restore the Starliner and bring the historic coaster back to Panama City Beach. Starliner fans can vote daily at http://www.refresheverything.com/starlinerbackhome through Oct. 31 to help secure the grant, or text 103457 to Pepsi (73774).

Visitors to the Web site can also view a YouTube video of the Starliner in action at the old Miracle Strip from 1993.

Jenny Meeks said a wooden roller coaster in Pennsylvania was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from Pepsi for its restoration.

I'm glad this coaster is going to be rebuilt and opened again. I haven't had a chance to ride it as of yet, but looks like I can plan a trip to Panama City Beach sometime in the future.

[pproteinc]

Here's the POV

https://youtu.be/lDbFtq3yWLU