WINTER HAVEN — A Florida classic, the former Panama City Beach wooden roller coaster Starliner has again found itself homeless.
Cypress Gardens and its owner Kent Buescher purchased the coaster in 2006 after its former home at Miracle Strip Amusement Park was closed in September 2004. Cypress Garden is now being replaced with Legoland and recently unveiled plans for the theme park do not include the Starliner.
The Polk County park is scheduled to open in 2011 and will include more than 50 rides and shows and thousands of large models built from plastic blocks. Officials said Cypress Gardens’ botanical gardens and water-ski shows will be integrated into Legoland's new attractions, but the Starliner won’t make the cut. A Legoland spokeswoman said the park is looking for a new home for the coaster.
The Starliner was Florida’s first permanent wooden roller coaster and first appeared at Panama City Beach in 1963. Buescher said in 2006 the ride was one of only 11 of its kind worldwide that remained operational.
According to www.ultimaterollercoaster.com, the Starliner was 70 feet high and reached a top speed of 55 mph. It was designed by renowned roller coaster designer John Allen for the Philadelphia Toboggan Co.
The Starliner’s fame extended far beyond its loyal Panama City following and Buescher said he had a host of coaster clubs contact him and encourage him to purchase the ride when Miracle Strip closed. After trying the ride out for himself he was sold, and the $5 million cost of dismantling, relocating and reconstructing the coaster was irrelevant.
“It’s fast and fun, and everybody will ride a wooden roller coaster,” Buescher said at the time. “You can build metal coasters that are 300 and 400 feet tall, but only a limited number will ride them. They appeal to a high-end thrill seeker and nobody else.”
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