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New video takes you on board a new thrill ride planned for the heart of Orlando’s tourist corridor. It's not for the faint of heart.
The Skyscraper roller coaster is planned for the city's new $250 million Skyplex Entertainment Complex.
An empty lot on International Drive is about to be transformed by the project.
WFTV's Nancy Alvarez said the Skyscraper includes a wild ride 50 stories up, hitting speeds of up to 65 mph.
“There's so much to do here, you can't accomplish it all in one week,” said visitor David Lopez.
That reaction is the reason Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, said the new attraction would have a major impact on Orlando's local economy.
“Everybody wins. It's not a question of, 'This is just for the tourists,'” Dr. Pizam said.
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The coaster will be part of a larger $200 million Skyplex complex that will include restaurants and shops.
With the new Orlando Eye nearby, developers plan to make the area a new entertainment hub.
Right now, the average stay for a family on vacation there is five days. Pizam said the complex would be a reason to stay longer.
“If it generates another day, a sixth day, that would translate into billions of dollars,” Dr. Pizam said. “You have to understand, people have to buy food; people have to stay in hotels.”
With the changes on creating hundreds of jobs, Pizam said the impacts will be felt whether you're brave enough for a ride or not.
The father-and-son duo leading the project own Mango's Tropical Café, in South Beach. They plan to build an Orlando location for the restaurant right across from the Skyplex and break ground in 2015 for a grand opening by 2016.
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