Go-carts attraction to open next spring
The go-carts “on steroids” attraction being built on Clifton Hill is expected to open next spring.
“It looks like we’re going to finish construction this fall, and hopefully in October we’re going to do all our testing,” said Harry Oakes, president of HOCO Limited, which owns and operates attractions, restaurants, and shops on the south side of the street.
“We’ll shut down for the winter, and then we’re looking to launch in the spring, as soon as the weather breaks.”
The go-cart coaster attraction, which will be the first such largescale elevated track in Canada, is part of a massive, 10-acre redevelopment project that started about a year-and-a-half ago on Clifton Hill. Most of the other work — tearing down the old Comfort Inn building, updating Ripley’s, gutting and re-doing Kelsey’s, adding a zombie attraction, another arcade, new hot dog/pizza and funnel-cake concessions, and a 750car parking lot — is complete.
“In the entertainment business, you have to keep having new programs — you need new products to stay vibrant, you need to offer new activities,” said Oakes.
“We’ve seen a big shift in the market, which is more based out of Toronto. It’s people coming here more often. The people from Toronto might come here three or four times a year, where traditionally we had people coming from the States maybe once every four years.”
He said HOCO tries to build “program elements,” such as the go-cart attraction, that will have people wanting to come back.
“It’s a fun activity, and it’s a repeatable activity. The zombie attraction — we can re-theme that in two years to whatever is hot at the time, so we can stay relevant in the future.”
Oakes said with the Comfort Inn, HOCO decided to tear it down and focus on entertainment, rather than re-do the building.
“It was time (to bring it down). We decided to concentrate on the entertainment facilities.”
He said the go-cart attraction will be a hit with customers, in large part, because of its elevation.
“The spiral part is a little over 40 feet. You spiral up, and then you come down a big hill. We kind of call it a coaster track.”
Oakes said the point is to take an already enjoyable activity and ramp up the fun factor.
“You take the good experience, which go carts have always been, which is a fun activity to do together — you’re competing against your friends, and you’re having fun with your family — and you’re just kind of putting that on steroids by making it bigger and bolder. It’s the next generation of something that’s popular, as is, and just making it that much better.”