Bay Beach set to expand again with three new rides

Three new rides could be coming to Bay Beach Amusement Park soon under a private donation worth more than $1 million.

The private Friends of Bay Beach group is offering to donate the new attractions, known as the Tot Jumping Spring, the Rockin' Tug and the Falling Star.

The Tot Jumping Spring and Rockin' Tug both are designed as parent-child rides and could be installed during the upcoming 2015 season.

The Falling Star, a larger ride designed for older kids, is tentatively scheduled for installation during the 2016 season.

With other improvements planned by the city, including installation of a second train ride, visitors to Bay Beach this summer will be able to enjoy the park's current attractions while also watching construction crews assembling the future.

"We're going to be busy people," city Parks Director Dawne Cramer said.

The City Council will be asked Tuesday to approve the estimated $1 million donation, along with $631,000 in city expenditures for the new train and other upgrades. The city's investment will come from park operating funds rather than tax dollars.

The new improvements are part of a long-term Bay Beach expansion plan that was initially designed to take 20 years at a cost exceeding $20 million.

Because the private friends group has been successful at raising money and acquiring rides so quickly, officials now believe the entire plan could be implemented in 10 years or less.

David Charles, president of the friends group, said that with so many amusement parks shutting down across the country, his group is working to locate and obtain top-quality attractions while they are still out there. All three of the new acquisitions were too good to pass up, Charles said.

"They're just beautiful rides," he said. "And they fit in perfectly."

Bay Beach, a historic city-owned attraction, has been entertaining families for decades along the Green Bay waterfront with its traditional carnival-style rides costing as little as 50 cents each. Many have been acquired from other amusement parks and refurbished for Bay Beach visitors.

The park is open between May and September.

The city added the Zippin Pippin roller coaster in 2011 and then the Sea Dragon swinging gondola in 2013. A private donor near Milwaukee last year contributed a miniature train, but rather than incorporate it into Bay Beach's existing train, officials have decided to erect a second train ride on the western side of the park.

The Tot Jumping Spring is a vertical ride that carries riders up and down a 40-foot column, while the Rockin' Tug is a boat that moves along a horizontal rail while rotating. Both are designed to fill a growing need for attractions where parents can ride alongside their kids.

"This is that different dimension," Cramer said.

The Falling Star, intended for older kids, is a large ride that carries riders in a compartment rotating in a circle. It is comparable in size to the Sea Dragon, officials said.

The Tot Jumping Spring and Falling Star are coming from a seller on the East Coast, while the Rockin' Tug is a new ride being assembled in Italy.

Cramer credited Mayor Jim Schmitt with bringing the Zippin Pippin to town and jump-starting plans to upgrade Bay Beach. She also said the friends group has done an impressive job of fund-raising.

"They're an awesome group of people," she said.

— swilliams@pressgazettemedia.com and follow him on Twitter @pgscottwilliams.

How to help

Friends of Bay Beach is seeking donations for a large corporate shelter to be built on the park's west side at an estimated cost of $750,000. For information about supporting the group, go to friendsofbaybeach.org.