Sky Trek Tower

Sky Trek Tower is a gyro tower located at Six Flags Great America (then Marriott's Great America) in Gurnee, Illinois, United States. Manufactured by Intamin, the attraction is the tallest free-standing structure in Lake County, Illinois. Opening on June 28, 1977, the ride was part of an expansion program following the opening of Marriott's Great America.

History

After the opening of Marriott's Great America in 1976, the Marriott Corporation decided to build an Intamin gyro tower model at the theme park as part of an expansion program for the 1977 season. After fabrication in Germany, the attraction was carried by ship to the United States. With an expected opening of late-May 1977, the attraction's tip was built at a height of while the architectural height was . After construction on the attraction, the ride officially opened to the public on June 28, 1977, as the tallest free-standing structure in Lake County, Illinois. Additionally, it was the first attraction located at the park to require a variance above Gurnee, Illinois height variance of . A photograph of the construction of the attraction by '' Chicago Tribune'' photographer Luigi Mendocino won the Chicago Builders' Association's photography competition on December 13, 1977.

Marriott Corporation would later open a ride of the same model called the "Sky Tower" for the 1979 season at the park's then-sister park of the same name, later renamed to California's Great America. The height of that attraction was shortened to due to the proximity of San Jose International Airport.

The attraction was repainted in 2009 by Baynum Painting from the original white color to blue with the words "Six Flags" on the side of the color. Since the 2020 season, the ride has stood in a standing but not operating status.

Ride experience

The cabin rises up to the ride's architectural peak and back down. During the ride, facts about the history of Six Flags Great America are given and on clear days, gives views of the Chicago skyline.

Incidents

On June 22, 2015, the cabin stopped abruptly, trapping riders for over two hours before they were released through an emergency staircase. The park clarified that the ride did not drop at high speeds. A year later, on September 22, 2016, while an employee was erecting an inflatable gorilla for the park's Halloween event Six Flags Fright Fest, the employee suffered a back ache, requiring the Gurnee Fire Department to rescue them.

See also

* Gyro tower

References

; Notes

; References

External links

Official website
{{Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Towers completed in 1977