Las Vegas: New thrill ride set to launch (you) in 2013

Visitors to downtown Las Vegas’ Fremont Street Experience soon will be screaming “Jackpot!” not only in the casinos, but also as they’re launched from Sin City’s newest thrill ride.

SlotZilla, announced Tuesday, will launch guests out of openings in an 11-story “slot machine,” sending them soaring past camera-wielding tourists.

Construction of the giant one-armed bandit, adorned with a pair of 37-foot-tall showgirls, will begin early in 2013 near Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard. The ride, expected to open in June, will give guests the choice of two experiences: the Zipline, a lower-level, shorter ride, or the Zoomline, a higher and longer trip that will send thrill seekers flying nearly a third of a mile along the giant video screen canopy.

Because there’s not much of a drop along the line, the ride’s creators needed to come up with a way to keep folks moving. They devised what a news release described as a “first-of-its-kind propulsion launch system.”

Strapped flat in a harness, guests will be propelled out of the takeoff tower (a.k.a SlotZilla) at 35 mph. The designers have also incorporated a proprietary braking system, to ensure a smooth landing at the other end.

SlotZilla will replace the current Flightlinez ride, which will continue to operate during construction. Tickets are projected to be priced at $20 for the Zipline, $30 for the Zoomline, or $40 for both. Advance ticket sales for reserved times will be available closer to opening.

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