Six Flags Over Georgia To Retire Cyclone At End Of July

AUSTELL, GA -- If you're a fan of over-the-top roller coasters, you'd better hurry to Six Flags Over Georgia in the next couple weeks. The Austell amusement park is retiring one of its most iconic rides, the company announced Monday.

"BIG NEWS: The Georgia Cyclone will go away forever after July 30! Get your last rides in before it's too late," the park said on Facebook. (To get notified of more local news like this, click here to sign up for the South Cobb Patch. Or find your Atlanta-area town here. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

The Georgia Cyclone, regarded as one of the top wooden roller coasters in the world, is just under 100 feet tall and reaches speeds of 50 miles per hour, the company said in a news item. "The classic coaster has given nearly 8.7 million rides since opening in 1990," the company says on its website.

The park has not announced if the Cyclone will be rebuilt or retrofitted into a newer one with the latest technology, which is a trend in amusement parks. The news comes a month after the park commemorated its 50th anniversary with a special ceremony and live music.

“Six Flags Over Georgia holds a special place in the hearts of many park guests and team members,” Six Flags Atlanta Properties Park President Dale Kaetzel said in June. “While the definition of thrills has certainly changed over the years, Six Flags Over Georgia continues to deliver experiences that span generations and stand the test of time.”

Since its 1967 debut, Six Flags in Cobb County has annually drawn huge crowds from metro Atlanta as well as Alabama and surrounding Southern states. The Cyclone roller coaster was built on specs from the one on Coney Island in New York.

Six Flags Over Georgia is open daily this summer through August 7.

Image via Six Flags Over Georgia