Ferrari amusement park to open in Abu Dhabi
2010-10-25
Italian auto manufacturer Ferrari is opening an extensive showroom and amusement park in Abu Dhabi, which will include what the company claims is the world's fastest roller coaster and the largest showroom collection of Ferrari race cars outside of Italy.
The amusement park will hold 20 Ferrari-themed attractions, including a roller coaster that will hit speeds of 149 miles per hour, a 200-foot tower ride, a collection of classic cars and an Italian restaurant, according to the Associated Press.
Visitors can partake in hands-on activities, too, like training to be a pit crew member who changes the tires on a Formula 1 car.
Ferrari will be the first car manufacturer that dabbles in the amusement park business, and according to the news source, its chosen location in Abu Dhabi is symbolic. The Arab world has a great interest in motor sports, with the Gulf already boasting several F1 races. Ferrari's decision to build in Abu Dhabi is a symbol of the growing importance of motor sports in the region, according to the news provider.
Andy Keeling, park manager at Ferrari World, said of the enterprise, "It's not a museum. It's not a car salesroom. You ride great roller coasters. The icing on the cake is that it's a Ferrari Formula 1 roller coaster."
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