Crown Regency sky rides to boost hospitality sector

Despite the looming recession brought about by the current global economic crisis, a hotel operator in Cebu is still optimistic to draw in tourists by opening its recent multi-million themed park concept facility that is aimed to become another landmark in Cebu.

Crown Regency Hotel and Towers, located at the tower one of the Fuente Towers complex recently launched its Sky Experience Adventure (S.E.A) in time for its blessing and inauguration.

The launch of the Sky Experience Adventure also marked the historic kick-off of the Sky Walk Experience installed in the hotel’s 37th floor and the first ever Edge Coaster in the world uniquely designed and engineered by US-based rides manufacturer Interactive Rides Inc., famous for its expensive rides installed around the world.

“The Sky Experience Adventure is the newest attraction in the world’s amusement industry and the first of its kind adventure ride project in the world that is located on top of the hotel,” said J. King and Sons Company Inc. chairman and CEO Richard King, the brainchild behind this concept.

King said that SEA was conceptualized to elevate the country’s hospitality industry from the usual room accommodations and meeting venues.

“I thought of constructing the tallest hotel building in the city but not just the tallest building, but to include a new concept to make it unique as well. We want to take the hospitality industry to the next higher level, that of world-class entertainment thus the concept of the Sky Experience was born,” shared King.

SEA is aimed to attract adventure seekers around the globe to make Cebu one of most notable destinations for travel and adventure.

Although he did not disclose the amount of investment poured by J. King and Sons for these facilities, King said that it took many people and contributions to create the unique concept of SEA that aims to provide entertainment for all ages aimed to put Cebu in the world map and make every trip to Cebu worthwhile.

“This project is our modest contribution to the tourism industry in Cebu City and the country. With the Sky Adventure Experience we can now present Cebu as the only place in the world where you can experience all these in one location---at the Crown Regency Hotel and Tower, the tallest hotel tower in the country today. May this pose as a challenge to something unique and breathe taking” he stressed.

During the press conference for both local and international media, Interactive Rides’ VP for manufacturing Janos Lakatos explained that the edge coaster which they installed at the 38th floor of Tower 1 ensures the highest quality of safety as it boasts of the latest engineering technology in the world.

Lakatos said that their company’s background can be tracked back from the 90s when they have started to build extreme thrill and amusement rides around the world, the most noted of which is the one installed at the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, Nevada and so far they have had zero accident rates.

He said that the edge coaster ride that inaugurated in Crown Regency Hotel and Towers was designed by the most experienced engineers using the best materials and its parts were assembled in the US.

The edge coaster as an interactive ride is designed to tilt 55 degrees to the edge of the hotel structure making riders feel what it is like being hanged on the edge of a building and riders have joysticks to control the tilt level of the units, said Lakatos.

The Sky Walk adventure on the other hand enables thrill seekers to walk on the edge of the hotel to behold Cebu’s magnificent panorama on top of the hotel.

“The facility may look simple but its engineering, design and parts are of quality and there is a lot of technology behind it. We can ensure that it has passed all the international standards for its level,” said Danny Dy, managing director of International Link Management and Consultancy, the firm behind the Sky Walk Experience.

Bill Killgore, general manager of SEA said that currently, their rides are priced at P500 for the first ride and P400 for the succeeding ride which will take around four minutes.

Since the facility was created to further attract the foreign-base tourism market, Killgore said that they are also currently giving out discount coupons so that the local market can also try out and enjoy these amusement facilities. — Rhia de Pablo