Project 2021/Drachen Spire: Intamin Multi-Launch Shuttle Giga Coaster [Cancelled]

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General Information:​

"Project Drachen Spire," is a community-generated identifier for the Intamin-made, multi-launch, shuttle giga coaster that was originally slated to open at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2021. The attraction is planned to utilize the currently-vacant land behind Verbolten, Festhaus Park—the former home of Drachen Fire.

The coaster's main layout—as leaked before the addition was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic—featured two launches, two spikes (one spiral, one vertical-ish), and a couple of banked turns. Drachen Spire was designed to run two trains by means of a pair of switch tracks connecting the primary, shuttle portion of the layout to the station platform.

Important Articles:​

  • Most Up-To-Date Understanding of the Layout:
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  • Most Recent Status Update:
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    Drachen Spire Height Waiver Extension Details – BGWFans

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If most of the cost has already been paid, this is the perfect time for them to push forward. There is a great chance the summer season is lost already.
 
Or it could be that by at least turning one shovel full of dirt it makes the project considered as started. Then down the road if they say there will be no new projects started this one has already started.
 
WDWRLD said:
Or it could be that by at least turning one shovel full of dirt it makes the project considered as started. Then down the road if they say there will be no new projects started this one has already started.
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I think he's saying more along the lines of "hiding" projects has been more and more difficult. With a full shutdown, they could get a lot of potential work done away from prying eyes.
 
Granted, with @Zachary's reporting and plenty of others repeating it, I think that they couldn't hide many secrets by building during a shutdown the world (or at least those of us who are interested) won't know about it.
 
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Given that it looks like KD may be moving forward with their 2021 plans wh as t are the odds that BGW might already be committed pass the point of no return and that we might see them move ahead? I personally can't see them going ahead unless they have more or less already spent enough that they are in a situation where they more or less h as ve to given the situation that we are in.
 
They haven't broken ground yet, so it's hard to say how much of an outlay they still need to make. It also depends how bad things get financially. If SEAS get to a point of bankruptcy or near bankruptcy, this project could easily get shelved as every cost possible will be cut to stay afloat.
 
A few people have pointed out that this coaster might already be paid for, since it was likely a package deal with Intamin for this and Pantheon. How would shelving the project right now get Seaworld that money back? Obviously, I don't recall there ever being any actual evidence that it was already paid for or a package deal, but if it is would they essentially have the opportunity to receive the coaster (parts) and not build until they have sufficient funds?
 
So the thing I was curious about is BGW's ability to get another super tall height waiver if this project didn't come to fruition. I'd think the county could give some leniency considering the new economic climate, but then again it's a big ask.
 
Jonesta6 said:
So the thing I was curious about is BGW's ability to get another super tall height waiver if this project didn't come to fruition. I'd think the county could give some leniency considering the new economic climate, but then again it's a big ask.
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Certainly more than possible. And if I were part of the board or even the planning department, I would have them remind anyone that counters of possible concessions they asked for during this time too.

All in all though I would lean more on delayed than cancelled. Even though nothing was likely fabricated, there was still design, engineering, and other work that has gone into this project that needs to be paid for, and my personal guess would be that SEAS would not want to flush that money down the drain, especially if each park is getting something. Now maybe the hopeful thought could be that SEAS/Intamin maybe work out something to delay this or send it to another park and bring something else here (if you truly hate this), or maybe Intamin on their own comes to BGW/SEAS with something completely different that maybe costs less but somehow uses the height waiver. Part of what makes this complicated (IMO) is that we don't know the cost of P2021, we don't know what is 'all new' (never done before), and we don't know if this uses a brand new style train. If there's a good amount of that in this project, it might have cost too much already to abandon the project.
 
Brambo said:
A few people have pointed out that this coaster might already be paid for, since it was likely a package deal with Intamin for this and Pantheon. How would shelving the project right now get Seaworld that money back? Obviously, I don't recall there ever being any actual evidence that it was already paid for or a package deal, but if it is would they essentially have the opportunity to receive the coaster (parts) and not build until they have sufficient funds?
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Most construction projects of any size work on progress payments and use escrow to ensure both parties live up to their end of the deal. Let's say that SEAS has already paid for design, engineering, and track construction which cost $10M (made up amount). They still need to do construction and testing which is another $10M (made up amount). This second part hasn't been paid or is in escrow for Intamin to draw off of upon completion. If SEAS is desperate for money they may use a force majure clause to cancel the contract and avoid paying the construction and testing costs.

More likely you would see some kind of negotiation between SEAS and Intamin to delay the project or mutually end the project if money becomes a serious issue.
 
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What if BGW builds the giga as originally scheduled, but delays the opening until 2022? I'm thinking out loud here, but this could be an additional "break glass in case of emergency" for BGW to take.

If Pantheon doesn't open until late June, July, or even later, that leaves at most two months plus a handful of weekends in the fall where Pantheon can be marketed as the new coaster, before it's overshadowed by Project 2021. That hardly gives the ride enough time to generate the attendance bump that it should and the ROI that it needs to. By the time 2021 hits and now a giga is opening, Pantheon is old news.

But let's say the giga doesn't open in 2021. The park builds the giga per their original contracted schedule, but delays the actual opening, along with any smaller work related to the coaster that hasn't been contracted yet. There's no signage, no pathway to the entrance, nothing. To guests, the park says the ride is just still "under construction."

This means for the entire 2021 season, guests see this huge new coaster on the horizon, teased by it before it opens the following season. Meanwhile, Pantheon gets that season to still be the park's "new" coaster, giving marketing a whole additional season to capitalize on that project. In the end, BGW gets to ride the marketing and attendance hype of Pantheon long enough to make up for this shortened season, the presence of the giga acts as its own form of free in-park marketing, and when 2022 hits, BGW can focus all its efforts on selling the giga to the public instead watering it down with mixed messages about both coasters.

It's a stretch, and I doubt it'll happen, but I think it could be a smart move. Thoughts?
 
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Joe said:
What if BGW builds the giga as originally scheduled, but delays the opening until 2022? I'm thinking out loud here, but this could be an additional "break glass in case of emergency" for BGW to take.

If Pantheon doesn't open until late June, July, or even later, that leaves at most two months plus a handful of weekends in the fall where Pantheon can be marketed as the new coaster, before it's overshadowed by Project 2021. That hardly gives the ride enough time to generate the attendance bump that it should and the ROI that it needs to. By the time 2021 hits and now a giga is opening, Pantheon is old news.

But let's say the giga doesn't open in 2021. The park builds the giga per their original contracted schedule, but delays the actual opening, along with any smaller work related to the coaster that hasn't been contracted yet. There's no signage, no pathway to the entrance, nothing. To guests, the park says the ride is just still "under construction."

This means for the entire 2021 season, guests see this huge new coaster on the horizon, teased by it before it opens the following season. Meanwhile, Pantheon gets that season to still be the park's "new" coaster, giving marketing a whole additional season to capitalize on that project. In the end, BGW gets to ride the marketing and attendance hype of Pantheon long enough to make up for this shortened season, the presence of the giga acts as its own form of free in-park marketing, and when 2022 hits, BGW can focus all its efforts on selling the giga to the public instead watering it down with mixed messages about both coasters.

It's a stretch, and I doubt it'll happen, but I think it could be a smart move. Thoughts?
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Interesting.

I was thinking the opposite at times. Get it built. Let’s say 2020 is a wash, can’t open til August a wash. Don’t open Pantheon. But build P2021. Then at the start of 2021 advertise that you are opening TWO world class roller coasters in the same year. Not only has the never been done, but it gives people a reason to spend money to come see you.
 
That'd be great for a singular year ROI figure, but with the previous SEAS attempt to do 5 years with a new thing each year, my guess is their strategy was based around marketing a new thing yearly.

If they were to bundle two major new things in the same year, they'd lose the punch for the next or have to go a season without a new thing.

Of course, with the way the economy is going into the toilet who knows if they could even attempt to keep that strategy even with smaller 'new for this year' things
 
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