Project 2028 (?): Italian Le Mans

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@Vanewsman: I wish I knew for sure. I've been hearing rumors for a while now that it hit rough waters (some with more specifics asserted than others), but I haven't had proof to say one way or the other what its status has been over the summer. My posts this summer in this thread expressing concern were prompted by things I had been hearing on background. Hopefully some of the concern I projected prepped the space for this possibility a bit.

Everything about the project appears fine on the public approvals front, so if the project has fallen through or been delayed, it's almost certainly something that has come up on the backend—change in direction, funding, cost overruns, tariffs, manufacturer issues, etc.

Don't have any approval to share the rumors I've heard right now, but if anyone is reading knows something and wants to chat, my inbox is open!
 
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Thanks for the clarification. I would imagine tree clearing and land grading would've already commenced in July, as typically that's when the park breaks ground on a major attraction. We'll have to wait and see.
 
It's really hard to say. An antique car ride wouldn't require any of the crazy foundations of a coaster and could probably go up very quickly. If the project was still moving forward behind the scenes, my guess is that they could definitely still have it ready for next summer if they wanted to. That said, given the continued lack of a site plan filed with JCC and the fact that we now have public evidence suggesting movement on one of the already-leaked alternatives (the Vbolt project), I definitely think Italian Le Mans' chances for '26 are fading fast.

Can't rule anything out yet, but I'm feeling like 85% sure that this project is shelved—at least for '26.
 
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BG does need JCC site plan approval and that process can be time consuming. It would be prudent to watch the JCC Planning website for site plan submittals. The review and approval process typically takes 6-8 months.

Once a site plan is approved, BG may wait to start clearing until October due to the Long Eared Bat. It is now endangered. Which makes it more difficult to obtain clearing/tree removal permits, especially in areas adjacent to waterways and estuaries. There are restrictions on land clearing from April to October due the Long Eared Bat.

IMO, I wouldn't expect to see anything until 2027, at the earliest.
 
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Wonder what the challenges were. One would think that an antique car ride would be one of the easiest to install.
 
Mushroom said:
Wonder what the challenges were. One would think that an antique car ride would be one of the easiest to install.
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He said that manufacturers were a big hurdle as only a few make that type of ride these days. Reading between the lines given a conversation with KD's head of maintenance at yesterday's event I would assume the current political world situation makes it a challenge to get the right manufacturer willing to do a development and install on the ride in the US or possibly to get components or supplies in a timely fashion. For reference KD's maintenance head said they just ordered parts for Tumbili that the projected arrival sate is 25 weeks from when the order was placed he said a year ago that a similar order was an 8 week turn around.

MrBradferd said:
Isin't the terrain super uneven back there?
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Sure but that can be worked around.
 
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horsesboy said:
He said that manufacturers were a big hurdle as only a few make that type of ride these days. Reading between the lines given a conversation with KD's head of maintenance at yesterday's event I would assume the current political world situation makes it a challenge to get the right manufacturer willing to do a development and install on the ride in the US or possibly to get components or supplies in a timely fashion. For reference KD's maintenance head said they just ordered parts for Tumbili that the projected arrival sate is 25 weeks from when the order was placed he said a year ago that a similar order was an 8 week turn around.



Sure but that can be eorked around.
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To build a lemans style ride? Escavating that much to get fairly flat surface for those cars doesn't seem feasably cheap whatsoever. From the very beginning of this popping up it never made any sense to me to put that there. Kinda glad it seems to be canceled tbh
 
Zachary said:
The terrain wasn't the problem. Ride was completely feasible at one point.

This is definitely a situation where you should take Kevin at face value. The manufacturer fell through.
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What does that typically mean? The manufacturer didn't want to do it? Or couldn't agree on a price?
 
Reading the tea leaves in this thread, I believe it's a mix of: limited manufacturer choices, overseas-based manufacturer staff unwilling to travel because of the perception of being unjustly targeted by ICE (similar to the Hyundai plant raid situation), steeply increasing costs by the Trump regime's starting and continuing an increasingly erratic trade war against everyone, and a host of supply chain issues stemming from said trade war.

Basically, this is where politics has cratered the economy in such a way that has created enough uncertainty and cost increases that the park has to shelve plans because they became infeasible.
 
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Okay, so... Aren't antique car rides one of those types of rides that can be developed locally? Gould is US based and I'm pretty sure they do all the work domestically with US employees. Also, the trade war isn't "starting", it's been like this for months now. I also feel as though we have to wait for IAAPA Orlando 2025 to see if the point about "overseas based manufacturer staff" is true or not.
 
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maddox121 said:
Okay, so... Aren't antique car rides one of those types of rides that can be developed locally? Gould is US based and I'm pretty sure they do all the work domestically with US employees. Also, the trade war isn't "starting", it's been like this for months now. I also feel as though we have to wait for IAAPA Orlando 2025 to see if the point about "overseas based manufacturer staff" is true or not.
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So I am going to make some assumptions as these are things I haven't been told or vetted but which make logical sense to me. First the types on engines that are used in most antique car rides are incredibly polluting that part is not an assumptions it's a fact by the way. BGW still be much into conservation doesn't want to contribute to that there for they are looking for an electric version. One of the big thrills for many young guests is being able to actually drive even if it's on a track and steer the thing so you are going to want more free and not bolted to a track so that means battery power not track powered. The trade war heating up with China who controls a significant portion of the rear earth mettles needed for battery units has driven those cost significantly up in the ladt months that alone could be enough to change the viability of this prodject. Again 90% of that is guessing on my part but it seems like a logical possibility.
 
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Even if the main manufacturer is domestic, there's a high likelihood they're sourcing components internationally.

Making number up to illustrate my point:

A brand new coaster is going to be expensive, and for what would normally be a $10 million ride may be increased only slightly to be $11 million - but if it's marketed correctly, it'll fit the niche the park wanted to fill and help increase revenue enough to offset the costs on the balance sheet.

However, a brand new kids ride such as this may only be $2 million normally, but thanks to the bullshit from the current regime it's now $5 million... maybe, who knows given it changes constantly... And if it's a foreign manufacturer there's a high likelihood much of their team isn't going to be willing to travel here regardless of whatever assurances the park can get offering. This ride is only filling a gap in the overall lineup but won't likely generate enough revenue to offset the increased costs, only enough to cover the original pricing.
 
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