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Large crane completed and in position And extended

CLARK Kirby’s career has come full circle since, as a child, he helped clean the cinema of his then-fledging family business Village Roadshow. Village Roadshow commenced operating in 1954, owning and managing one of the first drive-in cinemas in Australia in the Melbourne suburb of Croydon. “I have a long history with the theme parks her — my grandfather Rock Kirby started Village Roadshow, back in 1954 in Victoria, the drive-in cinema down in Melbourne. “Entertainment is well and truly in the blood. My original background was in the cinema industry — I like to say I worked there when I was four years old when I started to clean the amusement rides down at Sorrento. “I worked every school holidays for the family in the cinema we had down there. “Then I completed one degree up here at Bond University and then went on to study at a number of other universities and ended up in investment banking associate director of mergers and acquisitions with UBS Investment “It was a great opportunity because I advised a lot of entertainment companies here in Australia — including PPL, Channel 7, News Corp. “It gave me a broadbased understanding of different business models and management styles within the entertainment world, some incredible companies. “It was very diverse, and very interesting trying to impart advice. “Then I came back and headed up corporate strategy for the group then since 2012 I’ve been chief operating officer of the Village Roadshow Group and sitting on the board of the theme park group. “In May this year I assumed the role of CEO and executive chairman of the theme park group. “Really because we do see it as our most important business and a business we see enormous growth in here and internationally.” What do you love about the Gold Coast? “I don’t believe there is any city in the world that can rival the family friendly lifestyle we enjoy here on the Gold Coast. “The weather and sublime beaches promote a healthy lifestyle and world class attractions mean kids and big kids will always be entertained and inspired. “I am also in awe of the incredible sense of pride and community spirit of the Gold Coast. “Initiatives like the Gold Coast Community Fund have been so generously embraced by locals wanting to help out those doing it tough.” What do you think can be done better on the Gold Coast? “We need to ensure there is sufficient planning and investment in essential infrastructure such as public transport and traffic management to deal with the existing congestion and to support and encourage private investment and development. “Coming from Melbourne, I have also seen the incredible power of sporting events to drive tourism and investment. “The Commonwealth Games is already electrifying the city and I would like to see a sustained calendar of major sporting events through the year.” In your travels, what have you seen being done elsewhere you think could work well here? “Universal City Walk and Downtown Disney are great success stories. “These retail, dining and entertainment precincts create a vibrant, fun and safe destination for all ages. “We are moving towards creating our own version of this alongside Movie World when Australia’s first Topgolf opens after the Commonwealth Games next year.” If money, laws, time and approvals were no issue, what is one big project you’d undertake tomorrow? “A cruise ship terminal — provided it meets all environmental requirements and the appropriate traffic mitigation solution is implemented, a cruise ship terminal would be phenomenal for the Tourism industry on the Gold Coast.” What conversations should Gold Coast movers and shakers be having? “We need to consider what our city is going to look like in five, 10, 20 years. Is our infrastructure going to be able to keep up with rate of growth predicted for the Gold Coast? “Where are the jobs going to come from and are we providing our kids with the relevant training and opportunities to succeed? “The long term future for the Spit is another important issue for me — there is so much uncertainty around development on The Spit. “We desperately need a masterplan to ensure that any development includes sufficient investment in infrastructure to ensure residents and existing businesses are not negatively impacted. “In the more immediate future, we need to ensure that we fully capitalise on the incredible exposure the Commonwealth Games will bring to the Gold Coast.” http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/opinion/village-roadshow-ceo-says-gold-coast-is-golden-but-needs-to-keep-up-with-the-rest-of-the-world/news-story/796eedbff960121e90826c41e46f17ee

This mornings update The 350 tonne crane is being constructed, with dozens of workmen on site, and another entrance for workers into the area is being used Construction for the lift hill continues More pieces of stuff on site Track ready to be installed Track and support inspections continue throughout the area And these markings and pipes are out the front

the guys doing the construction are quite happy to chat to fence-gawkers. some of what they say can be relied upon as being true.

Ignore this, photos already posted.

Todays update

TPSN

Sorry guys that discussion was going on too long. (You know who you are) This is a shot that we hadn't seen posted before. Obviously construction has progressed a lot since then.

Oh yeah because the liberals have got such a great record in QLD \ Federal levels in recent times...

some tower cranes self erect, others require smaller cranes to give them a boost.

But @Richard, the ride has reopened. https://media.giphy.com/media/pkY4ra5dhljDW/giphy.gif

^yeah, and? Only in the last week, we've discussed that Wipeout opened briefly post-safety-audit, before closing again for maintenance. @Skeeta doesn't call two weeks 'open' but it was open. so all 9 of their big 9 have reopened since the audit - the message they're sending is that none of them are still closed 'pending a safety audit issue'. the fact that wipeout is in more pieces than a superman train during maintenance (pause, you'll get it) is beside the point, it's not "still closed due to failure to pass safety inspection" - the video message is "the ride is safe".

That has only taken them about 2 hours from it being on the ground, to that. Wow, that's incredible, and can't believe how tall it is. WOW.

I did say "some" of what they say can be relied upon - for example when they told me when they planned to lift the first piece, etc We also discussed at the time that these riggers and steel workers aren't coaster enthusiasts. I don't think 'inversion' was the term used, i think it was 'loop' and there are several elements that the lay-person would mis-interpret looking at plans etc. As for dates planned \ scheduled for lifting, especially those within the next week or two, these guys would know this info because it would already be on their roster - therefore this info is likely to be more reliable than "this thing that hasn't even gone vertical yet is going to go upside 60 times."

^and sometimes they just like to spread a false rumor to have some fun with guests, and see how quickly the rumor spreads.

@LORD_Noodle just the discovery centre

Thanks @themagician! I know sometimes people post things up quickly, but its great to come into this thread and not view the same photo from a slightly different angle 12 different times, just so everyone who took a photo of the same thing got to post it. This has to be one of the most photographed rides in history and it's not even running yet - so thanks for being considerate!

Fountain reacts only.

Terrible decision. I can't stand AP. Hope it gets reversed next election and the ALP gets kicked to the curb.

How many inversion did they say Rivals will have @AlexB?

bah sux kool aid is gone...what's the fountain for?

Heard a staff At the exit of Scooby Doo say they are changing the whole theme!

#bringbackthesarcasmtags

So TPSN is a place now?