However, Bret Lovejoy, president of the International Assoc. of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) says that the parks are "justifiably proud of their extraordinary overall safety record, with 315 million park visitors taking 3.2 billion rides in 2000". Lovejoy also said that the CPSC figures demonstrate that there is no safer form of recreation.

Year after year, rides have remained at the low end of the CPSC's figures on product-related injuries. In fact, the latest statistics estimate that more people were injured in 1999 using trampolines (98,889), golf equipment (47,386), and bicycles (614,594) than were injured on or in amusement rides of all types. In addition, the 5/15/00 issue of TIME noted that "almost 1 million kids are rushed to the emergency room each year for sports-related injuries," and an article in the 9/12/99 Philadelphia Inquirer reported that an "estimated one million patients nationwide are injured by errors during hospital treatment each year and 120,000 die as a result." Parks are subject to compliance with various governmental codes and requirements. State and/or local public officials perform a range of ride-inspection tests, and often assist park personnel with accident prevention programs. Furthermore, facilities must pass rigorous "risk control" inspections carried out by representatives of insurance companies who work closely with a park's own operational and maintenance professionals in developing and implementing the newest safety procedures. Ride manufacturers also conduct industry-wide safety seminars on a regular basis.

Legislation is currently pending before a US House of Representatives committee that proposes to allow the CPSC jurisdiction over the 750 fixed-site amusement parks as well as the travelling fairs.

August- In Canobie Lake Park, New Hampshire, a similar accident to Six Flags occurs but at a lower speed, on the Yankee Cannonball roller coaster. Five people suffered minor injuries.

July- In Salem, New Hampshire, five people were hurt when two roller coaster trains collided.

July-In Muskegon, Michigan, a "Chaos" ride spun off its axle and crashed to the ground, injuring 31 people.

June- In Lake Compounce Amusement Park near Hartford, Connecticut, a groundskeeper was killed when he was hit by an empty roller coaster during a morning test run.

June- Tampa Bay, Florida- Rhino Rally LandRover inches towards disaster and tips on its side causing minor injuries

Anton Schwarzkopf (1924-2001) May he rest in peace

Rhino Rally is a rugged safari experience with components never before seen in rides. At the end of the ride a torrential downpour precedes a raging flash of white water, which engulfs a pontoon bridge that the Land Rover is crossing. A section of the bridge is torn away and then the "wild" ride starts.

Busch Gardens has one of the best safety records in the industry. According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the likelihood of being injured seriously enough to require hospitalization is over one in 23 million, and the chance of being fatally injured is more than one in half a billion on any thrill ride.

The recent Paramount Pictures feature film had an explosive $48.2 million mid-June opening-weekend box office gross giving it the title of best debut ever for a film based on a video game property.

The ride begins with a journey into a foreboding ancient temple. As stone walls give way to others, guests will proceed through mysterious chambers, engraved with strange, runic symbols and the debris of failed expeditions, as a sense of impending doom grows. With only seconds to spare before certain calamity, guests strap in to the only possible vehicle of escape. Playing off scenes from the motion picture filmed in Cambodia and Iceland, the escape will include rocketing upward for a close encounter in an ice cave with menacing, razor-sharp stalactites and a face-first plunge straight down toward a pit of boiling, red-hot lava.

"Part of the thrill of the Tomb Raider property is the mystery and intrigue that surrounds each adventure. We want to preserve this mystery with the Tomb Raider ride until the first group of adventurers braves it in 2002 - so, we aren't going to disclose all of the surprises in store for riders," said Tim Fisher, executive vice president and general manager of Paramount's Kings Island.

In making the announcement, park officials unveiled a dramatic 42'x 28' in-park display featuring actual props used in the filming of the motion picture. Members of the project team visited the soundstages at Pinewood Studios outside London, England and hand-selected key props to use throughout the ride experience

Paramount's Kings Island is owned and operated by Paramount Parks. Paramount Parks, a unit of Viacom is an operator of regional theme parks and location-based entertainment attractions. Coasterglobe will be doing a comprehensive feature on Kings Island and many other Theme Parks in the near future.

Rhino Rally is a rugged safari experience with components never before seen in rides. "Rhino Rally cannot be compared to any other attraction in the global theme park industry," says Mark Rose, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's vice president of design and engineering. "The up-close animal experiences coupled with the Land Rover journey and surprise elements, including a water ride, make it the most innovative attraction in the world."

At the end of the ride a torrential downpour precedes a raging flash of white water, which engulfs a pontoon bridge that the Land Rover is crossing. A section of the bridge is torn away and then the "wild" ride starts.

Theming with rides and coasters is a signature for Busch Gardens. Montu, a steel inverted roller coaster is surrounded by an Egyptian archeological dig. Gwazi is Busch Garden's dueling wooden coaster that stands 100 feet tall with 1.5 million board feet of southern yellow pine surrounded by the hidden forest of Africa.

Check out Coasterglobe's Park Review Section and Data Base Section for more information on Busch Garden's many coasters. In August, Coasterglobe will be publishing a feature on Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay.

IAAPA has recently appointed a new president, to take over the former position of John Graff, who is retiring after 22 years with the company. Bret Lovejoy, who took over the position on May 15th, will be assisted by Graff until the end of 2001. IAAPA has also promoted two of its staff members to vice-president, and is hiring two others.

You can vote at http://www.europapark.de

Also, Disney has received a go-ahead Monday from the Anaheim city planning commission to draft an environmental impact report for a third park on 80 acres of land the company owns, said Ray Gomez, Disneyland spokesman. The land is about a quarter-mile southeast of Disneyland. A theme has not been developed yet.