Frank Lanfer's Interview with Jim Seay, President of Premier Rides. Kirmes Park & Revue, December 2011.
Interview with a Prime Supplier
We spoke with Jim Seay, President of the American manufacturer Premier Rides Inc. about this project and how it came about to erect a large coaster in a not so well focused land in the amusement industry, located between Thailand/ Malaysia and Australia.
The client for the Indonesian project is relatively unknown in the amusement branch. How and when did you come into contact?
Trans Studio and their project manager Budiman Wijaya are actually well-known in the amusement industry. Budiman and his team have been attending IAAPA trade shows for some years and have a significant amount of knowledge regarding both the industry and the major suppliers.
What company and which people are behind Trans Studio?
Trans Studio is led by the Para Group under the leadership of Chairul Tanjung. It is a highly successful Jakarta-based cooperation that has a wide array of businesses from the media industry, to themed entertainment, to palm oil production.
How did this coaster type come about? Did the Para Group want this type of construction, or was it a process of design?
The design of the "Yamaha Racing Coaster" was driven by a desire for a very high thrill experience, combined with a desire to have a signature attraction that would anchor Trans Studio's brand new indoor theme park at their large Bandung shopping mall. The coaster was designed as a combined indoor/outdoor attraction so that the outdoor portion is almost like a billboard which attracts people to both their theme park and high-end shopping mall. The Yamaha firm had significant input on the vehicle appearance, and Premier used carbon fiber technology to develop the motorcycle concept.
In Indonesia there are a lot of indoor parks that are incorporated into a shopping mall, and also existing outdoor theme parks, in particular the large amusement park Dunia Fantasi in close vicinity. Isn't competition very big for the new indoor park?
Trans Studio is the leader in building large theme parks at this point, although there are certainly others that have developed very successful parks in malls, and there are others who are presently looking to create new projects which will try to match the very successful Trans Studio model.
When did the project start and how long did realization take?
The "Yamaha Racing Coaster" project took approximately two years from initial discussions until the official opening day. In Indonesia, accomplished companies like Trans Studio have the ability to build a park on a much faster basis than what is typically expected in the West. From the point of signing the contract, the coaster was designed, manufactured, and erected in under a year.
Are there any differences to both "Mr. Freeze" coasters in the USA with the exception of the train design?
It has similarities in appearance to the award-winning "Mr. Freeze" coasters, but the dynamics and layout are different. The "Yamaha Racing Coaster" is a brand-new custom design. Also, "Mr. Freeze" is powered by a linear-induction motor system, whereas the "Yamaha Racing Coaster" is powered by a linear-synchronous system.
Stengel GmbH was involved too. What is the relationship? What was their job on this project?
Premier Rides and Stengel GmbH have a history that goes back to the founding of Premier Rides. Premier Rides is highly respectful of its partnership with Stengel and their talented team of engineers. While other manufacturers are quiet about the works Stengel performs for them, Premier is very proud of highlighting its relationship. The Stengel engineering offices provide not only excellent ride dynamics, but also conservative designs which result in long-term reliability in attractions.
Are there any differences in building a coaster for the US market, for Europe, and for Asia? Are there also some differences in technical and safety aspects? Fortunately, the standards used for building rides in the US, European, and Asian markets are typically the same. Both ASTM and CEN standards, which have been harmonized in recent years, are referenced in major contracts which results in the products being similar for all markets. Trans Studio executives are very familiar with the global safety standards and thus made the investment in rides that provided safe operation. What is different focuses around the erection of the rides and the erection techniques, which while popular in Asia (such as the extensive use of scaffolding) are not used in the European and US markets.
What were your experiences in Indonesia?
Premier Rides had an excellent experience in Indonesia. In some respects the infrastructure is very new, and thus in some cases even superior to the infrastructure of the West. The nation of Indonesia is rapidly developing into one of the top economic countries of the Asia region, and seeing that rapid growth is a very unique experience. The people of Indonesia are very hardworking, and the one thing our staff certainly noted was that the food in general was extremely healthy, and because of that most people looked extremely fit.
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