After 10 hours of sweat, humongous foundation set for new Carowinds ride

After 10 hours of labor Tuesday, crews placed a 53,000-pound frame to set the foundation for one of four new Carowinds rides.

Workers used a 550-ton crane to mount the piece for Electro-Spin, which sends riders through a freely rotating orbit on floorless gondolas.

Electro-Spin is among four new “classic family rides” in the County Fair section of Carowinds.

The park will begin testing rides at the beginning of March and will open for the season on March 25.

As of this week, one of the other rides debuting in the County Fair section – Rock N’ Roller – has been assembled and placed on its foundation, Carowinds spokeswoman Laresa Thompson said. The circular ride “rock n’ rolls” riders around and around and up and down.

Other rides will be the Zephyr swing ride and the Do-Si-Do, which the park describes as a “super-fun spiraling adventure (that) will send guests flying through the air and gliding up, down and around as three giant arms rotate riders in different directions – all while increasing speed and elevation.”

Also, the County Fair’s Dockside Fries is getting a facelift and new theming. The venue will serve the same potato favorites, plus corn dogs and fried corn. The section’s restrooms are being renovated with new tile, counter tops flooring and paint. A more patio space is being added to County Fair.

This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 4:16 PM with the headline "After 10 hours of sweat, humongous foundation set for new Carowinds ride."