Big Apple Coaster
H14 · Fair Staples & Regional Heroes
H14 · № 118/150
Big Apple Coaster
New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas · US · TOGO Custom looping coaster (opened 1997 as Manhattan Express)
“A desert express, high above the lamps of Las Vegas Boulevard.”
UNOFFICIAL · NOT PARK-ENDORSED
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Fast facts
- Operating steel roller coaster at New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. coasterpedia.net
- Opened on January 3, 1997, under the name Manhattan Express. coasterpedia.net
- Manufactured by TOGO, with a custom sit-down looping layout. en.wikipedia.org
- Height is 203 feet, or 61.9 metres; top speed is 67 mph, or 108 km/h. en.wikipedia.org
- The course includes two inversions: a vertical loop and a dive loop. coasterpedia.net
- Reported build cost is $25 million. coasterpedia.net
- Estimated throughput is about 1,000 riders per hour. en.wikipedia.org
The story of Big Apple Coaster
The ride arrived with the hotel-casino itself, opening on January 3, 1997, as Manhattan Express. It placed a full TOGO steel coaster on the Las Vegas Strip, where the visitor could find a railway of curves and loops not in a seaside park, but among the lights and traffic of the desert resort. coasterpedia.net· en.wikipedia.org
Its engineering was ambitious for the address. The coaster rises to 203 feet, reaches 67 mph, and sends its train through two inversions, including the twist-and-dive manoeuvre that the park still presents as a special feature of the ride. en.wikipedia.org· newyorknewyork.mgmresorts.com
The early months were not without difficulty. Contemporary histories record closures and repairs after problems with steel tension rods, a reminder that even a proud boulevard attraction must answer to inspectors, weather, and the patient discipline of maintenance. en.wikipedia.org
In later years the coaster changed names and fittings while keeping its Strip-side course. It became The Roller Coaster in 2007, took the Big Apple Coaster name in 2013, added a virtual-reality option in 2018, and received newer Premier Rides trains for the 2021 season. en.wikipedia.org· latimes.com· parkworld-online.com
Sources
- coasterpedia.net Preferred source
- en.wikipedia.org Acceptable source
- newyorknewyork.mgmresorts.com Acceptable source
- latimes.com Acceptable source
- parkworld-online.com Acceptable source
This background is AI-drafted from public sources and human-reviewed before publishing — approved 20 August 2026.