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Bite performer Jessica Delgado descends Tuesday during the grand opening of the Stratosphere’s newest attraction, Skyjump.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 | 7:30 p.m.
Jumping Off the Stratosphere
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The Stratosphere celebrated the grand opening of its new SkyJump on Tuesday, and Las Vegas Sun reporter Christine Killimayer took the plunge: 855 feet, falling at 40 mph from the top of Vegas' tallest building.
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- Stratosphere’s new SkyJump: Fall 855 feet for $100 (1-8-2010)
- New thrill ride planned atop Stratosphere (12-17-2009)
The first step is always the hardest — especially when it’s from 855 feet up.
With their toes dangling over the edge and the Las Vegas Strip staring up at them, thrill-seekers took the first jumps from the top of the Stratosphere's newest attraction, the SkyJump.
Some jumpers screamed all 855 feet, but others were unfazed by the free fall, like 75-year-old Ruby Malalay.
“I don’t get nervous for very much,” Malalay said confidently after her jump.
For Malalay, a longtime Stratosphere Tower employee, this was her third time trying out SkyJump, and it probably won’t be her last. The adrenaline junkie said she’s ridden the Stratosphere’s Big Shot ride more than 6,000 times, sometimes 20 times a day.
At not even 5 feet tall, Malalay’s arm span can’t reach the railings on either side of the jump platform. She needs someone to hold her in place, especially if the wind picks up.
The Stratosphere celebrated the grand opening of its latest thrill ride Tuesday morning, picking up a place in Guinness Book of World Records.
The hotel-casino was presented with the record for world’s longest commercial decelerator jump. The only other SkyJump in the world is at Auckland, New Zealand’s, Sky Tower, where the fall is 627 feet.
Iraq War veteran Air Force Master Sgt. Darryl LeBouef was the first to jump Tuesday morning, also earning his spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.
His words after hitting the ground: “That was awesome.”
Although the attraction may look like a bungee jump from afar, it’s not. With the jumper attached by a cable from both sides, the jump is similar to a vertical zip line and is controlled from start to finish.
Before heading up to the 108th floor of the Stratosphere Tower, the jumper is suited up in a jump suit and harness. They’re taken up to the tower, in what might be the longest elevator ride of their lives only to come back down a few minutes later.
The jumper is checked multiple times by safety professionals before being led to the edge of the platform. It isn’t until they are on the platform — 855 feet above the landing spot — that they are hooked to a cable attached to a “descender machine.”
The machine lets out the cable as the jumper steps off the platform, controlling the speed at 40 mph. Just before hitting the landing pad, the jumper is slowed down for a controlled landing.
“It’s really not about the speed. The speed is actually nice because you get a chance to look around but you still feel like you are falling,” American Casino and Entertainment Properties President Frank Riolo said.
Riolo said he’s done the jump six times already. He was hooked after the first time.
“As soon as I landed the first time, I was up in the elevator going again,” Riolo said.
Riolo said property executives saw the SkyJump on the Internet about a year ago and knew it was something they wanted to bring to the Stratosphere. The entire building and training process took about three months, Riolo said.
The price to jump starts at $99, but jumpers can upgrade the package to include video footage of the experience. Riolo said the attraction is priced right compared to similar jumps around the world. The jump in New Zealand starts at $138.
For those looking to take the plunge, be sure you’re fully committed. There’s no cash refund. If you get to the platform and chicken out, you’ll be given a voucher for another time. The second time you bail, there’s no third chance.
“Its one of those things where you are overcoming a primal fear. When you get up top and you look over the edge of that platform, it really is intimidating,” Riolo said. “It’s that fear of stepping into nothing and trusting that someone’s got you.”
“It’s not the fall. It’s the jump,” he said. “It’s taking that first step.”
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They were testing this out last week and as I was driving north down Paradise, I looked up and saw a body falling alongside the Stratosphere Tower. Luckily, I figured out what it was, but it evoked some bad memories of 9/11. I bet Metro fields a few phone calls about jumpers the first few weeks this is open. I think they should make it more obvious that it is an "attraction" and not someone plunging to their death.
I wonder if u get a complementary pair of "Depends"....
I can understand your above comment,and dont mean to be an ass,but how do you mistake a person falling at 40 mph vs people leaping to their death to avoid the heat that was generated atop the WTC
If you leap from a 800 ft tower,you dont need to be a genius to realize you will achieve a far greater velocity than 40 mph,also the perception from a greater distance would create an ever
bigger exaggeration of speed
peace out
and i highly doubt METRO will field even 1 call regarding this attraction
This ought to please the thrill junkies out there. Looks like a waste of a hundred bucks to me, i'd rather throw it down on the pass line..
I gotta tell ya, waste of cash for the "thrillseeker". Last year I jumped off the Macau Tower, taking the Skyjump first. So anti-climactic I can't believed I paid for it. Back up to the tower to do the bungee jump. Now that was a thrill. Stratosphere, like usual, is doing it all wrong. They're calling it the "ultimate freefall", when there is no free-falling whatsoever. Put a bungee jump up there and watch people flock from all over the world to bungee from the tallest tower in the world. Don't waste your time with the skyjump, wait for the bungee. I believe the skyjump is being run by the same Kiwi operators who run the one in Macau, so bungee should be following shortly. Macau Jump on youtube will show you some good videos.
Doesn't look exactly like a Bungee Jump, But for a person who is afraid of heights, I think I could do it, Eyes closed the first time down lol. $100.00 seems a little steep ( no pun intended ), I think I will wait til either they drop the prices or I get a comp... We didn't get much of a view with the girls face, other then the first moment she jumped.
You people are so cheap and narrow minded,unhappy,you complain about everything in this world...This attraction hold a world record, i've done it twice already and i love it.Something different in our city, you people just baffle me,have some fun and shut the hell up with u'r whining.
I would pay $100 to do this once, it is somewhat of a thrill to me but not considered an ultimate thrill really...like denmoore pointed out.
40mph = 3520 feet per minute....
close to 59 feet per second....
855 feet @ 40mph = 14.5 seconds....
Give a few extra seconds for slowdown time before reaching ground, my guess is that it's a 20 second attraction = $5.00 per second.
Now a bungee jump from perhaps 700 feet of distance while freefalling three times as fast would be too thrilling...
With or without a bungee cord - hitting the ground from the roof can be as little as 5 seconds.
I am willing to bet that the insurance company probably collects 30-40 percent of the revenue.
I didn't see this promoted yet on the morning cable or network TV shows. Guess Goodman should have taken the plunge, would have got more publicity.
Christine....Call me?
I was on my way to try this. But after driving on I-15 and then taking a wrong turn into Naked City, I decided I had enough thrills for one day!
Just Great!
I remember when you could jump off the Stratosphere
for free, now it will cost you $100 bucks.
I can't wait until I try it next month!
I can think of better ways to spend $100
Well, I watched the video, It looks boring to me, it barely looks like she is moving. I'll stick to Skydiving.
It looks fantastic and a great addition to Las Vegas... I'll be checking it out when I visit in June but NOT taking the jump.
Loooooooooooooooooooook Oooooooooooooooooooooout Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-Loooooooooooooooow!
I was scared that it was a real person I saw jumping from the Stratosphere so I called Metro. They said not to worry and they had received over a hundred calls regarding people thinking it was another 9/11.
The person doing the PR for the ride should get on the ball. Haven't seen it on the cable news, etc.
I've seen the Strat Tower free fall; that ain't a ride. A ride is where you sit down and strap yourself in. This is more of a repeat of 'Fear Factor'.
The NZ SkyJump certainly isn't the only other one in the world. I did one in Korea in September (it's at Woobang Tower Land if anyone is interested) but at 405 feet it's half the height of this one. I'd certainly like to give this one a try.