Thousands Flock to Ride Great Park Balloon

AUGUST 8, 2007 – IRVINE, California – Truly impressive numbers now show that in less than three weeks time, 5,269 passengers came to ride the Orange County Great Park balloon. Nearly 3,200 visitors rode the balloon the first week of operation, including the inaugural grand opening day. More than 2,070 visitors rode the balloon the second week. A record breaking 770 passengers were lifted Saturday, July 28, 2007 in one day alone.

“This far exceeds our expectations,” said Larry Agran, Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation. “People from other states such as Florida, Texas and Missouri are vacationing in California and making a point to come to the Great Park to ride the orange balloon. We are glad to see so many people, young and old, making the Great Park a new destination place.”

An Orange County couple surprised their son for his 14th birthday. They blindfolded him; registered for the ride, made sure no one said the “B –birthday” word and took the blindfold off in the gondola for an amazing site to see. An Irvine woman suffering from terminal cancer got out of her bed and made it a point to ride and see view “once before she goes.” Seven disabled persons in wheelchairs also enjoyed the view.

Gary Stevens, Great Park Balloon Chief Pilot, said, “Everyone who comes off the gondola says the view is just awesome. It is well worth the wait and a real unique experience for Orange County.”

The iconic orange Great Park Balloon is a five story-tall, 10,560-pound, orange balloon filled with 5,500 cubic meters of helium. The Balloon will carry up to 25 passengers 400 feet up in the air, providing them with an aerial view of the Park and surrounding community.

The Orange County Great Park Corporation suggests the best time to ride the balloon is before 12:30 p.m. Winds pick up around 1:00 p.m. Parking opens at 9:30 a.m. and registration at 9:45 a.m. First balloon ride is at 10:00 a.m. Reservations for groups of 10 or more are available on Thursdays and can be made by contacting Laura Kirchner at (949) 724-7429 or e-mail at [email protected]. “Reservations are filling up quickly,” said Laura Kirchner, Program Specialist, Orange County Great Park. “Nurses from Cedars Sinai Medical Center, women from the Red Hat Society, visitors from Tsukuba, Japan which is Irvine’s sister city, Rosmore Towers Retirement Community, sports clubs such as joggers and hikers are already scheduled for Thursday.”

The Orange County Great Park, which is almost twice the size of Central Park, will be a major metropolitan park and the focal point of the redevelopment of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro. The Great Park will include extensive natural areas and open space in addition to recreational and cultural uses.

For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org.

Press Contacts:
Maryann Maloney
(949) 375-0856