Credit: Icon ParkOrlando’s ICON Park has reopened its SlingShot ride, one year after a fatal accident that claimed the life of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson.
Located on International Drive, ICON Park is home to over 50 attractions, including Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum Orlando, the Sea Life Aquarium, and The Wheel at ICON Park – a 400-feet tall observation wheel offering panoramic views of the Orlando skyline.
The Park first opened in 2015, and while it’s never generated the same footfall as Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando Resort, it’s still popular with tourists and Florida residents alike.
In March 2022, however, the Park was hit by a tragic accident when a 14-year-old visitor from St. Louis, Missouri, fell from its then-star attraction, the Orlando Free Fall ride. Tyre Sampson slipped from his seat mid-ride due to a loose harness. It was later found that Orlando Free Fall ride operators had manually adjusted his restraint’s proximity sensors to allow for larger Guests.
Following months of investigation and evaluation, ICON Park confirmed on October 6, 2022, that the Orlando Free Fall ride would be permanently closed. The Slingshot Group – the owner and operator of the attraction – agreed to pay a $250,000 fine after settling a lawsuit with the State of Florida. Sampson’s family received an undisclosed sum after filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the Group. Earlier this year, the family also witnessed the dismantling of the Free Fall ride.
But Free Fall wasn’t the only ride to close. ICON Park’s SlingShot attraction – also owned by the SlingsShot Group – was also closed, despite playing no part in the incident.
Now, over a year later, the Park has reopened the attraction.
SlingShot CEO Ritchie Armstrong gave a statement to Spectrum News upon its reopening on May 12, 2023.
Today, we reopened the Slingshot ride on the south side of International Drive. We did this in close consultation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and all appropriate regulatory authorities. We also worked with a third party national safety company to guide our reopening procedures and help train the workers who will be operating the ride. It is important to know that this ride is a totally different ride from the FreeFall, which has been disassembled and removed from this property entirely. The safety of our patrons continues to be our highest priority, and that is why we were supportive of the Tyre Sampson Act being passed by the Florida Legislature this year.
On the same day, Florida gov Ron DeSantis signed the “Tyre Sampson Act” into law. This enforces tighter regulations on ride adjustments, signage, and training at smaller amusement parks, such as ICON Park.