We saw the installation for this earlier this season, and now it’s up and running, as the Quad Cities River Bandits (Low A; Midwest League) add a bumper-car amusement ride to Modern Woodmen Park.
A ribbon cutting for the Spin Zone Bumper Cars was held today at the ballpark. A set of five cars have been installed in the K&K Hardware Kids Zone adjacent to the Party Plaza down the first-base line at Modern Woodmen Park.
Each of the Spin Zone Bumper Cars from Amusement Products seat one driver, who controls the car with a lever on each side of the car. The drivers can bump their cars into one another, and for added excitement, if a driver hits another car on one of its Spin Zone Targets, that car will be sent into three 360-degree revolutions while it flashes LED lights – showing other drivers the car has been hit. The ride operator can also add to the fun with Chaos Mode that sends all cars into similar spins.
“Every kid loves bumper cars, so the Spin Zone Bumper Cars make a great addition to the Modern Woodmen Park amusements lineup,” said River Bandits owner Dave Heller. “Now, for the first time at any ballpark, our fans can create their own amusement experience – by driving the Spin Zone Bumper Cars, sending other cars into crazy spins, and delighting riders and viewers with a light show and unpredictable – and unforgettable – fun!”
The bumper cars add to the ballpark amusements, which includes the Ferris wheel atop the berm in left field, the Mediacom Drop’N Twist and Space Camp in the Party Plaza, as well as the dual zip line that operates on South Gaines Street outside the ballpark on game days. The amusements are open during all River Bandits home games, normally beginning 60 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. The Ferris wheel is also open every Saturday — weather permitting — from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., as well as Saturday non-game days 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
This won’t be the last amusement installation at the ballpark, as a new concrete area was installed down the third-base line earlier this summer.
Photo by Sean Flynn Photography.