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Maryland Is The Home To Worldwide Leaders In Thrill Ride Business

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's one of the leaders in the thrill ride and amusement park business, and it's located on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Ride Entertainment draws up plans for roller coasters and parks in the United States and around the world.

"We've done projects pretty much everywhere. We have some ongoing projects in China, we've done work in Japan, we have a 240-foot tower ride there," said Adam Sandy, chief development officer for Ride Entertainment. "Attractions in South Korea, a lot of work going on in Dubai right now. Pretty much anywhere you can think of outside of Antarctica, we've kind of planted our flag with one of our attractions."

The Stevensville based company is celebrating its 20th year in business, with more than 200 thrill rides launched to market and over a $500,000 in sales sine it was founded in 1998.

"We've got about 15 full-time people and about 140 part-time people. All the part-time people are in our operations group in New York because we operate seven attractions there," Sandy added.

Ride Entertainment is currently working on the American Dream project in the Meadowlands, New Jersey. The location is just four-and-a-half miles from the Lincoln Tunnel and includes two roller coasters.

"That project is real exciting and will open next year. It will be the largest entertainment construction project in the world. Our two coasters are the anchor of this attraction," Sandy said. "One coaster is the spinning coaster which spins four people around the track. The bigger ride is the Launch Euro-Fighter. It will be the king of roller coasters in the New York area."

Ride Entertainment was founded in 1998 by CEO Ed Hiller. The company has worked on hundreds of family and thrill ride projects.

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