BY JOYCE BLAY
Staff Writer
JACKSON — Township officials have signed off on all permits and approvals for Six Flags Great Adventure’s new 11-acre Golden Kingdom, which includes a live tiger show, children’s rides and the Kingda Ka roller coaster.
Kingda Ka, which is billed as the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, made its debut on May 19.
The Tri-Town News reported early in May that not all of the attractions in the Golden Kingdom had received final approval from the municipality.
Township Administrator Andrew J. Salerno was quoted in the Tri-Town News saying, “A temporary certificate of occupancy was issued so that section could be used. We are working with them to resolve any outstanding issues. We’re looking at fencing and proximity, which were issues.”
The proximity issue was a reference to the location of the live tiger show and the children’s rides in the Golden Kingdom, which had been raised as an issue in the newspaper’s story.
All questions related to that were handled at the May 16 meeting of the Planning Board.
Planning Board member Robert Ryley said the board passed a resolution unanimously that evening to accept the park’s design for the Golden Kingdom without any changes. He said nothing was moved and all issues were settled.
Salerno provided the following information relating to final approval from the township:
• A wet play structure received a certificate of acceptance from the township on May 16.
• Footings and foundations for kiddie complex No. 1 structure towers F and G received a certificate of acceptance from the township on May 16.
• Footings and foundations for kiddie complex No. 2 play elements towers B, C, D and E received a certificate of acceptance from the township on April 22.
• Relocation for footings and foundations of several children’s rides received a certificate of acceptance from the township on April 29.
• Footings and foundations for kiddie complex No. 3 play element tower A received a certificate of acceptance from the township on April 29.
The Kingda Ka roller coaster is the centerpiece of Balin’s Jungleland, which is part of the 11-acre Golden Kingdom. The newest section of the park represents Great Adventure’s biggest expansion in 31 years. The theme park is on Route 537, about 1 mile west of Interstate 195.
E.J. Miranda, a spokesman for the state Department of Community Affairs, said on May 23 that the rides had received their permits the previous week.
“We issued permits at Six Flags last week for all the children’s rides, which are actually more like play structures,” he said. “We would not grant a permit unless the structures had received all necessary local approvals.”