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Crew places ceremonial evergreen on highest point of Manta as it reaches its pinnacle

Construction crews at SeaWorld Orlando fitted and secured into place the highest track portion of the park’s new flying coaster, Manta, 140 ft above ground. Upon fitting the piece into place, a ceremonial evergreen was placed atop the newly secured track segment.

SeaWorld will unleash the next generation of thrills with Manta -- a mega-attraction that dynamically transports guests from the awe of encountering rays in underwater flight… into the sensation of actually being one. Manta will inspire riders with amazing underwater animal habitats, then soar them face-down, in a horizontal position, aboard a manta-inspired steel coaster. Manta is slated to open summer 2009.

Signaling the attainment of the highest structural element of the construction of a building or other structure, a “tree topping” ceremony is a tradition traced back as far as 700 A.D. In the steel trade, the ceremonial ...