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Roller coasters New York New York Circus Stratosphere Buffalo Bills
By Hubble Smith
Review-Journal
Butterflies fluttered in the stomachs of Denise and Kara Cirone as they ascended 200 feet to the top of the Manhattan Express roller coaster ride at New York-New York. The clackety-clack of the conveyor chain told them there's no turning back now.
The sisters, visiting Las Vegas from Pennsylvania, spotted the 4,777-foot track that winds around the hotel property from the Strip.
"We had to ride it," 26-year-old Denise Cirone said. "It was awesome."
Roller coasters serve as a magnet for New York-New York and several other Strip hotels, attracting thousands of riders a day.
"It's becoming an icon of the property," said Dave Cacci, president of New York-New York. "People associate the roller coaster with New York-New York."
With about 2 million riders a year, the $18 million Manhattan Express has almost paid for itself in the nearly two years that New York-New York has been open. Ticket prices for the three-minute ride have climbed from $5 to $7.
"I think $7 is a little high," Kara Cirone said. "I'm used to paying $16 or $20 for a whole (amusement) park. At least you get a little more return for your $7 than if you played slots, because I'd lose all my $7 on the slots....