Hershey Entertainment Complex

Last updated January 14, 2020

The Hershey Entertainment Complex is a multi acre facility in Derry Township, Pennsylvania. It houses Hersheypark, Hersheypark Stadium, Star Pavilion, Hersheypark Arena, Giant Center, and the former Parkview Golf Course.

Hersheypark

The premier attraction at the complex is Hersheypark. Hersheypark is a multi acre amusement park featuring over eleven roller coasters and many water rides (see The Boardwalk at Hersheypark - below.) Many kiddie and family rides are also included with the parks flat admission rate. Hersheypark is known as the country's Cleanest and Greenest Park.^{[ citation needed ]}

Hersheypark Stadium

The Hersheypark Stadium is a multi-seat dual-side concrete structure located in the middle of the complex. It seats 15,000 for football and soccer events, and over 30,000 for concerts. It is home to the Summer Concert Series, the Big 33 Football Classic, PIAA Football and Soccer Championships and other local uses by the local area and by HE&R. On August 12, 2009 Blink-182, Panic! At the Disco, and Fall Out Boy performed here for a stop on Blink-182's summer reunion tour.

The Star Pavilion

The Star Pavilion at Hersheypark Stadium is located at the north end of Hersheypark Stadium (see above). It only hosts small concerts (up to 7,500) on both reserved seating and General Admission (on the Grass/Hill).

Hersheypark Arena

Hersheypark Arena is one of the oldest standing ice rinks left standing in the United States today. Built in 1939 for the Hershey Bears hockey team, it has aged over the years and forced the company to build the Giant Center at the other end (west end) of the complex. The arena used to host ice hockey games, the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, WWE Wrestling and small concerts (seating capacity is about 7,000.) Today it is used for local hockey team practice, as a small concert venue, for youth hockey games, public skating, and as a meeting place for companies. This was where Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single NBA game.

Giant Center

The Giant Center, located at 950 W. Hersheypark Drive, is the premier enclosed arena in central Pennsylvania. Built in 2002 as a replacement for the historic Hersheypark Arena, which was aging rapidly and did not have a large enough capacity for events, the GIANT Center is the largest arena in South Central Pennsylvania. The GIANT Center is owned by The Township of Derry.

Emergency Preparedness

In March 2008 the Hershey Entertainment Complex was certified as StormReady by the National Weather Service. This is awarded to communities and organizations/compaines that are prepared for Severe Weather. The Hershey Entertainment Complex was certified based on their emergency action procedures, emergency evacuation plans and evacuation shelter(s) capability. The complex contains an extensive system of CCTV Security Cameras, trained security personal and extensive weather spotting and detecting systems.^[1]

Related Research Articles

Derry Township is a township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 24,679 at the 2010 census, up from 21,273 at the 2000 census. Hershey, the site of the well-known Hershey's chocolate factory and its affiliated amusement park, are located within the township. Pennsylvania State University's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital are also located on a large tract of land in the township.

Hershey is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. Hershey's chocolates are made in Hershey, which was founded by candy magnate Milton S. Hershey.

Hersheypark is a family theme park situated in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, about 15 miles (24 km) east of Harrisburg, and 95 miles (153 km) west of Philadelphia. Founded in 1906 by Milton S. Hershey, as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company, it is wholly and privately owned by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company as of 2016. It has won several awards, including the IAAPA Applause Award.

The Hershey Bears are an American professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The current Bears club has played in the American Hockey League since the 1938–39 season making it the longest continuously operating member club of the league still playing in its original city.

Giant Center is a 10,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a census-designated place in the Harrisburg metropolitan area. It is home to the Hershey Bears ice hockey team, the longest-existing member of the American Hockey League since 1938. Giant Center replaced the Hersheypark Arena as the Bears' home venue in 2002.

Hersheys Chocolate World American visitor and indoor attraction center

Hershey’s Chocolate World is the name of eight visitor centers that started in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States.

Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company is a privately held corporation based in Pennsylvania. Milton S. Hershey established HE&R in 1927 to distinguish and separate his chocolate manufacturing company from his other business ventures. All of his non-chocolate producing businesses were established as Hershey Estates, renamed Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company in 1980.

Hersheypark Stadium is a stadium located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on the grounds of Hersheypark. It opened on May 18, 1939.

Pennsylvania Route 39 (PA 39) is a 17.83 miles (28.69 km) state highway located in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. PA 39 begins at North Front Street near Harrisburg and ends at U.S. Route 322 and U.S. Route 422 near Hummelstown and Hershey. The route passes through the northern and eastern suburbs of Harrisburg and passes by Hersheypark, Giant Center, as well as the primary production factory for The Hershey Company. Between Harrisburg and Manada Hill, it is known as Linglestown Road, from Manada Hill to Hershey as Hershey Road and from Hershey to near Hummelstown and Hershey as Hersheypark Drive. Prior to the establishment of PA 39 in 1937, PA 39, had previously been designated as a route in northeastern Pennsylvania during the 1920s. That designation was deleted when it was renumbered US 11. As a result, PA 39 is one of a few routes which has a set of child routes which are no where near the primary route.

Hersheypark Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, managed by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company. The arena has a seating capacity, for hockey, of 7,286 people and in excess of 8,000, including standing room.

Coal Cracker is a classic hydroflume ride located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The ride was installed by Arrow Development in 1973, making it the oldest water ride at Hersheypark still in daily operation. It has a unique layout, due to the terrain features of this part of the park.

The Star Pavilion is a music and entertainment venue in Hersheypark Stadium located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States.

The California Vulcans are the intercollegiate sports teams and players that represent California University of Pennsylvania, which is located in California, Pennsylvania. The Vulcans participate in the NCAA Division II in all sports and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in most sports. The school colors are Red and Black. The mascot of California is Blaze the Vulcan.

Skyrush is an Intamin prototype Wing Coaster with winged seating at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It opened to the general public on May 26, 2012. Skyrush is Hersheypark's 12th roller coaster, and its third coaster made by Intamin. Skyrush is the second tallest and second fastest roller coaster located at Hersheypark. Skyrush features a 212-foot (65 m) cable lift that raises the train at a 20-mile-per-hour (32 km/h) rate. The roller coaster is located in The Hollow section of Hersheypark, next to the Comet and SooperDooperLooper, and the ride itself is mainly set above Spring Creek.

The history of Hersheypark begins with the founding of the town of Hershey in 1903. The owner of the Hershey Chocolate Company surveyed a nearby area of land, which was to become a leisure park for the employees of his chocolate company. People began visiting the grounds of the future park in 1904 and 1905, while the park's first pavilion was built in the fall of 1905. The park was formally opened on May 30, 1906, when the park opened as Hershey Park. The park slowly added rides until 1923, when the first roller coaster, Wild Cat, was built. From then on, rides were regularly added, except during World War II. The park was redeveloped into Hersheypark in 1970, through a multi-phase project. Since then, the park has added ten roller coasters, expanded to over 110 acres, and features many other attractions including shows with sea lions, well-known acts including Weird Al Yankovic and Duff Goldman from Charm City Cakes in the Hersheypark Amphitheater, and a short-lived laser light show.

The Miniature Railroad was a ride at Hersheypark from 1910 until 1971. The train ran a course along Park Boulevard, near the intersection with Park Avenue, around Spring Creek into Comet Hollow. It was the second ride Milton S. Hershey purchased for his park, after buying a carousel. While the railroad is no longer in operation, the train has been undergoing restoration since 2007, and was first publicly displayed in 2011.

Laff Trakk is an indoor-spinning steel roller coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The roller coaster was designed by Maurer AG while the indoor theming was designed by Raven Sun Creative. Laff Trakk is Hersheypark's 13th current roller coaster and is located in the Midway America section of the park, adjacent to the Whip and Merry-Derry-Dip attractions. The site of the coaster is on the former location of Granny Bugs, Miniature Train, and Pony Parade, three kinds of kiddie rides. The coaster is considered a "glow coaster" because of the interior theming of the ride which appears to glow in the dark. The ride track is black-blue as is its support, with the ride vehicles being violet. The theming also recalls past funhouses that were in Hersheypark between 1930 and 1972. Laff Trakk opened to the general public on May 23, 2015.

Candymonium is an upcoming steel hypercoaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Constructed by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride is set to open in summer 2020 with the new Hershey's Chocolatetown themed section of the park. It will be the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the park, achieving a top speed slightly faster than Skyrush and being 10 feet (3.0 m) taller than the latter.

References

↑ "www.stormready.noaa.gov". Archived from the original on 2008-08-09. Retrieved 2020-01-13.

Coordinates: 40°17′01″N76°40′06″W / 40.283602°N 76.668402°W / 40.283602; -76.668402

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[1] "www.stormready.noaa.gov". Archived from the original on 2008-08-09. Retrieved 2020-01-13.