The mayor of Green Bay signed an agreement Thursday to buy Elvis Presley’s favorite roller coaster. Jim Schmitt held a ceremony in which the city officially acquired the rights to the Zippin Pippin. It thrilled Elvis and countless others for years in Memphis, but the wooden roller coaster stopped running when the Memphis amusement park closed down in 2005.
Now, Green Bay will pay $35,000 to acquire the name, the design, and the history of the Zippin Pippin. And they’ll spend $3 million to re-create the classic ride at Bay Beach Amusement Park. Construction will begin this summer – and it’s scheduled to open in May of next year. Schmitt says Elvis would be proud of the city's purchase. He's looking for private funding for the ride, including, "kids with lemonade stands." Schmitt indicates they're also working on a menu adjustment to add Elvis' favorite food, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, to their concessions.