What do a premier go-kart manufacturer like Amusement Products LLC, and a Bass Pro Shop world-class resort have in common? For starters, they both have a long-standing reputation for providing second-to-none quality products and services. In addition, both companies are dedicated to providing exceptional and positive, memorable customer experiences through their constant drive for industry leading and industry changing innovations, which result in what the family entertainment center industry refers to as “the WOW factor.”
What, then, do you get when Amusement Products partners with Bass Pro Shops’ Big Cedar Lodge? You get a racing experience like no other imaginable! Amusement Products, who has been manufacturing family entertainment center attractions since 1960, has recently completed track construction and production of 42 electric go-karts for Big Cedar Lodge’s Fun Mountain section of the resort in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri (near Branson). The 1,467’ road course track, constructed by Amusement Products’ sister company, Amusement Construction Co., consists of tighter and higher banked curves and more elevation changes than that of a traditional concrete go-kart race track, making for a thrilling race, time after time. A 252’ oval track, consisting of two straights and four left-corner turns as a speedway-type track, was also constructed by Amusement Construction. Both tracks offer the most state-of-the-art go-kart track racing available, complete with a race timing system so drivers can compare their statistics!
The pristine pit area of Big Cedar Lodge’s Fun Mountain go-kart track, also constructed by Amusement Construction Co., is now home to 34 single-seat Stockart go-karts and 12 two-seat Stockart Plus One go-karts, which are all powered by Amusement Products’ industry award-winning ThunderVolt electric operating system. The features, versatility and control of Amusement Products proprietary ThunderVolt operating system has blown away what gas go-karts can do for a go-kart track. Since revolutionizing the electric go-kart industry in 2007 with the Dynamo Electric Kart System, Amusement Products has continued to lead the electric go-kart revolution by constantly evolving system features and innovations with the ThunderVolt system. These features have dramatically and consistently improved race performance, safety, ride control and customer satisfaction. This system can operate in one of four racing speeds, with the ability to slow down individual karts during a race in as little as one mile per hour increments. Another function of the ThunderVolt operating system is an on-board audio system that provides an immersive racing experience that no other operating system in the world can offer. Audio includes starting message and rules, racing tips, television/radio announcer commentary, realistic accelerator-sensitive race engine sounds throughout the race, and much more. These features are the perfect accompaniment to Big Cedar’s NASCAR-themed Fun Mountain race track, and gives their customers the “wow” factor that can only be realized with Amusement Products innovative electric karts and operating system. There is even a rider-controlled reverse capability that allows the driver to correct for a spin-out without attendant assistance. This feature results in less labor cost because the race doesn’t have to be suspended longer than necessary due to an attendant running to the disabled kart to physically correct the situation! A programmable boost feature is also available that will allow a driver to increase their speed a certain number of times around the track to strategically improve their standing in the race.
The karts rely on Amusement Products’ Park & Charge System to stay charged between races, which saves thousands of dollars per year in labor from manually plugging and unplugging the go-karts. The automatic system starts charging the karts in only two seconds after they stop in the pit and recharge the batteries in three to four minutes to 95%+ (full), which can triple battery life.
Each Amusement Products go-kart is constructed from the ground up, utilizing precision laser-cutting that results in the most durable frame on the market, high-impact molded plastic or fiberglass bodies with gel-coated finishes, decal packages, and bumper systems that have withstood over ten years on tracks around the world without repair or replacement.
Amusement Products has been proud to collaborate with an esteemed partner such as Bass Pro Shops to develop and deliver the quality products and services on which their brand relies to provide the best customer experiences their resort can offer. In addition to the go-kart tracks and go-karts, Amusement Products has also equipped Big Cedar Lodge’s Fun Mountain with a 12-car, 3,336 sq. ft. Flip Zone bumper car arena, the only bumper car in the world that will spin and flip 360 degrees, and a 10-car, 1,348 sq. ft. Spin Zone bumper car arena, the original non-electric bumper car that changed the bumper car industry forever.
(by Rick Johnson, Director of Marketing for Amusement Products, LLC)