Today, Las Vegas has three roller coasters: Roller Coaster at New York-New York, Canyon Blaster at Adventuredome at Circus Circus, and Speed at the Sahara.
At one time, there was also a small roller coaster at the MGM Grand amusement park called the Lightning Bolt; in the beginning, it was indoors, but later on it was moved outside. And, of course, Stratosphere opened with the Hi Roller; this one lasted not quite 10 years, closing in late December 2005. Both were dismantled (not imploded).
Roller Coaster at New York-New York is a fun ride, with a 220-foot drop, a unique "heartline" barrel-roll turn, and great views of the big intersection of Tropicana and the Strip.
Canyon Blaster has double-loop and double-corkscrew turns. It's a fun, but short, ride.
Speed employs "slingshot" technology, which accelerates you from zero to seventy in two seconds flat. Ferocious! This ride also shoots you up a 224-foot needle. You return to base on the same track, only backwards. It's a fun ride, but lasts little more than a minute.
A fourth roller coaster is connected to Las Vegas. It's called Desperado, and it's located at Buffalo Bill’s in Primm, about 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas on I-15. Californians can easily stop for the ride on their way in or out of Las Vegas. Other roller coaster aficionados might also find the round trip worthwhile for this monster, among the highest and fastest in the world.
