After Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure begins building its next skyline icon

A year after Kingda Ka was demolished, Six Flags Great Adventure is preparing to raise its next skyline-defining roller coaster.

The park said Tuesday that a construction crane, which will stand about 450 feet tall when fully assembled, has arrived for “Project Purple,” the working name for its still-unnamed 2027 roller coaster. Six Flags said the ride is expected to rank among the five tallest roller coasters in the world and set multiple records.

The crane’s arrival marks one of the most visible construction milestones yet for the project, which follows the removal of Kingda Ka, the 456-foot launch coaster that once towered over the Jackson theme park.

Six Flags has not released the new ride’s official name, final height, speed, or full specifications.

“The scale of this project continues to come into focus with each new construction milestone,” Ryan Eldredge, director of sales and marketing at Six Flags Great Adventure, said in a statement. “The arrival of the crane represents another exciting step toward bringing this groundbreaking attraction to life and gives guests a sense of just how impressive the finished coaster will be.”

Six Flags said the crane’s main structure rises about 350 feet and will be fitted with an additional jib, allowing it to reach about 450 feet. Crews will use the crane to install some of the coaster’s highest track and support components, according to the park.

The crane height does not necessarily indicate the coaster’s final height. Six Flags said additional details, including the ride’s official name and specifications, will be announced later.

Construction has accelerated throughout the spring, the park said, with multiple launch sections already installed and track work continuing across the site. The coaster remains on track for a 2027 debut.

The project is part of a broader transformation at Six Flags Great Adventure following the retirement of several older attractions, including Kingda Ka and Green Lantern. Kingda Ka opened in 2005 and was once billed as the tallest roller coaster in the world, reaching 456 feet and launching riders up to 128 mph.

The investment also comes less than two years after Six Flags and Cedar Fair completed an $8 billion merger, creating a combined company that operates under the Six Flags name. The company’s regional portfolio includes Great Adventure in Jackson and Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in the Lehigh Valley.

While Six Flags has not described Project Purple as a direct Kingda Ka replacement, the new coaster is being positioned as the park’s next major thrill ride and a successor to the skyline role Kingda Ka held for nearly two decades.

The coaster construction is unfolding alongside Shoreline Pier, a Boardwalk refresh Six Flags has promoted for the 2026 season. The park’s website says the reimagined area is now open and features Wave Swinger, Super Roundup, Barrels O’ Fun, Flying Scooters, and Hypno Twister, along with boardwalk-style food, games, and coastal theming.

Six Flags has also announced other 2026 upgrades, including the return of in-park boarding for Safari Off-Road Adventure, substantial new trackwork on El Toro, refreshed dining locations, additional live entertainment, and more than 600 new Wi-Fi access points across the destination.

A May 27 video update from park-focused YouTube creator Colinwood Studios showed the Project Purple tower structure beginning to take shape from several guest areas, including the parking lot, Boardwalk, Big Wheel, and Superman Plaza.

In the video, the creator described multiple large support sections as connected and said the structure was beginning to show the scale of the future ride.

The same video showed visible progress in the Shoreline Pier area. The creator observed Hypno Twister, Super Roundup, and Flying Scooters being tested repeatedly, while Wave Swinger and Barrels O’ Fun appeared to have more work remaining at the time.

For guests, the crane’s arrival means the park’s post-Kingda Ka era is becoming harder to miss. After months of demolition, site preparation, and lower-level construction, Six Flags Great Adventure is now beginning the vertical phase of building its next major skyline icon.