About Erik Chalhoub

Erik Chalhoub is the Magazine Editor at New SV Media in Gilroy (and a roller coaster fanatic!). He is also the proud recipient of the 2016 ACE NorCal Richard Tuck Spirit Award.

ACE tours Great America, honors Spirit Award recipients

ACE tours Great America, honors Spirit Award recipients

California’s Great America opens for the 2019 season on March 23, but for ACE members, the season typically kicks off much earlier than that. Such was the case on March 9, when Great America hosted ACE for the seventh annual behind-the-scenes tour, where members got the chance to not only check out the ongoing improvements, […]

Unique single-rail coaster RailBlazer opens at Great America

Unique single-rail coaster RailBlazer opens at Great America

For each of the past few seasons, California’s Great America has introduced a major new attraction. In 2016, the park took guests into space with Mass Effect: New Earth, and later that year, introduced WinterFest, adding millions of Christmas lights. In 2017, Great America’s Vortex coaster got a floorless remake and transformed into Patriot. Yet, […]

Great America 2018 preview: Construction, food, expanded entertainment and more

Great America 2018 preview: Construction, food, expanded entertainment and more

Last year, ACE NorCal’s annual California’s Great America preseason tour hit a record attendance of nearly 60 members and guests, all eager to get a glimpse at what was new for the 2017 season. This year, ACE NorCal smashed that record, two-fold. More than 130 ACE members and guests packed Great America on Feb. 24 […]

RailBlazer construction update, Oct. 21, 2017: Track arrives on site

RailBlazer construction update, Oct. 21, 2017: Track arrives on site

Work has ramped up on RailBlazer’s construction at California’s Great America. In the past week, heavy equipment has arrived on scene, and crews have drilled holes for foundation work. CGA also received the first shipment of track from Rocky Mountain Construction’s Idaho facility. That wraps up this update. Great America closes for the season on […]

New prototype coaster at Great America pays homage to California scenery

New prototype coaster at Great America pays homage to California scenery

National Roller Coaster Day was celebrated in a big way on Aug. 16, when California’s Great America introduced its newest coaster, RailBlazer. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction, RailBlazer is a prototype coaster based on RMC’s new “Raptor” model. Eight riders will traverse in a single file train on a single rail, giving riders a unique […]

Great America teases 2018 coaster

Great America teases 2018 coaster

California’s Great America has been teasing a new roller coaster at the park for 2018, dubbed “Project SR1.” In late June, observant park visitors noticed a set of painted white tire tracks leading to a construction stake placed in the large grassy area that formerly housed the Invertigo coaster. Written on the stake was “2018” […]