Planning Sought For Helium Balloon Ride

April 16, 2018

[Updated + Written by Don Burgess]

A proposal for a helium balloon ride for Dockyard has been submitted to planning.

Consort Cruises hopes operate the tethered helium balloon in the area near Fun Golf and Snorkel Park.

Geralyn Roberts, president, told Bernews, much work has to be done so “we’re in the process but it’s not going to be ready for this year as the actual structure has to be built. We have approval for the location and we have the balloon on order.

“We’ve had this idea for a couple of years,” Ms Roberts said. “We’re in the charter boat business and were looking for activities that are a little different for our tourists.”

She said the concept is similar to the one at Disney Springs in Florida.

The balloon ride at Disney Springs in Florida:

“It’s all hoisted by winches so it is cable-operated with three back-up safety systems.”

Mrs Roberts said the foundation would be 200 feet and everything would be bolted down as safety is a paramount feature of the balloon ride.

She said the balloon can go as high as 1,500 feet but they will limit it here to 400 feet.

“The entire island will be visible,” Mrs Roberts said. “”But it will just go up and down and it’s a 10-minute ride.”

She added the basket would be large enough to perform weddings in it for tourists and locals alike.

“We’re also looking at zip-lining,” added Mrs Roberts. “We’re just trying to find the right location and have something different for our tourists.

“Hopefully, it won’t just attract cruise ship passengers but visitors to the island in general and things for Bermudians to do as well.”

Update 12.19pm: As a correction, planning permission has not been granted at this location so the above has been amended.

Government confirms that “an application for a tethered balloon was granted at a property near Rockaway Ferry back in February but no building permit has been issued as of yet,” – that is a separate business.

“Additionally, an application [P0116/18] was received April 3 for a tethered helium balloon attraction in the north Sallyport area in Dockyard which is currently under review by the Department of Planning,” – which is this matter.

Read More About

Category: All, Business, Entertainment, News

Comments (35)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Montgolfier says:

    Is this in addition to a balloon planned for Morgan’s Point or has the venue been switched to Dockyard?

  2. Onion Juice says:

    Very nice concept, but due to the fact that the male life expectancy in my culture is uncertain (some due to certain social biasness), I refuse to engage in any life threatening activity ie. bungy jumping, sky diving or any other adreneline drivin activity that may shorten my life span.
    Ill take my chances being stopped by trigger happy cops in the States.
    But its a very nice concept and I hope it does well.

    • Ok (the real one) says:

      Bikes and gangs…how is this social bias?

      • Onion Juice says:

        What part of SOME dont you understand?
        Dipstick

        • Ok says:

          Name me one due to social bias? Clown

          • Onion Juice says:

            Stress from neglect and biased favoritism in the economic and social status.
            Government Census indicate that Black IB workers get paid less then their white counter parts (and thats Worldwide) along with the other road blocks ie. Top positions, bank loans and buisness networking to name a few, which causes STRESS and STRESS kills.

        • Anbu says:

          Well at least we know there will be one less D-bag there

    • sandgrownan says:

      Nicely put.

    • wahoo juice says:

      This a story about helium not hot air….stay on topic.

    • northrock says:

      “Ill take my chances being stopped by trigger happy cops in the States.”

      I’d love to see that, I’m sure you’d do very well ;)

  3. Cow Polly says:

    Cool!

  4. Toodle-oo says:

    Is this a different company than the one we recently heard was going to be set up near the Rockaway ferry/Morgan’s Point ?

  5. Stephen Thomson says:

    Well done. This is exactly the sort of thing Bermuda needs. Fun, creative and exciting things for both residents and visitors to enjoy.
    The zip line should have happened too but sadly it was blocked by shallow thinking people that didn’t want their lunch spot disturbed with tourists sailing overhead. I encourage the government and planning to approve and support more ventures that entrepreneurs propose. Bermuda, the land of “no” needs to move quickly to catch up. I applaud all concerned .

    • cow polly says:

      The zip line was blocked and yet the ATV’s were given the go ahead????

      Get the Colonel on it!

      • Legalgirl says:

        Maybe they didn’t tick the “friends and family” box on the application?

    • Onion Juice says:

      We must be mindful due to the size of our Island we cant over populate it with entities that may stifle the uniqueness we have that makes us attractive. We are too expensive to compete with our cousins to the South of us but only a few hours away from the East Coast gives us an advantage so we need to capitalizeon that.
      But to say we need to move quickly to catch up, catch up with who and what?
      If the Islands to the South of us are cheaper and they offer the same outlets then we need to find what works for us without compromising the value of our Island’s uniqueness.

      • Jus' Wonderin' says:

        you’re definitely an old person lmfao…pipe down

    • Onion Juice says:

      Move quickly to catch up who?

      • wahoo juice says:

        You just replied three times to one comment. Also I have no cousins to the South we are too expensive and one of the things that makes us that way are the unions and we live in a place where it is acceptable for it to take 7 months to build a bus shelter, one day to lay twelve block and 3 years to put us in debt of $3B.

  6. Ok (the real one) says:

    What happens in Gail force or hurricanes?

    • Yes I says:

      Think about it for a second, the answer will come to you.

      • Ok says:

        It’s helium..so you can’t just deflate it….tell me….

        • Wahoo says:

          It deflates and helium is held in storage tank.

    • Zevon says:

      Oh yeah. I’m sure no one thought about that.

    • Toodle-oo says:

      Who is Gail Force and how do you get in her ? ?

  7. wahoo juice says:

    Oh boy another way to get high.

  8. Delphine says:

    Quelle petit bourgeois!