The Texas sky just got a little more crowded. Six Flags Over Texas has completed installation of the world’s tallest vertical roller coaster loop — a jaw-dropping 179-foot steel structure that towers 18 stories above the Arlington theme park.
The milestone marks a significant construction checkpoint for Tormenta Rampaging Run, a record-shattering “giga dive coaster” slated to open before the end of 2026. Park officials celebrated the achievement Thursday night with a special lighting ceremony that illuminated the massive loop for the first time.
“Tonight, Texas raised the bar for thrill rides around the world,” Park Manager Mark Boyer declared during the event. “The completion of the world’s tallest vertical loop is a once-in-a-generation engineering achievement and a bold sign of what’s ahead when Tormenta Rampaging Run opens later this year.”
Breaking Records at Every Turn
Just how impressive is Tormenta? The coaster will shatter six world records when it opens, including tallest dive coaster (309 feet), fastest dive coaster (87 mph), and longest dive coaster track (4,199 feet). Perhaps most stomach-dropping is its beyond-vertical 95-degree plunge that sends riders plummeting 285 feet toward the ground.
The newly completed vertical loop, while impressive on its own, is just one element of what Six Flags is positioning as its most ambitious coaster project ever. The ride is now more than halfway through vertical construction, with crews working to complete the remaining track sections that will include a 218-foot Immelmann inversion — yet another world record for the attraction.
Manufactured by renowned coaster design firm Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), Tormenta will be the world’s first giga coaster to feature inversions, according to industry classifications. In coaster terminology, “giga” refers to any roller coaster exceeding 300 feet in height.
Curious what the experience might feel like? Six Flags has already released an official POV (point-of-view) animation video showing the full ride experience from a rider’s perspective.
A New Icon for Arlington
The massive attraction is being constructed in the Spain section of the theme park, which first opened in 1961 as the original Six Flags property. Boyer believes Tormenta will become more than just a ride — it’s already reshaping the Arlington skyline.
“This milestone marks the moment Tormenta became a true skyline icon,” he told local officials. “We cannot wait for guests to experience the full power of this one-of-a-kind thrill machine.”
Why go so extreme? The theme park industry has increasingly turned to record-breaking attractions to drive attendance and generate buzz in a competitive entertainment landscape. Six Flags Over Texas, which has seen several of its once-record-breaking coasters surpassed by newer installations around the world, appears intent on reclaiming some serious bragging rights.
The park confirms that Tormenta Rampaging Run will be their most significant investment in years. When complete, the coaster will feature a distinctive “dive” element where trains momentarily hang over the first drop, giving riders several terrifying seconds to contemplate the nearly vertical plunge ahead.
For thrill-seekers marking their calendars, the exact opening date hasn’t been announced, though park representatives have consistently indicated a late 2026 debut. One thing’s certain — with its newly completed record-breaking loop now dominating the park’s profile, Tormenta is making its presence known long before the first riders ever board.
