Great Park Balloon Prepares to Fly

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A F ELITE MEETINGS INTERNATIONAL LOGO ELITE MEETINGS INTERNATIONAL LOGO Publishers of Elite Meetings magazine and www.EliteMeetings.net, and host of the Elite Meetings Alliance. (PRNewsFoto/Elite Meetings International)[KG] SANTA BARBARA, CA ...

    IRVINE, Calif., July 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The five story-tall,
 10,560-pound, iconic orange Great Park Balloon was filled today with 5,500
 cubic meters of helium in preparation for its official launch on July 14,
 2007. The Aerophile Corporation, the manufacturer of the Orange County
 Great Park Aero 30NG Balloon, inflated and prepared the giant tethered
 Balloon for lift-off. July 14, 2007 officially marks the first phase
 opening of the Orange County Great Park.
     (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070710/DCTU046 )
     "The Balloon is an uplifting symbol of the new destination point for
 all Orange County and soon all the nation," said Ken Smith, Orange County
 Great Park Master Designer. "I chose the Balloon because it clearly
 represents the uniqueness and creativity of this special park."
     A variety of vigorous activities took place to prepare the Balloon for
 actual inflation. First, the 210,000 cubic foot envelope was taken out of
 the box and spread flatly on the ground. Helium valves were inserted for
 use in inflating the Balloon. The Balloon was then carefully taken to the
 landing platform and attached to its cable. It is now inflated.
     The day-long work event preceded the official lift-off of the Balloon
 and California's first great metropolitan park of the 21st Century. The
 event serves as a visual symbol of the transformation of the site of the
 former El Toro Marine Air Station into the Orange County Great Park.
     The Balloon will carry up to 30 passengers 500 feet up in the air,
 providing them with an aerial view of the Park and surrounding community.
 Public Balloon rides will be available after the July 14 Balloon launch,
 Thursdays through Sundays.
     The Orange County Great Park, which is almost twice the size of Central
 Park, will be a major metropolitan park and the focal point of the
 redevelopment of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro.
 The Great Park will include extensive natural areas and open space in
 addition to recreational and cultural uses.
     For more information, please go to http://www.ocgp.org.
 
 

SOURCE The Orange County Great Park