Baton Rouge residents now have the unique opportunity to plummet 100 feet into a net suspended approximately 25 feet above the ground, thanks to The Ultimate Drop, a new attraction on Bennington Avenue.
The “ride” is owned and operated by Tiger Thrill Rides, a company set up to fund the refuge centers and educational shows of Great Cats of the World.
“Tiger” Wayne Oxford, the vice president of Tiger Thrill Rides, said they rescue big cats, such as tigers and lions, from “unscrupulous people” who try to sell them on the internet, or from people who wanted them as pets and can not take care of them.
Oxford said the shows tour all over the country and put on educational presentations that teach people about big cats instead of making them do tricks.
Oxford said Great Cats of the World has been in business for more than twenty years.
The funding of Great Cats of the World through Tiger Thrill Rides is not advertised at The Ultimate Drop.
“It is not something we publicize,” Oxford said. “But, sometimes people ask why it is called Tiger Thrill Rides; then we tell them.”
Verle Creek, one of the operators of The Ultimate Drop, said the attraction has generated a lot of interest since the end of October, when they set up.
Creek said the majority of the people they drop are women, and very few participants back out.
Creek also has dropped a lot of people who were drunk.
“As long as they understand and do whatever I say, I’ll drop them,” Creek said.
Alvin Raetzsch was not drunk when he was dropped — he credited his jumping to peer pressure.
“I wouldn’t do it again, ever,” Raetzsch said. “I’m too much of a sissy. But, it is more fun when you’re scared … it’s more of a thrill.”
Creek said they have traveled all over the United States and parts of Canada with The Ultimate Drop.
Oxford said at the location on Bennington, they have not done as well as they would have hoped.
Oxford said, originally, the drop was to be set up in the parking lot at Walk-On’s, but resistance from the Co-Op Bookstore and Robert Day of R. W. Day and Associates, who share ownership of the lot, put a halt to the ride setting up in that location.
“Where we are now, we are not meeting our expenses,” Oxford said. “We have to be where the kids are. If they are in another part of town drinking, they are not going to drive all the way across town to do this.”
Oxford said this is the first time in the company’s two-year history that they have toured during the winter months — usually they travel during fair season and do state and county fairs.
“This is a whole new thing, trying to work in the winter,” Oxford said.
Oxford said for doing something like this, they have to plan to stay at a location for at least a month because of all the expenses, whereas at a fair, they can set up for far shorter time because there is more traffic and more people willing to drop.
Oxford said the only place they have set up, besides fairs, is near bars.
“[The drop] sometimes needs liquid encouragement,” Oxford said.