Athens, TX (February, 2020) – Extreme Engineering is pleased to have contributed to Dollywood’s Wildwood Grove Expansion project. Dollywood was a recipient of the Thea Classic Award in 2019 where Extreme Engineering contributed on the tree project. The creative team from Life Formations, an industry leader in theming and animatronics, and Weigel show controls, along with Extreme Engineering, built Dollywood’s latest expansion project at Wildwood Grove. Extreme Engineering turnkeyed the entire steel structure, providing the structural engineering, design, P.E. stamping, project management and fabrication of the massive structure. The structure had to also meet CWS and D1.1 weld standards.
Pictured: Extreme Engineering’s weld team fabricating center tree column.
Dollywood’s “Tree of Life” measured at over 50 feet tall and 50 feet wide. The tree had to include hundreds of custom designed branches that would be easily clocked and bolted to the base. Each branch had to hold over 650 lighted butterflies, including over 9,000 leaves. “The tree looked impressive just with the steel structure alone, but when LifeFormations started adding their amazing theming talent to the branches the tree started to come to life,” states Phil Wilson, Executive Vice President of Extreme Engineering. Custom, hand-laid tree texture was individually applied to the hundreds of steel branches. The custom butterflies were airbrushed with LifeFormations theming experts.
Pictured: Steel branches for tree and theming being applied to each branch.
The base of the tree was anchored to a thick poured concrete slab that supported the 50 foot tall structure. The center of the tree was then raised by crane and bolted into place, while the themed fiberglass skin was slid over and mounted to the steel fixtures. Extreme Engineering’s steel tree immediately started to take shape as each branch, one-by-one, was bolted into place. “The installation process was simply amazing. All three teams from each company really pulled it together,” says Jeff Wilson, CEO of Extreme Engineering.
Pictured: Photo of crane lowering theming around main tree column and branches being bolted to tree.
Shortly after the Wildwood Grove Tree was completed for Dollywood, the theme park’s celebration of the new expansion showcased the lit up tree with Dolly Parton performing. The Wildwood Tree has become the latest iconic landmark for Dollywood’s theme park. Extreme Engineering will be Gold Sponsoring the TEA Summit this April at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The company will also be celebrating their 25th year Anniversary.
Pictured: Dolly Parton performing under Wildwood Tree at Dollywood.
About Extreme Engineering
With over 25 years in experience, Extreme Engineering has been globally recognized as the primary supplier in engineering design, fabrication, family roller coasters and adventure rides. With thrill rides such as the Cloud Coaster roller coaster, High-Action Adventure parks and Fly Wire ziplines, Extreme Engineering now holds 14 industry awards.
For more information on Extreme Engineering’s Engineering Design Services:
https://extremeengineering.com/engineering-design-fabrication/
For more information on TEA:
http://www.teaconnect.org/index.cfm
For more information on LifeFormations:
For more information on Weigl:
