 
Goose
Member
Username: Goose
Post Number: 53
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 6:39 pm: |    |
so is the coach insignia in the space of the old summit??? i heard the place no longer "rotates", i wonder why not?? too cheezy??? busted up mechanicals??? too expensive to maintain??? any insight??? i always thought it was kinda cool but i guess if you look back on it, it was a cheezy 80's ploy to attract guests..... |
Johnlodge
Member
Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 3535
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 6:41 pm: | |
Seems like one of those things that if it broke once, might get fixed, but if it broke again, f it. |
401don
Member
Username: 401don
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 6:57 pm: | |
It took one hour for a revolution at the old Summit. I don't think it was cheezy. Still rotating restaurants around i.e. at top of CN tower. I remember reading something about when they moved the kitchen further down for the new restaurant it wasn't going to be practical for it to rotate any more. |
Hpgrmln
Member
Username: Hpgrmln
Post Number: 267
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 7:20 pm: | |
Basically, yeah. Cost and practicality. The mechanicals are reportedly still underneath the floor, they just don't have it hooked up. |
That_gurl_kat
Member
Username: That_gurl_kat
Post Number: 34
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 7:37 pm: | |
I LOVED it! You could take your time, enjoy your dinner and look out across the city, the river, the bridge, etc - a different point of view every minute.
Quite spectacular... hardly cheesy. |
Thecarl
Member
Username: Thecarl
Post Number: 1119
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 7:51 pm: | |
the spinning restaurant becomes too confusing after too much chianti. |
Jtw
Member
Username: Jtw
Post Number: 192
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Friday, November 09, 2007 - 9:25 pm: | |
after too much chianti, the restaurant spins itself. no need for mechanicals. |
Dannaroo
Member
Username: Dannaroo
Post Number: 171
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 1:46 pm: | |
I think I remember reading somewhere that that was actually the fastest rotating restaurant in the world. |
Jt1
Member
Username: Jt1
Post Number: 10745
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 2:12 pm: | |
The owners stated that fixing the mechanicals would have cost over $1MM and would have stopped the project from becoming economically feasible. |
Sfds
Member
Username: Sfds
Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 6:55 pm: | |
My friends and assorted "out of towners" loved it. On clear days the views were great. Usually went for drinks.
The old line of if you want a good meal don't eat places that move, holds up amazingly well ...rotating restaurants, dinner cruises, dinner trains, air planes, etc. |
Charlottepaul
Member
Username: Charlottepaul
Post Number: 2010
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 9:51 pm: | |
"I LOVED it! You could take your time, enjoy your dinner and look out across the city, the river, the bridge, etc - a different point of view every minute. Quite spectacular... hardly cheesy."
How about just walk around the circle and look at the views? Much cheaper and easier than rotating the whole damn restaurant! |
Thecarl
Member
Username: Thecarl
Post Number: 1121
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 9:59 pm: | |
compromise: the restaurant remains stationary, and all the tables are lazy susan's. |
Burnsie
Member
Username: Burnsie
Post Number: 1200
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 10:13 pm: | |
Goose wrote, "cheezy 80's ploy."
It actually rotated from its opening in 1977. |
That_gurl_kat
Member
Username: That_gurl_kat
Post Number: 36
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 11:44 pm: | |
It wasn't about just being able to see the views Charlottepaul... it was the whole experience whislt dining. We would go for leisurely dinners and drinks and the revolving room added to the experience.
As for your comment about it being cheaper to just walk around - if the pricey menu is an issue for someone, perhaps they should choose a restaurant more in line with their budget. |
Sirrealone
Member
Username: Sirrealone
Post Number: 45
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 12, 2007 - 11:47 am: | |
I've been there twice, both as Coach. Even without the spinning, it's still a phenomenal view. The way the restaurant is laid out, there's enough open space so that you can easily walk around and look at the view from all sides without getting lost or intruding on other diners. |
Mtm
Member
Username: Mtm
Post Number: 267
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 2:34 pm: | |
Didn't it used to slightly jerk from time to time? Or was that the cocktails?
It was great in the old days.
But I often got a kick out of folks in the elevators who HAD to face the doors and wouldn't look out while it was in motion. Same effect, though to a lesser degree for those riding up in the office towers. |
Islandman
Member
Username: Islandman
Post Number: 1143
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 2:38 pm: | |
401don,
Did they ramp it up during the Grand Prix? I could have sworn it went around quicker than an hour during the races.. |
Kenp
Member
Username: Kenp
Post Number: 871
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 2:48 pm: | |
I always enjoyed watching people move the their table up to the glass only to realize those pillars by the windows were stationary. |
Mallory
Member
Username: Mallory
Post Number: 216
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 8:50 am: | |
Hour my ass, make it every five minutes and I'm there! Seriously, I haven't been there in YEARS. Anyone go lately? How was the food? |
One_shot
Member
Username: One_shot
Post Number: 339
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 1:17 pm: | |
I remember when it used to rotate and I thought that was cool! The last time I was there was in the Coach era and no more spinning. Kinda boring if you don't sit facing the view you want. I think they made a mistake by disabling it. It was one of the unique features of the place. |
Msamslex
Member
Username: Msamslex
Post Number: 15
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 2:21 pm: | |
Mom took me there for lunch, think it was in "84" when I was going through a rough time to cheer me up. Was late winter/early spring. There were big chunks of ice that hadn't melted yet in the river. Don't remember what I had to eat, but I did enjoy the view as we rotated around. |
Jt1
Member
Username: Jt1
Post Number: 10781
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 2:24 pm: | |
quote: I think they made a mistake by disabling it
They didn't disable it, they didn't have the money to fix it. Big difference. |
401don
Member
Username: 401don
Post Number: 21
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 2:43 pm: | |
Islandman, not sure if you're kidding about the grand prix bit or not. The only time I was there was the year the Ren Cen opened. As an opening special,we got a room for $79 with a $35 Summit dinner voucher included! The waiter told us it was one hour for a full revolution. I still have my souvenir glasses. |
Mtm
Member
Username: Mtm
Post Number: 268
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 3:12 pm: | |
...I also have a souvenir "glass" from the early days. Its shaped like the center tower of the RenCen and, though it originally contained a cocktail, its ceramic rather than glass. |
Islandman
Member
Username: Islandman
Post Number: 1149
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 3:25 pm: | |
401,
Not kidding. When the Grand Prix was downtown I saw the race from the Summit Restaurant a few times. Just thought it went around faster than that, but it was many years ago. |
Waz
Member
Username: Waz
Post Number: 232
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 9:12 pm: | |
I also have a glass around somewhere from the Summit days. Actually, it's more like a small Ball canning jar. I can't recall what kind of nasty concoction they put in it, but it probably cost an outrageous amount for the time - maybe 5 bucks.
I haven't been to Coach yet, but I agree that spinning at he Summit was cool. |
Elevator_fan
Member
Username: Elevator_fan
Post Number: 23
Registered: 04-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 9:23 am: | |
Another change at Coach: The floor above the arrivals floor used to hold a bar that also revolved, I think. But that floor has been entirely drywalled off. There is no way to tell it was ever even there.
Does anyone know what is up there now? Broadcast equipment for the top of the tower, maybe? |
Downtownguy
Member
Username: Downtownguy
Post Number: 94
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 9:37 am: | |
I've heard Homeland Security occupies the top floor now. |