The World’s Largest Dinosaur (WLD) celebrated a monumental milestone on Monday, August 27.
Eran Rosenthal of Israel was the 2,000,000th person to make the trek up 106 stairs to the mouth of the dinosaur.
Rosenthal received a gift package valued at over $850. The package included World’s Largest Dinosaur merchandise including handmade custom WLD walking sticks, family passes to the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Atlas Coal Mine, and East Coulee School Museum, and two nights’ accommodation at the Drumheller Ramada Inn & Suites.
Owned and operated by the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce (DDCC), the World’s Largest Dinosaur officially opened its doors on October 13, 2000.
Heather Bitz, Executive Director of the DDCC said “It’s an exciting day in the history of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce and the World’s Largest Dinosaur. Drumheller, the Dinosaur Capital of the World, is a great vacation destination and we are pleased to provide visitors with such a unique attraction to enjoy.”
The towering T-Rex standing 86 feet tall was the brainchild of a group of Drumheller business owners.
It was through the determined work of many volunteers and funding from a variety of sources that the project came to fruition.
Eighteen years later, the WLD has celebrated countless successes.
It has been honoured with several prestigious awards including Attractions Canada Awards at both the provincial and national levels.
It has also received significant media attention with film crews from across the world visiting to film advertisements and documentaries.
Loans used to fund the one million dollar project were paid back in full, five years earlier than originally planned.
The Chamber of Commerce also established a legacy fund, which designates 15 per cent of admission fees and gift shop sales to help other local organizations realize their goals.
Since it was established in 2005, the World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund has reinvested over $600,000 back into the Drumheller community.
Drumheller & District Chamber of Commerce (DDCC)
President Brock Harrington, back row left, and Eran
Rosenthal (2,000,000th visitor, in orange jacket) and family
take a photo in the mouth of the World’s Largest Dinosaur
on Mon. Aug. 27. ECA Review/Submitted
submitted
