On June 15th, 2020, the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park’s record-breaking pedestrian suspension bridge, SkyBridge, was temporarily closed after a visitor decided to do a baseball-style slide on the glass floor and cracked it.
https://www.facebook.com/GatlinburgSkyLift1/photos/pcb.1019422665120935/1019422591787609/?type=3&theater
Gatlinburg SkyLift Park (GSP) gave a public update on Facebook saying that it happened at approximately 8:30 p.m. The guest was not complying with the bridge policy of “no running, jumping, or bouncing,” and when he made an impact with the glass, a metal piece on his clothing chipped it and created a noticeable crack.
https://www.facebook.com/GatlinburgSkyLift1/photos/pcb.1019422665120935/1019422541787614/?type=3&theater
The park said the 680-foot bridge has three massive glass panels at the center that are five feet long and five foot wide. The glass is “three-ply with the upper layer serving solely to protect the additional layers and does not affect the structural integrity in any way,” GSP wrote on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/GatlinburgSkyLift1/photos/pcb.1019422665120935/1019422595120942/?type=3&theater
Fortunately, the visitor was not hurt. However, the bridge needed to be repaired so they temporarily closed it down. Officials replaced the glass panel with cedar planks and reopened SkyBridge the next day.
They said it will be operating from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m., seven days a week if the weather is permitting. The bridge is known as the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America.