Tuesday, May 11, 1999
Tallest wooden coaster coming
Kings Island announcing today
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — Think you've tamed the Beast? Well, grab your Dramamine and strap in because Paramount's Kings Island plans to unleash a new roller coaster next year that one industry expert predicted will “knock the theme park industry on its ear.”
Officials at the Mason amusement park were tight-lipped about the project Monday, but they are expected to unveil plans today to build the world's tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster, industry sources said Monday. A news conference has been scheduled for 11 a.m. at the park.
“This coaster is going to be bigger and better than anything at Disney World, Universal Studios or anywhere else,” said Dennis Speigel, owner and president of International Theme Park Services.
“People are going to come from around the world to ride it, and operators from everywhere are going to try to come here to copy it.”
To open in 2000, the new coaster will be the third-tallest attraction at the Warren County park — about 200 feet tall. Kings Island's new Drop Zone ride is the world's tallest gyro drop at 315 feet, a foot taller than the park's replica Eiffel Tower.
The new coaster is to cost more than $10 million, sources say.
“The 2000 project is going to be the highest, fastest and most marvelous ride here,” Kings Island executive vice president Tim Fisher told reporters during last month's de but of the Face/Off coaster.
The world's biggest and fastest wooden coaster is now at Six Flags in San Antonio, Texas. “The Rattler” hits speeds of 73 mph and is 179 feet tall. Top speed for the Beast is 65 mph and its highest hill is 135 feet tall.
Mr. Speigel, an international roller coaster designer and consultant, said Kings Island's new coaster will be unprecedented.
“It's going to knock the theme park industry on its ear,” he said. “This coaster is a totally new concept and will be the first of its kind ever developed.”
Kings Island is expected to build the coaster in an undeveloped portion of the park. The 712-acre amusement park has nearly 300 acres of available land.
The new ride will bring Kings Island's number of record-breaking attractions to nine.
“It's only fitting that we make this announcement in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the Beast,” park spokeswoman Barbara Colnar said. “This is going to be the biggest thing Kings Island has announced in its entire history. It is definitely going to solidify our reputation as the most popular and best known for world-class thrills.”
The millennium project will fulfill the park's $35 million investment begun this year — more than it cost to build Kings Island in 1972.
One of the Tristate's top tourist attractions, Kings Island posted $100 million in sales in 1998.
The park has served as an economic catalyst for southern Warren County, spurring rapid development and residential growth along the Interstate 71 corridor. Its property taxes — about $1 million in 1998 — provide a huge boost to the Kings Local School District. And the local economy gets a lift from the payroll of about 175 full-time and 5,000 seasonal employees.
About 60 percent of the park's visitors come from areas outside of Cincinnati. Last year, Paramount's Kings Island attracted an estimated 3.4 million visitors, according to newly published figures from the trade publication Amusement Business.
Kings Island tied with Cedar Point in Sandusky in attendance, according to the Nashville, Tenn.-based publication. But with the additions of Face/Off and Drop Zone this season and the new coaster in 2000, park officials expect to reclaim their title as Ohio's busiest amusement park.
“Whenever a theme park wants to generate incremental attendance, it turns to roller coasters,” Mr. Speigel said. “New coasters generally draw between 200,000 and 400,000 more people a year, giving the theme parks a good return on their investment.”
Across the country, amusement parks pull in about 200 million visitors annually, according to the Roller Coaster Lover's Companion.
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