Friday, April 21, 2000

'Son of Beast' to open April 28

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BY Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        MASON — Paramount's Kings Island's Son of Beast is now on track to open April 28, park officials said Thursday.

        Park spokesman Jeffrey Siebert said, ""We are truly excited that Son of Beast is up and ready to roll.”

        The giant, looping wooden roller coaster completed two weeks of electrical, mechanical and operational testing on Wednesday, Mr. Siebert said. The ride's April 14 debut was postponed, primarily because of weather-related construction delays.

        But park officials say the ride is ready to take on its first human passengers.

        “It's run beautifully during all of our testing procedures,” Mr. Siebert said. “The coaster has a unique sound all to itself. It definite ly roars much louder than its father, the Beast.”

        Son of Beast, Kings Island's 13th roller coaster, will be the world's tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster, the park says.

        With 7,032 feet of track, it is just shy of its predecessor, The Beast, which at 7,392 feet is the world's longest wooden roller coaster.

        At an estimated $15 million, Son of Beast is the single largest investment in Kings Island's history.

        The ride opens to the public at 5 p.m. on April 28.

        Web site: pki.com

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