MasonBuzz.com

Thrilling memories by many fans came plunging to the ground as Kings Island’s Son of Beast roller coaster went out with a bang and a cloud of dust.

Work crews brought down the final section of the $10 million coaster — its 215-foot lift — with cables Tuesday afternoon nearly two months after work began to dismantle the ride to make room for future park expansion.

• Five questions for KI’s Don Helbig on SOB demolition
• Photos: Son of Beast demolition
  
• Photos: KI through the years
• Things you may not know about KI

Son of Beast was heralded as the world’s tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster when it opened in 2000. The track climbs to a 218-foot peak, followed by a 214-foot drop; its trains would reach speeds of 78 mph.

But its history was troubled from the start. A string of accidents, closings, repairs, five lawsuits, settlements and one trial would ultimately shutter the ride.

Officials from Kings Island’s parent company, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. and park management spent three years weighing all possible alternatives before ultimately deciding to raze Son of Beast, said Don Helbig, park spokesman.

Dismantling the ride — and its 53 concrete pilings, about 6,000 feet of steel track, 50,000 pounds of nails, 225,000 bolts and 1.65 million board feet of wood — proved no easy feat.

Different parts of the ride may be salvaged and reused and the park may keep the station for use in the Wolf Pack maze during Halloween Haunt, said Helbig.

Officials don’t yet know what they intend to do with the 12 acres that Son of Beast will vacate in the park’s north end.

“Once the ride has been removed, probably in early 2013, we’ll begin the process then of surveying the land and looking at all the ideas and different concepts and all the things we can do,” said Helbig.  “There’s plenty of room to work with and we’re excited about that opportunity as we look towards the future.”

Fans can take home a piece of the shuttered ride.  KI is offering limited edition plaques featuring a piece of track from the coaster for $99.99. The park is also selling authentic pieces of the wood structure for $49.99 and structural bolts for $24.99.  To order, call 513-754-5776 between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F.

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Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: cedar fair, demolished, dismantled, don helbig, kings island, lift, looping wooden roller coaster, roller coaster, Son of Beast, video, wooden roller coaster

Kings Island is offering limited edition plaques with a piece of track from Son of Beast for $99.99. Photo provided

Fans of Kings Island’s Son of Beast roller coaster now have the chance to take home a memento of the shuttered ride.

The Mason theme park announced today it is offering limited edition plaques featuring a piece of track from the coaster for $99.99. The park is also selling authentic pieces of the wood structure for $49.99 and structural bolts for $24.99.

• Video: KI’s Son of Beast comes down
• Five Questions for KI’s Don Helbig on SOB demo
• Photos: Son of Beast dismantling

Son of Beast was heralded as the world’s tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster when it opened in 2000. The track climbs to a 218-foot peak, followed by a 214-foot drop; its trains would reach speeds of 78 mph.

But its history was troubled from the start. A string of accidents, closings, repairs, five lawsuits, settlements and one trial would ultimately shutter the $10 million ride.

Construction crews began work last month to demolish the troubled coaster.

It will take several months to fully dismantle the $10 million ride, which includes 53 concrete pilings, about 6,000 feet of steel track, 50,000 pounds of nails, 225,000 bolts and 1.65 million board feet of wood, said park spokesman Don Helbig.

Officials don’t yet know what they intend to do with the 12 acres that Son of Beast will vacate in the park’s north end.  Once the ride is removed, crews will begin surveying the land and evaluating ideas.

“There’s plenty of room to work with and we’re excited about that opportunity as we look towards the future,” said Helbig.

To order, call 513-754-5776 between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F.

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: cedar fair, demolished, dismantled, don helbig, kings island, looping wooden roller coaster, plaques, roller coaster, Son of Beast, track, wooden roller coaster

Son of Beast was heralded as the world’s tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster when it opened at Kings Island in 2000. The track climbs to a 218-foot peak, followed by a 214-foot drop; its trains would reach speeds of 78 mph.

As the dismantling of the coaster gets underway, questions remain about what will happen to all those parts and the 12-acre space the ride leaves behind.

KI spokesman Don Helbig speaks with Masonbuzz about how the massive coaster will be brought down and how fans might be able to get a memento of the ride.

• See new photos of the ride being dismantled

QUESTION: How long did it take to construct Son of Beast and how long will it take to dismantle it? 

ANSWER: It took 15 months to construct it. (Demolition) started in mid-September and it’s probably going to take till early 2013 to totally dismantle the ride.  The dismantling of the ride started in the middle of the structure and they’ll work toward the back end.  One of the last pieces they’ll break down is the big lift, which is 215-feet high, and you’ll see that within the last several months.  That will be the last part they’ll take down.

Q: How is the ride being brought down?

A: There’s a lot of different ways they’re going about bringing the ride down.  One way is they’re cutting different pieces of the ride and they’re kind of pulling it to bring the ride down.  They may use the wrecking ball in some areas.  In some other parts of the ride, it may be the same way it was built, where they’re just going to undo the bolts.  It depends on what section of the ride they’re in and how much structure is there.  They may keep the station for the Wolf Pack maze (in Halloween Haunt).  It’s one of our most popular mazes.

Q: Many fans are disappointed that the ride could not be saved.  What’s your response to them?

A: We know the ride had its fans who were very interested to see what would happen to the ride.  We appreciate their interest in the ride and they kept in touch with us the past three and a half years to get an update on what would happen to the ride.   After a thorough evaluation of all the alternatives, the decision was made to dismantle the ride for future expansion.

Q: Any idea on what that future expansion might entail?

A: We’re really going to have to wait until the ride comes down.  Once the ride has been removed, probably in early 2013, we’ll begin the process then of surveying the land and looking at all the ideas and different concepts and all the things we can do.  There’s plenty of room to work with and we’re excited about that opportunity as we look towards the future.

Q: What will happen to all of the parts?  Some fans have suggested you make them available as mementos. 

A: Different parts of the ride may be salvaged and reused.  We received a lot of phone calls and emails from fans interested in getting a piece of the ride, whether it’s a piece of wood or track.  Once the ride is dismantled  or more of it’s down, we’ll look at that and we’ll probably make some pieces available and will have that information at a later date.

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: cedar fair, demolished, dismantled, don helbig, kings island, looping wooden roller coaster, roller coaster, Son of Beast, wooden roller coaster

Eight seconds.

That’s how long it took to reduce a sizable chunk of Kings Island’s Son of Beast roller coaster into a twisted heap of metal and wood.

You might say the troubled coaster, once a signature feature at the park and the only looping wooden coaster anywhere, went out with a bang.

Crews brought down the $10 million coaster with cables Tuesday a little more than a week after work began to dismantle the ride to make room for future park expansion.

• Photos: Crews begin dismantling Son of Beast
• Photos: KI through the years
• Things you may not know about KI

Son of Beast was heralded as the world’s tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster when it opened in 2000. The track climbs to a 218-foot peak, followed by a 214-foot drop; its trains would reach speeds of 78 mph.

But its history was troubled from the start. A string of accidents, closings, repairs, five lawsuits, settlements and one trial would ultimately shutter the ride.

Officials from Kings Island’s parent company, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. and park management spent three years weighing all possible alternatives before ultimately deciding to raze Son of Beast, said Don Helbig, park spokesman.

“We weren’t satisfied with the ride’s performance,” he said.

Son of Beast will be taken down “the same way it went up” – in sections, Helbig said. He is unsure what will happen to its parts.

It will take several months to fully dismantle the ride, which includes 53 concrete pilings, about 6,000 feet of steel track, 50,000 pounds of nails, 225,000 bolts and 1.65 million board feet of wood, he said.

Officials don’t yet know what they intend to do with the 12 acres that Son of Beast will vacate in the park’s north end.

“We’re going to have a lot of room to work with for future expansion,” said Helbig.

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: cedar fair, demolished, dismantled, don helbig, explosion, kings island, looping wooden roller coaster, roller coaster, Son of Beast, wooden roller coaster

R.I.P. Son of Beast.

Crews this week began dismantling the wooden roller coaster at Kings Island to make room for future park expansion.

It will take several months to fully dismantle the $10 million ride, which includes 53 concrete pilings, about 6,000 feet of steel track, 50,000 pounds of nails, 225,000 bolts and 1.65 million board feet of wood, said park spokesman Don Helbig.

That’s enough timber to lay down a path from Kings Island in Mason to Chicago’s Wrigley Field, he notes.

Son of Beast was heralded as the world’s tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster when it opened in 2000. The track climbs to a 218-foot peak, followed by a 214-foot drop; its trains would reach speeds of 78 mph.

But its history was troubled from the start. A string of accidents, closings, repairs, five lawsuits, settlements and one trial would ultimately shutter the ride.

High winds collapsed part of the coaster during its construction in January 2000. Then, construction troubles delayed its opening.

The ride had opened for just a day when officials found a rough 15-foot section of track during an inspection.

Kings Island removed the ride’s signature loop after a July 2006 accident that hospitalized 27 people. Lawsuits followed and the ride re-opened in July 2007.

Then, in 2009, the park voluntarily closed the ride after a woman reported she was injured on it.

At that time, state inspectors said they had been called to check on the coaster six times in its history — more than any other ride in Ohio during the same period. But park officials kept the coaster closed even after a state investigation of the woman’s complaint found no irregularities with the ride.

Officials from Kings Island’s parent company, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., conferred with park management and ultimately decided to raze Son of Beast “to make room for future park expansion,” a statement said, without further elaboration.

It took officials three years to weigh all possible alternatives, Helbig said, but they were unable to find a solution to the coaster’s issues.

“We weren’t satisfied with the ride’s performance,” he said.

Son of Beast will be taken down “the same way it went up” – in sections, Helbig said. He is unsure what will happen to its parts.

Officials don’t yet know what they intend to do with the 12 acres that Son of Beast will vacate in the park’s north end.

“We’re going to have a lot of room to work with for future expansion,” said Helbig.

Janice Morse contributed

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: close, dismantle, kings island, lawsuit, mason, roller coaster, rollercoaster, safety, Son of Beast, wooden roller coaster

Janice Morse reports:

What a predicament: Kings Island is taking apart its Son of Beast roller coaster – and will need to figure out what to do with 53 concrete pilings, about 6,000 feet of steel track, 50,000 pounds of nails, 225,000 bolts and 2.25 million board feet of wood.

Those were the components that made up Son of Beast, which was heralded as the world’s tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster when it opened in 2000.

But now, after safety and operational concerns mothballed the ride in 2009, the coaster is slated for demolition later this summer.

• Photos: Son of Beast

Son of Beast will be taken down “the same way it went up” – in sections, Don Helbig, spokesman for the amusement park said Friday.

In news releases and a Facebook posting, Park officials announced their decision to dismantle the ride.

Helbig was unsure what would happen to its parts. “That’s something we’ll have to take a look at,” he said.

Workmen will spend months taking apart the roller coaster; no date for the work to begin was revealed.

And if officials know what they intend to do with the 12 acres that Son of Beast will vacate in the park’s north end, they’re not saying.

Helbig said some coaster fanatics are sure to mourn Son of Beast’s demise, considering its place in the annals of coaster history; it set five records. While some riders loved it for its speed, others thought the ride was too rough and just plain wasn’t enjoyable.

The track climbs to a 218-foot peak, followed by a 214-foot drop; its trains would reach speeds of 78 mph. But its history was troubled from the start. While the ride was under construction in January 2000, high winds collapsed part of it, and construction troubles delayed its opening.

In 2006-07, Son of Beast remained closed for nearly a year after at least 27 people were injured in an accident. Lawsuits followed. The ride was reconfigured; its signature loop was removed, shortening its track, which was originally 7,032 feet long.

Then, in 2009, the park voluntarily closed the ride after a woman reported she was injured on it. At that time, state inspectors said they had been called to check the coaster six times in its history – more than any other ride in Ohio during the same period. But park officials kept the coaster closed even after a state investigation of the woman’s complaint found no irregularities with the ride.

No train has traveled on the coaster’s tracks since 2009, Helbig said, not even for testing purposes.

Officials from Kings Island’s parent company, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., conferred with park management and ultimately decided to raze Son of Beast “to make room for future park expansion,” a statement said, without further elaboration.
It took officials three years to weigh all possible alternatives, Helbig said, but they were unable to find a solution to the coaster’s issues.

“We weren’t satisfied with the ride’s performance,” he said.

Patrons’ questions about Son of Beast’s future seemed to have faded in recent months, but “our guests were looking for a decision,” Helbig said.

On cincinnati.com, Russ Toelke posted: “Bummer to see it go…Of course, it always had problems after it opened, and I always wondered whether they should have just started all over.”

Another commenter, Terry Wilson, wrote: “Only (rode) it once and had a season pass for a long time, it was just too rough and it wasn’t fun at all. Great idea, poor results.”

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: close, dismantle, kings island, lawsuit, mason, roller coaster, rollercoaster, safety, Son of Beast, wooden roller coaster

Kings Island will announce a “major new attraction” for the park in 2012 on Friday.

Park officials have given no hints as to what the new attraction will be. The only information released are two teaser images on the park’s Facebook page, pictured right.

One image shows a man standing next to a fire hydrant surveying land, leading fans to float ideas about an expansion of Boomerang Bay, the park’s water park attraction, or a new wave pool.

The other image shows three question marks, raising questions by fans as to if the park plans three new attractions or changes.

• 2012 gold passes go on sale today at Kings Island
• Kings Island hiring 500 for Halloween Haunt
  

Some fans say they are hoping for a revival of the Son of Beast roller coaster. The popular coaster has not operated since 2009, after a series of accidents, closings, repairs, five lawsuits, settlements and one trial beset the ride.

Next season will be the 40th anniversary for the Mason amusement park.

The park’s announcement takes place at 2 p.m. Friday. MasonBuzz will update this story.

What do you think the new attraction will be?
Post your thoughts!

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: 2012, 40th anniversary, announcement, attraction, boomerang bay, kings island, mason, new attraction, ride, roller coaster, Son of Beast, water slide

Kings Island is set to open this Saturday, but coaster enthusiasts will have one less choice – for the second season in a row.

The Enquirer’s Paul McKibben reports that Son of Beast, the only looping wooden coaster anywhere, will be closed this summer.

The Internet is full of commentary about Son of Beast. There’s even a Facebook group called “Save Son Of Beast!” with frequent posts.

• View photos of Son of Beast

But Kings Island has little to say about the coaster or its future, McKibben reports.

“No decision has been made concerning the ride’s future,” spokesman Don Helbig said. “It would be inappropriate to speculate on when a decision might be made.

“There’s nothing else to talk about.”

Accidents, closings, repairs, five lawsuits, settlements and one trial have beset the ride. The roller coaster hasn’t operated since June 2009, after a Mason woman complained about getting hurt about 2½ weeks earlier while on it.

All those who settled did so for undisclosed sums.

“I think they’re still wading through issues that have troubled the ride and I think they have a lot of planning to look at to see what it would take to remove that ride and then what they could do with all of that,” said Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services Inc. in Walnut Hills, an amusement park consulting firm. Speigel said he based his opinion on conversations with officials in the industry.

“It’s not going to be a cheap effort to take that down,” he said.

Kings Island announced it would build the now-troubled coaster in May 199 to much fanfare.  The coaster was said to be the world’s tallest, fastest and only looping wooden coaster, costing more than $10 million.

“We wanted to have the project of the millennium and I think we got it,” a Kings Island official said at the time.

The coaster has suffered a series of setbacks since, including a July 2006 accident that hospitalized about 30 people and lawsuits arising from that incident.

Now the ride’s future is uncertain.

Kings Island didn’t include the roller coaster on a park map of attractions last year or this year.  And the coaster isn’t included on a list of rides for this season filed with the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Erica Pitchford, a spokeswoman with the department, said that means Kings Island has not applied for a permit for this season and can’t legally operate it.

Other experts have suggested Kings Island drastically remodel the ride to remove certain features and slow it down or tear it down if it cannot be repaired.

Kings Island does not release attendance figures, but experts doubt Son of Beast has had any negative impact on the bottom line. The park has numerous other attractions, including 14 other roller coasters. Windseeker, a large swing ride, and a walk-through dinosaur park with 56 animatronic models are new features this season.

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: accident, cedar fair, closed, kings island, lawsuit, looping, repair, roller coaster, Son of Beast, wooden

According to Cincinnati.com, a Kentucky man’s lawsuit against Kings Island for a Son of Beast ride accident was settled Monday as jury selection was getting under way in Warren County.

The Cincinnati.com report includes more information:

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Jonathan M. Yanik, 20, had sued the company that owns the Mason amusement park, Cedar Fair, in connection with a 2006 roller-coaster accident that hurt 27 people. His case was filed in 2010 and alleged he sustained a shoulder injury.

The lawsuit was the last of five cases that riders had filed.

The ride did not operate last year.

(Photo of sign blocking the entrance to the ride after the accident in July of 2006)

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Kings Island |

Tags: Tags: kings island, kings island resort & conference center, park, Son of Beast, Son of Beast accident