Son of the Beast

[Buckeye Maniac]

Will Son of Beast return?
Some experts say it's time for a new coaster
BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT--> MASON - Son of Beast broke five world records and drew roller-coaster fans from across the country to Kings Island when it burst from its lair in 2000.
The ride was born during an era when amusement parks nationwide vied for the hearts of thrill seekers by building the longest, tallest, fastest, scariest - and most expensive - coasters in the world.
The Son of Beast closed July 9 after an extremely rough ride sent 27 people to the hospital with minor injuries<object classid="clsid<img src=" http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif="" alt="" title="Big Grin" smilieid="4" class="inlineimg" border="0">

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Now, some wonder about the future of the wooden giant. Will it reopen? If not, will the park get a new coaster to take its place?
Kings Island has built two roller coasters since Son of Beast - The Italian Job: Stunt Track and the Rugrats Runaway Reptar - neither of which broke records.
Some roller-coaster fans think the park is due for another big coaster project.
"An excellent addition ... would be a roller coaster known as a B&M hypercoaster," said David Cornell, a Cincinnati resident and member of American Coaster Enthusiasts. "These are my favorite... with the most comfortable seat and most thrill, airtime and speed."
Designed by the Swiss engineering company Bolliger & Mabillard, hypercoasters are characterized by 200-foot-high hills and are built specifically for speed and airtime.
Such coasters include Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens in Virginia and the Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois.
Experts say Cedar Fair's purchase of Kings Island and other Paramount amusement parks earlier this year could open the door for the addition of a B&M coaster. Previously, non-compete rights of other B&M coaster buyers such as Cedar Point in Sandusky - which is owned by Cedar Fair - likely prevented Kings Island from buying one, manufacturing officials told The Enquirer last year.
Kings Island and B&M officials declined comment.
RECORD-BREAKERS
Amusement parks need to introduce new rides every few years to keep people coming back for more.
Roller coasters are often the best way to do that, said Steve Gzesh, public relations director for American Coaster Enthusiasts.
"All parks know that roller coasters are the No. 1 draw for an amusement park. The key thing is to put in the biggest, fastest, tallest, biggest drop because it's an instant draw. It's an instant claim to fame."
Still, there is a down side, Gzesh said. "That (fame) will disappear as soon as the next coaster comes in that's a half-mile an hour faster or a few feet higher. Records are meant to be broken."
Recent entries such as Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster, which opened in 2003, and Six Flags New Jersey's Kingda Ka, which debuted last year, didn't bring in the expected crowds, Dennis Spiegel, a local amusement park expert, said.
"I think the market has responded to these record-breakers with a degree of dissatisfaction," he said. "The attendance has not been up at the parks where they put together the longest, highest attractions."
After more than a decade of trying to one-up one another in roller coasters, the industry is concentrating more on the family-friendly attractions, Spiegel says.
That could be because that's what the population, with its increasing number of aging baby boomers, demands.
Kings Island spokeswoman Maureen Kaiser said she couldn't say whether new coasters are in the works for the park.
WILL 'SON' RISE AGAIN?
Fan Web sites buzz with speculation about whether Son of Beast will reopen. The coaster has been plagued with problems in its six-year life.
The ride was shut down shortly after its debut for mechanical problems. Kings Island sued the roller coaster's designer, blaming it for design defects, and won a $20-million judgment.
In 2001, two people suffered neck injuries on the ride. In 2003, a woman was sent to the hospital after complaining of back pain. However, inspections found no problems with the ride.
This time, investigators are re-combing every inch of the ride to figure out what happened July 9. Early reports indicate that a vertical beam in the double-helix area is cracked, which might have contributed to the big jolt that injured riders described feeling.
While fans wonder, industry experts say unequivocally that the Son of Beast will reopen - likely this season.
The Son of Beast is one of Kings Island's signature rides - along with the Beast and Vortex. Its looping, hilly hulk, constructed out of 378 miles of Southern yellow pine and Douglas fir, rises prominently along the park's skyline.
The coaster has been wildly popular, giving about a million rides a year.
"It's a great coaster among coasters," Spiegel said.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060717/NEWS01/607170344

This was an article in the Enquirer this morning

 

[AJHawkfan]

The lawsuits have begun....

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/072606pkisuit.html

Lawsuit claims malfunction on ride at Kings Island injured woman

By Amy Ehrnreiter

Contributing Writer

LEBANON | — A Maineville couple has filed a lawsuit against Paramount's Kings Island, alleging one of them suffered debilitating injuries after the Son of Beast rollercoaster malfunctioned as they rode it July 9.

Attorneys for Melissa and John Eberle filed the complaint Friday in Warren County Common Pleas Court, claiming the ride was improperly maintained, operated and/or inspected before it jolted riders.

A cracked timber was found on the track of the ride after the malfunction. Park and state safety officials are investigating.

Melissa Eberle was "the most injured person on the ride fiasco," said her attorney, Alan Statman.

She suffered a fractured sternum and spent about four days in Bethesda North Hospital, where she happens to work as a nurse. She won't be able to return to work for at least another eight weeks, Statman said.

Her husband, who was on the ride behind her but not injured, has had to take off work to care for the couple's 2-year-old child because of his wife's injuries, Statman said.

Paramount's Kings Island declined to comment on the suit.

The 27 people injured on the Son of the Beast suffered mostly bruising.

Most were treated at local hospitals and released.