News: Exciting new changes underway at Kings Island

Posted at 6:31 PM EST (2331 GMT)

Feb. 7th, 2007 -- A new name, park policies, roller coaster, and five shows highlight the $10 million in investments at Kings Island for the 2007 season --- the 35th for the Kings Mills based amusement park.

Paramount's will be dropped from the park's name beginning this season.  Kings Island's parent company Cedar Fair, acquired Kings Island and the rest of CBS Corporation's theme park division last summer for $1.24 billion dollars.

Kings Island offered a two-day ticket for $44.99 last year. Now, one- and two-day passes are available for $44.95 and $54.95 respectively.  An adult season pass for Kings Island will cost $89.95 — $4 more than last year.

A good portion of the $10 million investments went into reconstructing the park's wood-tracked Son of Beast roller coaster, which injured 27 riders in July of last year.  Extensive modifications to the ride's massive wooden structure and the removal of its signature steel loop are currently underway.  Son of Beast will not reopen with the park on opening day (April 21), but is expected to return to operation sometime later in the season.

A new ice show will be added to the park's entertainment lineup as part of the capital investment, but details have not yet been released.  Four other new shows also will be introduced.  "Last season, Kings Island offered a rock music show and a parade, so this is a major expansion of our show programs," said Kings Island spokeswoman Maureen Kaiser.

The park previously announced it will introduce its 14th roller coaster, dubbed Firehawk, on Memorial Day Weekend.  The 115-foot tall coaster originally resided at Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora near Cleveland before more than 300 of its track parts were dismantled, moved and now await assembly at Kings Island.  It cost Cedar Fair approximately $750,000 to move the ride from Geauga Lake to Kings Island.  Firehawk will be constructed on 5 1/2 acres adjacent to the Flight of Fear roller coaster.

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