Son of Beast

Son of Beast was a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, United States. Built and designed by the now-defunct Roller Coaster Corporation of America (RCCA), the ride opened as the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world on April 28, 2000. Its record-setting height of 218 feet (66 m) made it the first wooden hypercoaster – a height class of 200 feet (61 m) or more. It was also the first wooden coaster in the modern era to feature a vertical loop and reached a record-breaking maximum speed of 78 mph (126 km/h). Son of Beast was marketed and themed as a sequel to The Beast roller coaster, one of the park's signature attractions that was built in 1979.

Son of Beast met an early demise following two non-fatal but serious incidents, with the first occurring in 2006 and the second occurring in 2009. There were also issues with the ride's construction affecting its reliability and longevity. After sitting idle for three years, the roller coaster was eventually demolished in 2012. A new steel coaster, Banshee, was built in its place and opened in 2014. The height and speed records once held by Son of Beast remain unbroken.

The Roller Coaster Corporation of America (RCCA) discussed the idea of building the world's first wooden hypercoaster with Kings Island in 1997. On May 11, 1999, the park held a public event within the park near a large, covered crate placed along a footpath. Beastly growling and snarling noises came from inside as it shook violently on occasion. Montel Williams, acting as Director of Thrills, announced that a record-breaking wooden coaster named Son of Beast would open for the 2000 season. During the announcement, the tarp covering was removed, revealing a chained crate with holes throughout its framework. A scale model of the roller coaster was displayed to the audience, as well as a list of seven world records that would be set by the new coaster.

The Roller Coaster Company of Ohio was officially recorded as the ride's designer, an affiliate and shell company of RCCA. The primary structural engineer was Wooden Structures Inc. of Georgia, while the lumber was manufactured by Universal Forest Products of Hamilton, Ohio. Problems plagued the ride from the beginning, and Paramount Parks – who owned and operated Kings Island at the time – made the decision to fire RCCA before construction was complete.

On January 11, 2000, a portion of the ride was damaged due to a strong gust of wind. It was later revealed that the second hill had collapsed by itself. The wooden structure was being held in place by a temporary ribbon support system and had been constructed only a day earlier. The ride was planned to open on April 14, 2000, but construction was halted due to rainy weather. As a result, the coaster's opening had to be delayed. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Paramount $110,000 in February 2000 after discovering 18 safety violations during two inspections, including 11 that were deemed "serious".

Son of Beast officially opened to the public on April 28, 2000. The sign at the ride's entrance featured a large wooden crate covered with chains, rope, and metal straps, resembling the one on display during the public reveal in 1999. The front was ripped open with the name "Son of Beast" centered on the inside.

The day after the ride opened, officials discovered defects in a 15-foot-long (4.6 m) section of track. Son of Beast closed soon afterward, undergoing three weeks of repairs. It reopened on May 26, 2000, although heavy rains delayed the reopening by nearly six hours. The park ultimately had to make several design corrections during Son of Beast's inaugural year. Kings Island filed a lawsuit in November 2000 against the three companies involved in the design and manufacture of the roller coaster, claiming defects that delayed the initial opening and resulted in multiple closures. In 2005, a federal court ruled that the Roller Coaster Company of Ohio's insurer, Admiral Insurance, had to pay Kings Island $20 million in damages in relation to the lawsuit. However, the ruling was overturned by an appeals court in 2008.

The ride experienced its first major incident on July 9, 2006, during which a train passed over a structural track failure that severely jolted riders. Son of Beast closed for the remainder of the 2006 season while repairs were made, and Kings Island decided to replace the original trains with lighter models. The three original trains were designed by Premier Rides, each consisting of six cars for a total capacity of 36. Kings Island purchased two Gerstlauer-designed trains from the demolished Hurricane: Category 5 coaster at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion to serve as lighter replacements. The lighter trains were shorter, each consisting of six cars that held 24 riders, and were used to reduce the overall load on the wooden structure.