When was Kings Island first built?


When was Kings Island first built? Kings Island is a 364-acre amusement park located 24 miles northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio, United States. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, the park was built by Taft Broadcasting and opened in 1972.


Did Kings Island used to have a hotel?

The Kings Island Resort originally opened as the Kings Island Inn in 1972. It was one of two hotels that made up the Kings Island complex. The hotel featured over 300 rooms, on-site dining options, conference center, pool, gymnasium, and more.


Why did Kings Island get rid of King Cobra?

After the ride's manufacturer, TOGO, went out of business in 2001, parts for the ride became more expensive and harder to find. Following the 2001 season, Paramount Parks began to dismantle King Cobra and put it up for sale.


What did Kings Island used to be called?

Kings Island was conceived as early as 1964 when Coney Island, a popular amusement park 10 miles (16 km) east of downtown Cincinnati on the banks of the Ohio River, suffered from a major flood that submerged the area in over 14 feet (4.3 m) of water.


When did Kings Island get bought out?

In the last 50 years, the park has been owned by Taft Broadcasting, Kings Entertainment Co., American Financial Corp., Paramount Communications, and Cedar Fair, the current owners. Cedar Fair purchased Kings Island in 2006 for a reported $1.24 billion.


Why is it called Kings Island?

The amusement park's name represented its historical roots and its future. “Kings” for the location of the park near Kings Mills, Ohio, and “Island” in reference to the company's Coney Island roots. It would not be until October 14, 1970 that the name would become official.


Was Kings Island built on a cemetery?

Rather than interfere with the burial grounds, Kings Island officials elected instead to simply build their amusement park around the small cemetery. Today, legend has it that those same officials inadvertently paved over a grave when creating what is now the park's guest parking lot, resulting in an agitated spirit.


Does anyone live on King Island?

It proved a good place to ride out a pandemic. King Island did not record a COVID-19 case among its population of fewer than 2,000 people until January 2022.


Can a 14 year old go to Kings Island alone?

Children/Teens - Notice to Parents & Guardians In addition to our chaperone policy, we strongly recommend that minors (under 18) be accompanied by an adult. The park does not assume any responsibility or liability for unattended minors.


Who discovered King Island?

Captain Reed is the first known European to discover King Island in 1799 while hunting seals in the schooner Martha. There is extensive background information on King Island within the various documents available on this site.


Did Six Flags buy Kings Island?

Earlier this month, Cedar Fair, which owns Kings Island and 16 other parks, merged with Six Flags to form an $8 billion theme park giant. The combined company will operate under the name Six Flags, which caused some thrill seekers to worry that their favorite amusement park's name could also change.


How much did it cost to build Kings Island?

Taft also financed over half of the $600k required to build Kings Mills Drive, a feeder road to service the park off I-71. Before vertical construction could begin, over 350k cubic yards of dirt had to be moved and graded. By the time the park opened, the total cost would escalate to $30 million.


Why was King Island abandoned?

But by the 1970s, no one lived here year-round; most residents had moved to Nome, on the mainland. While several forces drove the migration, King Islanders say a main cause was the decision by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to close a school it ran on the island in the late 1950s.


What is the oldest Kings Island ride?

Grand Carousel Family Ride at Kings Island Kings Island's magnificent carousel was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1926 and is the oldest ride in the park. It is one of approximately 90 carousels built by the company from 1904 to 1934.


What is the most expensive roller coaster at Kings Island?

The Banshee represents a $24 million dollar investment by the park – the most expensive ride in Kings Island history.