Kings Island sign collapses overnight

I just caught this on Channel 12 News here in Cincinnati (no link to this particular item yet). The main marquee sign outside of Paramount's Kings Island collapsed last night (around 2:00 am) due to an effect from the strong winds we had causing the bottom part of the sign to cave in. This is the first time this has happened in 31 years at the park after they park had just recently redone parts of the sign, mainly the message board, for this season.

note: The park *will* be in operation today.

Anyone know more or have a link yet?

-Danny
------------------
Coaster Insomniacs- Coastin' the Night Away
*** This post was edited by Koaster King 9/27/2003 8:03:38 AM ***

I heard about it on channel 5 news here in Cincinnati this morning. They showed the sign and it was demolished. You can't even tell what it used to be. It is just a pile of twisted steel. I'm glad the sign was all that was damaged, and I'm glad it happened at night when the park was empty.

Figures they FINALLY fix the sign after all these years to have it fall down.

------------------
Hi.....whats your name again?

Tenchi-online.com Theme park photos and more. Your new home for the Jeff Siebert fanpage

But of course
------------------
This space will forever be dedicated to Hercules-R.I.P. 1989-2003

What, you mean the media couldn't somehow tie this accident into "you're gonna die if you go to amusement parks" theory? :)

------------------
"This is everybody else's fault except mine."
*** This post was edited by Craig the Coaster Freak 9/27/2003 1:32:41 PM ***

And this actually made the news?

------------------
"The Mountain Slidewinder. Voted The #1 Non-Rollercoaster Ride in America Amusement Business Magazine, 1991"

Yikes. That was a pretty nasty storm last night. Great for sleeping. :-) That sucks about the sign though.

I am just glad nobody got hurt!

-Tina

------------------
Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!

http://enquirer.com/editions/2003/09/27/signdown.jpg there's a pic.

Wow... bummer. Oh well... this is why parks have insurance.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

Yup just thnk of all the inspections going on on sob and the beast there now.

This was big news at the park today with guests and workers alike... The fact that it's been standing at the park since opening year (that's 31 years) came up a lot. I found it to be of at least of equal importance to when a part of Vertigo fell down at Cedar Point. Yea, I'm not sure why major storm damage happening at one of the biggest parks in the US would make news in Cincinnati.

-Danny

Shut up danny!;)

Thats a shame, something that much older than me, and now its gone:(. Well, maybe now they' can atleast come up with something equally or more impressive.

------------------
I'm Baaaack...

Woah that looks like a tornado hit the sign! I'm planning to go to PKI in a few weeks and was wondering if there was any other damage at the park?
------------------
Nashville needs a theme park!

Some water damage to a few shop's but thats it so far.

Heres some more pictures I took this mourning. (September 27, 03) CLICK HERE.

------------------
Dane
Webmaster of PKI-Central.com
http://www.pki-central.com
*** This post was edited by Dane186 9/28/2003 12:51:28 PM ***

Driving home from the work today brought me right past the sign in its mangled, destroyed form. Thinking about it, the winds required to bend that thing over had to be impressive, as it looks like there some nice steel beams in there. If I only had a camera, it's a pretty big thing that the sign is gone, since it has been there since I believe year one. As for other damage, there were several light posts toppled on KI drive and there was a crew working on traffic lights also on KI drive, looked like the storm ripped several lights from the wire. Inside the park I am not aware of anything major in terms of damage, I was not even aware that one of the stores had water damage, and I even work in Merch! Around the park the nearby Kings Schools complex had heavy damage, with a majority of their busses damaged in one way or another, and part of the roof of the middle school roof being ripped off. Quite an impressive storm, I'd say.

------------------
Merch Sup/ Associate WW- '01, '02
Front Gate Merch Sup/ WW Merch Location Mgr- '03

Jeff Siebert said they estimated the winds between 80 and 100 MPH. Those I beams were HUGE. By 9pm you couldnt of told there was ever a sign.

Jeff did say there will be a NEW sign for 2004 and it will be grander than the old one.

------------------
Hi.....whats your name again?

Tenchi-online.com Theme park photos and more. Your new home for the Jeff Siebert fanpage

I'm amazed how in one of the pictures, there's a lightpost right next to the wreckage that appears to be untouched.

Now that the sign is just a memory, here's a picture from the past.

------------------
Eastcoaster
Rideworld

For everyone's info, I got on Son of Beast, The Racer and The Beast today and they are fine. Maybe not, Son of Beast ride was the smoothest I have ever had. : )

PKIEMPSOB said:

Jeff did say there will be a NEW sign for 2004 and it will be grander than the old one.
------------------

Buy your gold pass now and receive ERT on the new sign on opening day! Unfortunately, they're using Sonny's old lap bars as the restraining system.