How much money 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.



Kings Island, located in Mason, Ohio, cost approximately $30 million to build and open in 1972. When adjusted for inflation to 2026 dollars, this original investment is equivalent to roughly $225 million to $240 million. The project was led by the Taft Broadcasting Company to replace the flood-prone Coney Island park in Cincinnati. Significant portions of the original budget were spent on "flagship" attractions that still stand today, such as the 1/3-scale Eiffel Tower and the Racer roller coaster. Since its opening, the park has seen over $400 million in cumulative capital investments, including the addition of record-breaking coasters like The Beast, Orion, and Mystic Timbers. The initial $30 million was considered a massive gamble at the time, but it successfully established Kings Island as one of the premier seasonal theme parks in the United States, eventually becoming part of the Cedar Fair (now Six Flags) portfolio of world-class amusement destinations.

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For the full year ended Dec. 31, 2020, net revenues totaled $182 million versus $1.47 billion for 2019.

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It is the largest investment in Kings Island's history, costing an estimated $30 million. The coaster stands 287 feet (87 m), features a 300-foot drop (91 m), and reaches a maximum speed of 91 mph (146 km/h).

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Cedar Fair owns 11 amusement parks including Cedar Point, Canada's Wonderland, Kings Island, Knott's Berry Farm and Michigan's Adventure. Six Flags currently has 27 parks. Cedar Fair, the parent company of Cedar Point and Kings Island, will merge with Six Flags, the company announced Thursday morning.

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Banshee cost $24 million to build, making it the most expensive project in Kings Island's history at the time.

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The average Kings Island hourly pay ranges from approximately $14 per hour for a Ride Operator to $24 per hour for a Food and Beverage. Kings Island employees rate the overall compensation and benefits package 3.8/5 stars.

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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.

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Kings Island eventually got its name after a public contest. The “Kings” came from the town where it was built, Kings Mills. The “Island” came from its predecessor, Coney Island.

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

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So what's the new most expensive roller coaster in the world? The new top spot goes to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind located in EPCOT. According to Bloomberg, this ride cost a whopping $500 MILLION to build!

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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.

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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.

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