Orlando, Florida, USA
November 13, 2018 – This summer’s announcement that Pittsburgh’s iconic Kennywood Park will open the groundbreaking Steelers Country attraction in 2019, football and roller coaster fans have been eager for news on one of the most exciting projects in recent amusement industry history. Today, S&S Worldwide, Inc. and Kennywood came together to reveal one of the most exciting aspects of Steelers Country’s star player, showcasing the ride vehicles for the Steel Curtain roller coaster for the first time at the International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions’ (IAAPA) International Expo.
Matching the colors of the track and structure of the coaster, the vehicle features the iconic black and gold colors of the Pittsburgh Steeler uniform complete with number 33 on the center of the lead vehicle, a nod to the year the sports franchise was founded (1933). The vehicle’s sleek, comfortable seats are themed and shaped to look like footballs with the laces facing outward. The restraints on the vehicle are lap bar only (no over the shoulder restraint), and guests will notice just how open the vehicle is as the train twists, turns and inverts them smoothly at high speed. “With the Steel Curtain setting the North American record for most inversions, it was critical that the trains offer riders a safe and comfortable experience that has them eager to ride again and again,” said Kennywood General Manager Jerome Gibas. “You can definitely tell you’re in Steelers Country when you board this vehicle.”
The towering Steel Curtain roller coaster will rule Kennywood’s skyline. With a record-breaking 9 inversions (most in the Western Hemisphere), 197 foot-tall inversion, and 220-foot maximum height, Steel Curtain is an adrenaline rush like no other, speeding across 4,000 feet of track at 75 miles per hour. Designed by S&S Worldwide, Steel Curtain will break a Pennsylvania record, a North American record, and a world record. The colossal steel structure of the coaster will serve as a landmark addition to the park and a high-energy entry point welcoming guests to Steelers Country.
“We are very excited about the partnership with Kennywood,” said Steelers Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ryan Huzjak. “Being able to connect the Pittsburgh Steelers with a family attraction like Kennywood is a natural fit for both organizations, and we are thrilled about the tradition and longstanding history the Steelers and Kennywood provide to families in and around the city of Pittsburgh.”
“We are honored to collaborate with this great, historic park and the Pittsburgh Steelers on this coaster,” said S&S Worldwide Director of Sales Pete Barto. “We all know how passionate Steelers fans are, and it is our mission to make sure the Steel Curtain vehicle and ride experience lives up to its legendary namesake.”
Ground has already been broken on the Steel Curtain, with the first pieces of track being erected late November 2018. Crews will be hard at work to open Steelers Country, highlighted by this record-setting roller coaster, during the 2019 season.