Popular Kings Island roller coaster reopens two weeks after mechanical issue forces closure

MASON — A popular Kings Island roller coaster forced to close last month due to mechanical issue has been allowed to reopen.

>>PREVIOUS REPORT: Kings Island’s The Bat closed after mishap involving train wheel

The Bat was shut down June 22 after a wheel came off while the coaster was in motion. No injuries were reported due to the issue and all riders were able to make it off safely.

While the ride has been repaired, only one of the trains will be in operation, Chad Showalter, Kings Island spokesperson confirmed to our news partners WCPO-TV in Cincinnati.

The nearly 30-year-old roller coaster was built by Arrow Dynamics, a company no that’s been out of business since 2001.

Similar to the Vortex, another popular roller coaster at the park that was retired and demolished in 2019, many of Arrow’s coasters are beginning to reach the end of their lifetime, according to the WCPO-TV report.

The ride was previously named after the popular movie, “Top Gun,” and is one of the last of its kind in the country.

©2022 Cox Media Group