in Cincinnati. Summers was tasked with designing the roller coaster footings – underground, steel-reinforced concrete pillars that support the weight of the structure – as well as a cable system for the coaster's helix finale. The collaboration between Dinn and Summers would later lead to the pair teaming up and forming the Dinn Corporation, a construction firm that designed and built eleven coasters in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The initial land grading prep work began in May 1978. The coaster's vertical construction officially began the following month on June 10. By November 9, 1978, approximately 60 percent of the ride was complete, which included both of the ride's lift hills and its three tunnels. The remaining construction work was completed by March 1979. Materials used throughout the project included of lumber, 82,480 bolts, 5,180 washers, of nails, and of poured concrete. The ride cost at least $3.2 million, equivalent to $ million in . The Beast's final design featured two vertical drops of , and it incorporated an overall elevation change of . Its three underground tunnels were designed by Jim Kiosky, with one at the base of the first drop and two more approximately a third of the way into the track layout. The trains were manufactured by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Allen's employer, who also implemented their "buzz bar" restraints. An early iteration of the train's design was based on the traditional mine car concept, which employed headlamps at the front of each train. Late changes scrapped the mine car theme in favor of a flame-colored paint scheme, and a sculpted logo was attached at the front in place of the headlamps. The logo, created by national advertising firm Lawler Ballard Little, would receive an award from The Advertising Club of New York later that year. Early testing revealed issues in the design of the final helix track element. The amount of side acceleration the trains experienced was more than the design intended, so the entire helix was reconstructed with a wider diameter. The delay forced Kings Island to forego the enclosing of the helix, which would eventually happen the following off-season. Also at the first tunnel's exit, it was discovered that additional banking was needed to reduce stress on the structure. Engineers managed to complete the feat overnight, considering most of the coaster's track was relatively close to the ground and large cranes were not needed.