Son of Beast was a record-breaking wooden roller coaster at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, United States. Built and designed by the now-defunct Roller Coaster Corporation of America (RCCA), it opened to the public on April 28, 2000, as the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world; these records have never been broken. It became the first wooden hypercoaster – a height class of or more – with its record-setting height of . The coaster was also the first in the modern era to feature a vertical loop, and it reached a maximum speed of . Son of Beast was themed as a sequel to one of the park's other signature attractions, The Beast. Two major, non-fatal accidents occurred on Son of Beast during its existence. In 2006, a crack formed in a wooden track beam resulting in a slight dip that severely jolted riders, with many reporting head and neck injuries. In 2009, a rider reported a severe head injury stemming from a burst blood vessel, and the ride was closed indefinitely. After sitting idle for years, the coaster permanently closed in July 2012 when Kings Island announced that the roller coaster would be removed from the park. A new steel coaster, Banshee, opened in its place in 2014, and a tombstone prop paying homage to the Son of Beast was placed in the ride's line queue. The station of Son of Beast is still standing and was used during the Halloween Haunt season between 2010 and 2019. History Construction The Roller Coaster Corporation of America (RCCA) discussed the idea of building the world's first wooden hypercoaster with Kings Island in 1997. The park announced plans to build Son of Beast on May 11, 1999. As part of a marketing campaign for the ride before its debut, a box was placed next to a footpath in the park. Beastly growling and snarling noises came from inside the box as it shook violently. During the announcement, the box was revealed to the audience along with a model of the roller coaster and a list of seven world records that would be broken when it came into operation. The sign at the ride's entrance featured a large wooden box covered with chains, rope, and metal straps. The front was ripped open with the name "Son of Beast" centered inside the box. Although the Roller Coaster Company of Ohio was officially