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Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio, United States. It is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. The park first opened in 1972 by the Taft Broadcasting Company in an effort to move and expand Coney Island, a popular resort destination along the banks of the Ohio River that was prone to frequent flooding. After more than $275 million in capital investments, the park features over 80 rides, shows and attractions including 14 roller coasters and a water park. Throughout its history, Kings Island has appeared in popular sitcoms and has received widespread recognition for its record-breaking attractions and events. One of the park's most well-known attractions, The Racer, is often credited with reviving worldwide interest in roller coasters during the 1970s. Others, such as The Beast and Banshee, have set several world records including some of which are still standing. The park has also suffered through times of negative publicity, particularly surrounding the early demise of roller coasters The Bat and Son of Beast. Kings Island is divided into several themed sections. The seasonal amusement park is open from early spring through Labor Day and reopens for a short time on weekends beginning in September for Halloween-themed events. In 2014, Kings Island was the second-most visited seasonal amusement park in the United States behind Cedar Point with an estimated 3.2 million visitors. It was third overall for seasonal attendance in North America, which was led by Canada's Wonderland. Kings Island has won ''Amusement Today's'' Golden Ticket Award for having the "Best Kids' Area" in the world for fourteen consecutive years (2001–2014). ==History== Kings Island was conceived as early as 1964 when Coney Island, a popular amusement park east of downtown Cincinnati on the banks of the Ohio River, suffered from a major flood that submerged the area in over of water. Although occasional flooding was common at the successful park, the flood in 1964 was the fourth highest on record and caused considerable damage. Faced with already-limited space for expansion and parking, the event triggered discussions within the organization about relocating the park.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Coney Island History )〕 Leading the way was Gary Wachs, son of Coney Island president Ralph Wachs, who with friends and family owned a majority of stock. He decided it was time to relocate the park to stay competitive. After years of research and traveling abroad, he presented ideas for a new theme park to the company's board of directors. Some board members opposed relocating, including significant stockholder Charles Sawyer. It wasn't taken seriously until 1968, when actor Fess Parker announced plans to build a theme park in Northern Kentucky – well within Coney Island's primary market that extended as far south as Louisville. The announcement highlighted the need for change and gave Wachs' proposal credibility within the organization.〔〔 Gary met with the president of Taft Broadcasting Company, a business interested in promoting its recently acquired Hanna-Barbera division, to discuss a possible merger. After receiving support, Fess Parker's efforts to secure financing fell apart along with his plans to build a competing theme park.〔 In July 1969, Taft Broadcasting Company purchased Coney Island for $6.5 million and soon after purchased in Warren County, Ohio, for $3.2 million.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Development )〕 Kings Island still owns of that purchase.〔 The site is located between I-71 and the Little Miami River in what was then a part of Deerfield Township. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kings Island」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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