The Steel Curtain roller coaster is almost done with its rehab and is set to return to action.
After more than a year closure, Kennywood officials announced Thursday Pennsylvania’s tallest roller coaster will be up and rolling for Memorial Day weekend. The West Mifflin amusement park opened for its 127th season last month with the promise that the ride would return.
The flagship Steelers-themed attraction was named after the Steel Curtain, a nickname bestowed on the 1970s defensive line that led Pittsburgh to four Super Bowls.
A ribbon cutting for the reopening is planned for 11 a.m. on May 24. General Manager Ricky Spicuzza said special guests will be in attendance including current Pittsburgh Steelers players and alumni to mark the official grand re-opening.
The Steel Curtain stands 220 feet tall and has nine inversions, the most of any coaster in the U.S., including the highest in North America.
The Steel Curtain was closed all of the 2024 season and at other times during its time since debuting in 2019. Park officials never explained what exactly led to the shutdown.
Season pass holders will get exclusive first ride time on May 23.
We can’t wait to reintroduce this iconic coaster to our guests,” Spicuzza said in a statement. “With a heightened focused on the Steel Curtain’s reliability, this summer, guests can expect to hop on for a ride during every visit to Kennywood.”
Featuring 4,000 feet of track, the Steel Curtain originally opened to riders in 2019. In 2024, the coaster began a yearlong modification project to increase the reliability and longevity of the ride, park officials said. Through the project, the park worked with the ride’s manufacturer, S&S Worldwide, and third-party engineers to add three new columns and additional braces throughout the ride. This modification decreased the structural movement of the ride, ultimately allowing the coaster to make more cycles throughout its lifespan, according to Kennywood.
Kennywood announced earlier this year that it will soon be operating under new ownership, Atlanta-based Herschend, whose other holdings include Dollywood and the Harlem Globetrotters. Herschend will acquire Palace Entertainment’s U.S. attractions, which include Kennywood, Sandcastle in West Homestead and Idlewild & SoakZone in the Laurel Highlands.
The park will be owned by Palace Entertainment until the regulatory process is completed.