Kennywood announces opening date for the Steel Curtain this season
Kennywood fans, the wait has finally come to an end. On Thursday morning, the park announced that the Steel Curtain will be open for riders on May 24 at 11 a.m.
Blue dummies are riding on repeat right now, but in just a few weeks, the yinzers will take their seats.
"From now until the Steel Curtain's opening day, the coaster will go through hundreds of additional cycles and is actually being recommissioned by the ride's manufacturer," general manager Ricky Spicuzza said.
Spicuzza said last year the park discovered the Steel Curtain's reliability issues, which forced it offline often.
There was too much movement back and forth. It's movement that's technically normal, but more than the park wanted to see. Working with the ride's manufacturer, S&S Worldwide, Kennywood added three additional columns and several braces along the ride.
"These supports have decreased the structural movement of the coaster, strengthening the steel even more than it ever was before," Spicuzza said.
It was a painful 13-month closure that Spicuzza hopes will pay off in the end with a reliable ride all Kennywood and coaster fans can enjoy. Gold and platinum pass holders get first access one day early on May 23.
"This is our No. 1, it's the No. 1 question, it's the No. 1 ride in the park, and I think people are going to be really excited to see this back in action," Spicuzza said.
Steel Curtain lawsuits and closures
Since debuting at the beloved Pittsburgh park in 2019, the Steel Curtain has gone through several issues and closures.
It went for its first rides in July 2019, but just a couple of days later, it was closed due to technical difficulties. It would ultimately reopen a few weeks later.
This past year, the ride was the center of more than just frequent closures.
In 2024, the park announced that it would be closed for the season for an "extensive modification project."
"We understand the frustration many of you have felt not being able to experience Steel Curtain. On behalf of our entire team, we absolutely share that frustration with you," said assistant general manager Ricky Spicuzza at the time.
The announcement came after several tumultuous closures in 2022 and 2023, as well as frustration from season pass holders that they weren't able to enjoy the ride.
A group of frustrated season pass holders filed a class action lawsuit, and it was discovered that the park knew it would be shut down for the 2024 season, but did not make that announcement before asking for season pass renewals.
"They knew the Steel Curtain wasn't going to be open this season," attorney John A. Biedrzycki. "But they didn't put that information out until after thousands of people bought season passes."
Progress and reopenings
During the fall and winter of 2024, Kennywood said that the ride was undergoing significant changes, but progress was positive for the upcoming season.
Now, with today's announcement, Kennywood can officially take the Steel Curtain off of IR and put it on the active roster.
