KENNYWOOD AIMS TO REOPEN THE STEEL CURTAIN IN 2025. | PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

In April, Kennywood stunned fans by announcing it was closing its wildly popular Steel Curtain roller coasterfor the 2024 season for “an extensive modification project” to ensure it will run long into the future.

On Friday, Kennywood sent an update as it aims to open the ride in 2025.

“Throughout the season, our team has been hard at work toward the reopening of the Steel Curtain in 2025.

When you visit the park this weekend, you will notice we have begun the next phase of work on this project, which includes adding additional columns to the structure. These enhancements and others will increase the coaster’s reliability and longevity, maintaining it for generations of riders to come.

We are excited to continue progress on the coaster over the next several months and we can’t wait to welcome riders back to the Steel Curtain in 2025.” 

Reaching a maximum height of 220 feet, the colossal steel structure has offered a 2-minute adrenaline rush, sending riders through 4,000 feet of track with nine inversions at speeds up to 76 mph.  When it opened in 2019, it won the Golden Ticket Award for Best New Roller Coaster. It also set three records at the time: the Pennsylvania State record for tallest roller coaster, the North American record for most inversions and the world record for tallest inversion at 197 feet above the ground.