Banshee gives 1 millionth ride at Kings Island

Kings Island on Thursday gave its millionth ride on the record-breaking Banshee roller coaster, which opened April 18.

The rider was Grant Pederson of Lexington, Ky., who also got a poster, picture frame, T-shirt, glass cube, coffee mug, tote bag, commemorative pin set and a large sign proclaiming him as the coaster's one millionth rider, according to a news release from Kings Island.

Banshee is the world's longest inverted steel roller coaster, sending riders screaming through 4,124 feet of track at speeds up to 68 mph. The $24 million coaster is on pace to be the most popular debut for a ride in more than 25 years at Kings Island. The last coaster to attract such a following its debut year was Vortex, which opened gave 2,183,642 rides in 1987, according to the release.

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