Editing Kings Island (section)

===Taft Broadcasting and KECO (1970–1992)===
Construction began on June 15, 1970.<ref name="40 years" /><ref name="KICentral – Development"/> Later that year, a public contest was held to name the new park.<ref name="KICentral – Development"/> "Kings Island" emerged the most popular, as the name was a nod to both the local [[Kings Mills, Ohio|Kings Mills]] area as well as the park's predecessor Coney Island.<ref name="40 years" /><ref name="KICentral – Development"/> Most of the rides at Coney Island were relocated, and much of what remained was demolished.<ref name="Coney Island History" /> The popular Sunlite Pool attraction continued to operate, however, and the park was partially restored years later.<ref name="Coney Island History" /><ref name="40 years" /><ref name="KICentral – Development"/>

Less than two years after breaking ground, Kings Island opened its gates to the public on April 29, 1972. It was the first of several preview events. The grand opening was held the following month on May 27, 1972.<ref name="40 years" /><ref name="KICentral – Development"/>

[[Image:Kings Island 1972.jpg|thumb|left|upright|View from [[Racer (Kings Island)|The Racer]] in the mid-1970s with {{Anchor|Zodiac}}[[Double wheel|Zodiac]] on the right]]
One of the first signature attractions featured at the park was [[The Racer (Kings Island)|The Racer]], a wooden roller coaster consisting of two trains that race side by side on identical tracks.<ref name="Racer 100 million" /> Designed by legendary designer [[John C. Allen]], who was convinced to come out of retirement, The Racer was the first of its kind in 35 years and played an integral part of the roller coaster renaissance of the 1970s.<ref name="Racer 100 million">{{cite news|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/2014/07/28/kings-island-beasts-millionth-rider-diamondback-racer-banshee-coaster-milestones/13259385/|title=Kings Island: Racer coaster tallies its 100 millionth rider|last=Richardson|first=Rachel|date=July 28, 2014|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Racer-Helbig">{{cite web|url=https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/april/ki-45-the-racer|title=KI 45: THE RACER|last=Helbig|first=Don|date=April 25, 2017|publisher=Kings Island|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-date=March 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331231314/https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/april/ki-45-the-racer|url-status=dead}}</ref> Decades later, it was distinguished as a Roller Coaster Landmark by [[American Coaster Enthusiasts]] (ACE) in recognition for its historical significance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/details.aspx?id=50|title=Coaster Landmark Award – The Racer|publisher=American Coaster Enthusiasts|access-date=November 10, 2015}}</ref> Other roller coasters present on opening day in 1972 were the Bavarian Beetle, a small steel coaster brought over from Coney Island, and a new junior wooden coaster in the [[Hanna–Barbera theme parks|Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera]] originally named [[Woodstock Express (Kings Island)|Scooby Doo]].<ref name="1972 map">{{cite web|url=http://www.themeparkbrochures.net/maps/1972/pki197x_1.html|title=Kings Island – 1972 Map|publisher=Themeparkbrochures.net|access-date=July 22, 2012}}</ref> The most expensive ride to open with the park was [[Enchanted Voyage]], a $2-million [[dark ride]] attraction that featured over a hundred animatronic [[Hanna-Barbera]] characters.<ref name="Enchanted Voyage">{{cite web|url=https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2018/january/remembering-the-enchanted-voyage|title=Remembering the Enchanted Voyage|last=Keeter|first=John|date=January 9, 2018|publisher=Kings Island|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-date=March 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331235831/https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2018/january/remembering-the-enchanted-voyage|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kings Island was nationally promoted in two well-known [[situation comedy|sitcoms]]: ''[[The Partridge Family]]'' in 1972 and ''[[The Brady Bunch]]'' in 1973.<ref name="Sitcoms-WVXU.org" /> Each filmed an episode on location at the park, which were later broadcast on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].<ref name="Sitcoms-WVXU.org">{{cite web|url=http://wvxu.org/post/brady-bunch-kings-island-show-premiered-1973#stream/0|title='Brady Bunch' Kings Island Show Premiered In 1973|last=Kiesewetter|first=John|date=November 23, 2015|access-date=August 4, 2016}}</ref> The Brady Bunch was produced by [[Paramount Television]], a large Taft Broadcasting shareholder.<ref name="KICentral – Brady Bunch">{{cite web |url=http://kicentral.com/parkhistory/brady-bunch-episode-at-kings-island/ |title=Brady Bunch Episode at Kings Island |publisher=KingsIslandCentral.com |access-date=August 1, 2010}}</ref> The park also held several world-record-breaking events. In 1974, 69-year-old [[Karl Wallenda]] set a world record for the longest [[Tightrope walking|tightrope skywalk]] at a distance of {{Convert|1800|ft}}, which was performed {{Convert|60|ft}} off the ground.<ref name="Wallenda 1974 - Enquirer" /> The following year, [[Evel Knievel]] successfully jumped fourteen [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]] buses on his [[Harley Davidson]] at Kings Island, clearing a distance of {{convert|133|ft}}.<ref name="Knievel-HC" /><ref name="Knievel-CinMag" /> The jump set a world record that held until 1999.<ref name="Knievel-HC" /><ref name="Knievel-CinMag" /> It was the longest successful jump of his career as well as his last major stunt,<ref name="Knievel-HC" /> and the nationally televised event was broadcast live on ABC, landing 52 percent of the TV audience during that hour with an estimated 55 million viewers.<ref name="Knievel-CinMag" /> Park executives favored the national exposure and additional revenue being generated by record-breaking, newsworthy events that kept the park at the forefront of the industry.<ref name="Beast-KIBlog" /> To keep momentum going, Kings Island spent years researching and designing a mammoth roller coaster, [[The Beast (roller coaster)|The Beast]], which opened in 1979 as the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world.<ref name="Beast-KIBlog" /> It was designed and manufactured internally by the park.<ref name="Beast-KIBlog">{{cite web|url=https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/october/the-beast-the-original-biggest-baddest-tallest-fastest-wooden-roller-coaster-in-the-world|title=The Beast: The original biggest, baddest, tallest, fastest wooden roller coaster in the world|last=Keeter|first=John|date=October 2, 2017|publisher=Kings Island|access-date=April 8, 2018|archive-date=April 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408104436/https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/october/the-beast-the-original-biggest-baddest-tallest-fastest-wooden-roller-coaster-in-the-world|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On the heels of early success came turbulent times beginning in the 1980s. Kings Island partnered with [[Arrow Development]], an amusement ride company well known for its work at [[Disneyland]] and [[Walt Disney World|Disney World]], to develop a unique roller coaster concept.<ref name="The Bat-WDW" /> [[The Bat (Kings Island; opened 1981)|The Bat]] opened to the public in 1981 as the first modern-day, [[suspended roller coaster]] featuring an overhead track with train cars that swung freely from side to side, designed to simulate the feeling of flight.<ref name="The Bat-WDW">{{cite web|url=https://wdwnt.com/2013/06/wdwnt-the-magazine-arrow-dynamics-disneys-coaster-partner/|title=Arrow Dynamics: Disney's Coaster Partner|last=Truskowski|first=Michael|date=June 14, 2013|work=WDW News Today|access-date=April 8, 2018}}</ref><ref name="The Bat-KIBlog" /> Although it was well received, it was plagued with design flaws and constant maintenance that resulted in frequent closures over its short, three-year history.<ref name="The Bat-WDW" /><ref name="The Bat-KIBlog" /> To appease frustrated guests, the south track of The Racer began running its trains backward in 1982, which became so popular that the change remained until 2008.<ref name="The Bat-KIBlog" /> The park also pushed forward with its next major addition, [[King Cobra (roller coaster)|King Cobra]], which opened in 1984 as the first of its kind to be designed from inception as a stand-up roller coaster.<ref name="The Bat-KIBlog">{{cite web|url=https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/october/the-sporadic-erratic-flight-of-the-bat|title=The Sporadic Erratic Flight of The Bat|last=Keeter|first=John|date=October 30, 2017|publisher=Kings Island|access-date=April 8, 2018|archive-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627114445/https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/october/the-sporadic-erratic-flight-of-the-bat|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kings Island also went through a series of ownership changes over the next decade. Taft sold its theme park division in 1984 for $167.5&nbsp;million to [[Kings Entertainment Company]] (KECO), a company formed by senior executives and general managers of Taft Attractions Group.<ref name="KECO formation - Bryan Times">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19840412&id=eJdjAAAAIBAJ&pg=5520,939609|title=Amusement Parks Sale Completed|date=April 11, 1984|work=The Bryan Times|access-date=July 10, 2012|location=Bryan, Ohio}}</ref> Three parks – Kings Island, [[Kings Dominion]] and [[Carowinds]] – were involved in the sale.<ref name="KECO formation - Bryan Times" /> Taft invested in KECO to retain one-third interest.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/10/business/taft-sells-parks.html|title=Taft Sells Parks|work=The New York Times|date=April 10, 1984 |agency=Associated Press|access-date=July 10, 2012}}</ref> Three years later in 1987, Kings Island was sold individually to [[American Financial Corporation]], led by [[Carl Lindner, Jr.|Carl Lindner]].<ref name="40 years" /><ref name="1992 Purchase-WashPost" /><ref name="1992 Purchase-UPI" /> The deal included a contract with KECO to continue managing park operations.<ref name="40 years" /><ref name="1992 Purchase-WashPost">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1992/08/01/taking-a-plunge-into-theme-parks/f32a233b-cb46-48c0-8718-c6eb1dc5e29e/|title=Taking a Plunge Into Theme Parks|last=Powers|first=William F.|date=August 1, 1992|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=April 8, 2018}}</ref><ref name="1992 Purchase-UPI">{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1992/07/31/Paramount-to-buy-4-theme-parks-for-400-million/2902712555200/|title=Paramount to buy 4 theme parks for $400 million|date=July 31, 1992|publisher=United Press International|access-date=April 8, 2018}}</ref> KECO, which retained ownership of the other two parks,<ref name="1992 Purchase-WashPost" /> also added [[California's Great America|Great America]] to its portfolio after purchasing it in 1989 from the city of [[Santa Clara, California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santaclara.com/story/Great-America/1868111|title=Great America|publisher=City of Santa Clara|access-date=April 8, 2018|archive-date=April 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408022043/http://www.santaclara.com/story/Great-America/1868111|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inparkmagazine.com/greening-great-america/|title=The history of California's Great America and its path to sustainability|last=Kleiman|first=Joe|date=May 30, 2017|work=InPark Magazine|access-date=April 8, 2018}}</ref>