Villain

Villain was a wooden hybrid roller coaster at Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. The ride was designed by Custom Coasters International and built by Rocky Mountain Construction as part of a four-coaster expansion associated with Six Flags' operation of Geauga Lake around 1999 and 2000. Although classified as a wooden coaster, it used steel supports beneath a wooden track structure, placing it within the hybrid construction tradition used by several late-1990s and early-2000s amusement-park rides. The coaster was notable for including a trick-track element. In this feature, the track transitions from banking to one side to banking to the other while continuing along an otherwise straight section. Villain was the second Custom Coasters International coaster to use this type of element. When it opened, the ride was considered moderately smooth, but its ride quality deteriorated by 2001. During the following off-season, Martin & Vleminckx carried out retracking work intended to address the condition of the track. Villain operated while the park was known as Six Flags Ohio and later continued under the Geauga Lake name. In July 2000, a rider, Terri Wang of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was injured after being struck by objects believed to have been rocks or a mobile phone. The reported injuries included a fractured skull and broken nose. Wang brought a negligence lawsuit against Six Flags. A Portage County Common Pleas Court jury found Six Flags negligent and awarded Wang $1.1 million for medical expenses and $2.5 million in punitive damages. Geauga Lake closed its amusement-park section in September 2007, leaving the Wildwater Kingdom water park operating. Some rides from the former amusement park were relocated, but Villain was among the wooden coasters and other rides that were not moved. On June 17, 2008, the coaster was sold for scrap to Cleveland Scrap for $2,500 and subsequently demolished. Its trains were later located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, another Cedar Fair amusement park, although they had not been placed into service as of 2024. Villain is therefore a defunct amusement-park ride rather than an active consumer brand.

Villain was developed for Geauga Lake during a period of expansion connected with Six Flags' operation of the Ohio amusement park. It was one of four coasters added between 1999 and 2000. Custom Coasters International designed the ride, while Rocky Mountain Construction built it. The resulting coaster was a wooden hybrid: its track was wooden, while its support structure used steel. This construction approach allowed the ride to present the appearance and ride characteristics of a wooden coaster while using a substantial steel support system. The ride's layout included a trick-track element, in which the track banks from one side to the other along an otherwise straight path. Villain was the second Custom Coasters International coaster to incorporate this feature. It opened while the park operated as Six Flags Ohio and became part of the park's broader coaster lineup. Villain's initial ride quality was described as moderately smooth, but the track had deteriorated by 2001. Martin & Vleminckx retracked the coaster during the off-season. The maintenance intervention did not prevent a later safety-related legal dispute. In July 2000, rider Terri Wang was struck by objects believed to have been rocks or a mobile phone. She suffered a fractured skull and broken nose and sued Six Flags. A Portage County Common Pleas Court jury found Six Flags negligent and awarded $1.1 million for medical expenses together with $2.5 million in punitive damages. The amusement-park portion of Geauga Lake closed in September 2007, while Wildwater Kingdom continued as a water park. Several rides were relocated, but Villain was not among the rides moved. The coaster was sold for scrap to Cleveland Scrap on June 17, 2008, for $2,500 and was then demolished. The ride's trains were subsequently located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. As of 2024, those trains had not been used for another attraction. Villain no longer operates and survives primarily through historical records, photographs, and documentation of Geauga Lake's former coaster collection.

• 2008

  Sold for scrap and demolished

  [1]Villain (roller coaster)en.wikipedia.org

  Villain was sold to Cleveland Scrap for $2,500 on June 17 and was subsequently dismantled.

• 2007

  Geauga Lake amusement park closed

  [1]Villain (roller coaster)en.wikipedia.org

  The amusement-park section of Geauga Lake shut down in September, leaving Wildwater Kingdom as the remaining operating water park.

• 2001

  Retracking work completed

  [1]Villain (roller coaster)en.wikipedia.org

  After the ride deteriorated from its initial condition, Martin & Vleminckx retracked it during the off-season.

• 2000

  Opened at Six Flags Ohio

  [1]Villain (roller coaster)en.wikipedia.org

  The coaster opened at the Ohio park while it was known as Six Flags Ohio.

• 1999

  Added during Geauga Lake expansion

  [1]Villain (roller coaster)en.wikipedia.org

  Villain was developed as one of four roller coasters added to Geauga Lake during the expansion associated with Six Flags.

A custom-designed wooden hybrid roller coaster distinguished by its trick-track transition and its placement in Geauga Lake's late-1990s expansion.

• Wooden hybrid roller coaster · 2000

  Villain

  A custom wooden hybrid roller coaster formerly located at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. It used wooden track on steel supports and incorporated a trick-track element that shifted the banking from one side to the other along a largely straight section. The ride was designed by Custom Coasters International and built by Rocky Mountain Construction. After track deterioration, it received retracking work from Martin & Vleminckx in the 2001 off-season. The coaster was later scrapped after the park's amusement section closed.

• 2008

  Disposition after park closureOther

  Background

  The Geauga Lake amusement-park section had closed in 2007, and Villain was not relocated with some other rides.

  Action taken

  The coaster was sold to Cleveland Scrap for $2,500 and dismantled.

  Aftermath

  The ride was demolished, while its trains were later kept at Kings Island and remained unused as of 2024.

  Scrap sale price. $2,500 (June 17, 2008)

  Source

• 2001

  Off-season retrackingOther

  Background

  The ride had become rougher after opening and its track condition had deteriorated by 2001.

  Action taken

  Martin & Vleminckx retracked Villain during the off-season.

  Aftermath

  The maintenance work was part of the coaster's operating history before the eventual closure of Geauga Lake's amusement-park section.

  Source

1. 1Villain (roller coaster)en.wikipedia.org