From the Tuesday, March 8, 2005 Cincinnati enquirer:

"A fire at a Utah storage warehouse last week destroyed or damaged parts of Paramount's Kings Island's newest attraction, The Italian Job: Stunt Track. But park officials say the setback won't delay the opening of the interactive coaster, a ride based on a chase scene from the 2003 movie. Kings Island will open April 9, but the ride wasn't supposed to be finished until later. It wasn't clear Monday how much damage was done to the Mini Cooper S coaster cars when the warehouse burned in Byrum, Utah. But "all the plans in place are still a go," park spokesman Jeffrey Siebert said Monday. The Italian Job coaster is being built by Maryland-based Premier Rides, which did not return phone calls."

Here is a link to the story at the Enquirer website. It is the third story down.

Yeh i figured part of it was damaged, good to see that it won't push back the opening any later.

Looks like I was right.

^Ben I think everyone knew they were for IJ:ST but most were in denial, I mean when you think about it there's really no other coaster it could have been. I'm glad to see its not pushing back opening though.

this is good news. very good news. i was worried when i found out there was going to be an article about it today....

Well at least in April you can walk around it and check it out.

Yay!! Iam really looking forward to riding IJ:ST thankgoodness the opening wont be delayed.

Its funny to watch all of you get hyped up over nothing.

We’ve been looking forward to this ride since it was announced. Call us freaks, obsessed but we will be there when it opens!

I would like to hear the rest of the story or plans as they said on how it will be done.

It sounds like it would make a good show for Discovery Channel.

Will they make the deadline? Find out on the next episode of American Coaster.

Well that is sweet but I hope this doesn't push them too far and make them mess something up.

Just what we need, possibly more delayed time.

Did you guys read the article? It says that there won't be any delays in the opening of the IJ:ST coaster.

Yeah, but perhaps some people are overly optimistic.

We’ve been looking forward to this ride since it was announced. Call us freaks, obsessed but we will be there when it opens!

I will also be there

^Meaning the people of PKI? Or enthusiasts?

Hopefully we can have a great opening for IJ:ST, instead of alot of delays

Does it really take that long to construct new trains? Even if they have to do it completely over? I can't see it taking the next six months to build new trains. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I think.

So will this coaster have those stupid seatbelts that kill airtime or will they just have a safety lap bar or whatnot?

Well, they are from Premier so they will probably have the same restraints as the FOF and SOB trains have... a lap bar with and possibly a seatbelt buckled to it, sorry for those with big legs that can't fit in either of those rides very well.

Has anyone seen what the coastercars will look like is there a concept model at the park? I really hope everything works out ok as for seatbelts I dont like em lap bars Iam ok with.

I bet it takes about 3 weeks at least to make those trains. Probaly even more since it is custom trains

Does it really take that long to construct new trains? Even if they have to do it completely over? I can't see it taking the next six months to build new trains. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I think.

Normally that would be true since when it comes down to it, it's a matter of fiberglass and steel, but since these cars are special in several different ways, I could understand why people would fear the worst.

You also have to keep in mind that especially with a ride like this, they have a lot of testing to do with the trains of the track, which calls for more delays.

The first real operating day I bet it will be only opened long enough for the VIP's to ride and that is about it. I wonder if they are going to build a wall so people cant see what is all into the ride or not?

Judgind by the construction pictures, the helicopter scene is going to be barricaded by the shipping crates. So unless you are on the ride, or in the Eiffel Tower, you won`t be able to see that scene. Also, there is a good segment of track that is in the tunnel, which for obvious reasons can not be seen from the midway.

Yes the trains are a little more advanced than normal trains. There are electronics on board, which require extra wiring to run the headlights and the subwoofers under the seats. Apparantly, from what I`ve heard, and this could be totally fictitous, but there were apparantly two trains that were not destroyed in the fire. So there is apparanatly a train at PCW and PKI so that they can begin preliminary teting of the equipment and the theatrical theming.

I`m looking forward to the park opening and to this ride opening.

If there was trains that was not destroyed in the fire I bet there will be pics of them coming soon.

I have a funny feeling about this. Knowing how major corporations and governments are about things like this, I am not at all surprised that PKI is saying the ride will open on time. However, with that in mind, they make no mention as to whether or not the ride will run at full capacity. It may in fact open on time, but it may have only one or two trains, and not the three total is was designed for. Sorry, but I am skeptical as to whether PKI is telling the whole truth, or just part of it.

Get your passes and tickets it will be open.

It probably won't have all three trains, but thank God it will be open on time...woohoo. Aren't the trains supposed to have doors that open and close like on real cars?

Maybe they was already working on more trains that was going to be used next year when one of the other 3 parks get IJST.