The Abandoned Plan for Kennywood's Steelers Country

Kennywood's Steelers Country area, which opened in 2019, has become known as a giant entrance hub for the Steel Curtain coaster, but it was originally planned to be so much more. When the land was announced in 2018, concept art was released showing a much different vision than what we ended up getting. What elements were canceled, and what was supposed to be inside the elusive Steelers Experience building? Before we look to the future of the area, let's look to the past at the original concepts for Steelers Country, and see everything that was cut from the final product.
I apologize if my voice sounds different in this video. I was recovering from a really bad cold but I wanted to get the video out before Phantom Fall Fest started. Time crunch!
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[@UnknownJ25]

It’s a shame they never filled out the activity center and I hope they add something other than Steel Curtain. Could do like a Steelers mini hall of fame with activities in the center instead

[@reillymcwriting]

Maybe a ride themed around the bucs/pens

[@urbex_coasters]

It was a bad idea. The concept already exists next to their stadium (Sportsworks) in a bigger form that has far more offerings than Steelers Experience would've had. And it can operate at full capacity during their peak season. The ideas could've worked as "49ers Experience" paired with Goldstriker at CGA but that's the only park I think an NFL land could work, being right next to the stadium.

[@Splater765]

I would have loved the tunnel honestly, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t really care for sports that aren’t in the water or on a snowy mountain.

[@bappo456]

I've only ever been in the end zone Cafe once, it was pretty good, probably the best food I've ever had there but that's probably because the cooking equipment is new. Saw a decent crowd during the first Steelers game on Sunday, it was nice to have people in the area rather than it being an oversized path to the Curtain

[@RampagingRex]

That’s when Steelers Country looks its best, when there’s a game on the Jumbotron. When there’s a crowd back there it’s a pretty fun area, but otherwise it feels empty and lifeless, except for Curtain.

[@Hatter_r]

Now it’s turned into undercooked burgers by teenager’s

[@XscreamThrills]

Id just be happy with consistent operations on Steel Curtain 🙃

[@HockeyGUY66871]

I honestly think they should remove the Experience building and put a drop tower there.

[@fallonstanley449]

I think they’re doing a drop tower where volcano was

[@reillymcwriting]

@@fallonstanley449 Nope, but Spinvasion looks cool.

[@lucasm7177]

As an outsider being non Steelers fan or really Kennywood fan I think it was a good idea but kinda fell flat. I hate how all themeparks especially Six Flags are sponsored out the ass. I think it would have been better with an original concept. But that's just my .02

[@snakeeyes2k4]

The rivalry between KI’s Bengals theme and CP’s Browns theme would be amazing to see. I guess we’ll never see it though

[@RMsteelerfan7]

10:16 That’s me every visit I go to Kennywood 😂

[@gapt33th]

They destroyed the Log Jammer for this????? LMAO

[@RampagingRex]

It was worth it for Curtain if you ask me. The rest of the area, not so much.

[@nickmoney]

They destroyed Log Jammer? That's milarky

[@SynthD]

Playing the games live in the area is a huge thing. Like “I’m going to watch the game, drink beer, ride a coaster” it’s insane. For the price of a season pass, I can watch every game? I’d be in instantly. The issue is football season runs through winter. That’s where football and amusement parks can’t line up.

[@urbex_coasters]

It would work at CGA, as part of a family friendly alternative to tailgating given where the 49ers stadium is and year round operation capabilities. It doesn't work at Kennywood because no one would've thought "go to Kennywood for game day" (notice I said "for" rather than "on", people who aren't fans might go just for the park experience that day not caring about the game) before the land was built.

[@X24453]

Terrible tower drop ride? That may be the best idea I've ever heard.

[@lilfisheyy]

Imagine a duel drop tower with the return of the Pitt fall and the terrible tower. Would be fire.

[@lostsheep2640]

I think the experience building is just on hold. I bet something goes in there either next year or the following year. Also don’t forget you got 4D theater and the new ride coming to volcano area so who knows what’s going to become.

[@April_ONeil]

It will be atleast another year. The mAlice rights are for 2 years, I believe.

[@JMaster9877]

Even if they didn't keep the brand, everyone loves the Steel Curtain

[@urbex_coasters]

I suggest "Steel Phantom 2.0" as Curtain's new name when they drop the liscence, signifying the return of inversions past. Nice nod to park history.

[@pladampa]

Says who? It's a piece of junk.

[@JMaster9877]

@@pladampa name one ride in the park other then Phantom that's better

[@pladampa]

@@JMaster9877 any of the ones that actually run

[@brianseech]

They should cut their losses with the Experience building and also shorten the Thomas train layout by making a new turnaround behind the Café/Picnic shelter area instead. Doing that would open up the old train tracks and old turnaround area, as well as the whole steelers county to create a new mixed use midway. And I think they should embrace the view of the river and Braddock steel works for a change…it’s as unique a view as any (Similar to what Cedar Point is doing with their new beach midway).

[@idontknowwhattocallmyaccou349]

My favorite part of the park used to be over where the log jammed used to be RIP

[@jacksonscott9857]

Partially indoor drop tower with themed que

[@WGPitt]

My thought is what if (in 2019) they moved the Whip back to its shelter, opened the coaster, and had the experience building as gift shop/food/and a game - this would be a nice balance and give the coaster a complimentary ride to the area that was familiar to its setting in past generations. But alas.

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Wow that's sad. Was wondering how this area was doing

[@ThEnObOdY412]

R u gonna make a video on the new alien attraction that is going to be replacing volcano

[@April_ONeil]

I don't understand why they are going to have two alien attractions.

[@judiplaz]

Every time I go to KW I hang at the end zone Cafe area when it's hot since it has AC and it's empty. And no matter where I get my food I eat it outside the end zone Cafe because there's always empty tables. KW doesn't promote it at all. Put signs up at the entrance of the park or put something in for smaller kids (the fountains would have been great). People wait elsewhere in long lines for food, not realizing u can get food in that area too. And since there is little foot traffic there, they close the cafe early. They aren't helping themselves.

[@zatstarxScaleta]

I'll be honest I hope they retheme the area one day. And that's not because I'm a ravens fan lol. I just think that NFL and sports dosnt really work as a theme. It almost seems tacky in a park as classic as Kennywood.

[@sportsygirl8]

It is sad that Steelers Country didn't turn out the way they imagined it. It would have been cool if they would have kept the tunnel, but from a photographer's standpoint they'd definitely like it better without the tunnel, Steel Curtain has a lot of amazing photo opportunities for sure. I wished they would have been able to do everything that was in concept art in the Steelers Experience building that would have been amazing! You could have easily spent 2 hours in that section of the park. An hour in line for Steel Curtain and another hour in The Steelers Experience.

[@urbex_coasters]

It was just a bad idea. The NFL season and the park season do not overlap well, to put it lightly. CGA is the only park I can think of where the idea could work, with the stadium right there and it being a family friendly alternative to tailgating. Is that comment me hoping the 49ers organization saves CGA? Why yes. Yes it is. But I'm also serious in my belief that it would work, paired with Goldstriker.

[@sportsygirl8]

@@urbex_coasters You've got a good point there. I thought the whole Steelers Country thing was neat, but silly at the same time. I know that Kennywood isn't far from Pittsburgh, but in some ways I feel incorporating a professional sports team with an amusement park wouldn't work as much as I wished the Steelers Country would have been Pittsburgh Pirates or Penguins themed though. That's just because I'm more of a baseball and hockey fan than football.

[@urbex_coasters]

@@sportsygirl8 Pirates, given peak season overlap. The only parks that could pull off football lands are California's Great America (shares a parking lot with stadium, operates rides year round already) and Six Flags Over Texas given that there is season overlap and the Cowboys have the fanbase for it (as much as I may hate Jerry Jones I will admit a Cowboys land would be successful). Those are the only parks where I can see the idea working.

[@sportsygirl8]

@@urbex_coasters That is very, true and Florida would too, but most of the parks in Florida are theme based parks where sports aren't their main focus.

[@SLOTHSRIDEUNICORNS]

Kennywood at night! How did you get so lucky?!

[@urbex_coasters]

It was a bad idea to do an NFL theme. There aren't enough games in the first place for it to really shine. The fact that football season is September through February, which is not peak park season, makes this problem even worse. The only park I've been to where an NFL land would be a good idea is California's Great America, seeing as the stadium is right there so the park could literally make itself a family friendly alternative to tailgating and expand their audiance. Most other parks would be better off doing MLB lands due to season overlap and a high number of games, but Pittsburgh doesn't have an MLB team so that might be tough to pull off at Kennywood.

[@johngengaro]

Pittsburgh has the Pirates in the MLB

[@urbex_coasters]

@@johngengaro The Pirates are a minor league team.

[@chdreturns]

Kennywood has been run into the ground by their current owners who are slowly gutting everything that made this park special. They removed Kangaroo, the last flying coaster in the US (a very small number of them still operate on the UK fair circuit), removed an increasingly rare Schwartzkopf flat ride (Bayern Kurve), and added an unnecessary themed area.

[@speedylloyd]

where I do agree with you that Palace Entertainment is a terrible owner of the park, they refurbished the kangaroo and had it re-opened before you made this comment. The Bayren Kurve has come and gone a few times to the park. I also feel that amusement parks are not museums, keeping the old is not always the best. Sure it keeps local happy, but in today's age new attractions bring in more people. Palace Entertainment is ad because they are very slow with adding attractions, seem to do things on the cheap, and like to wait until July to open new attractions. In the case of Steeler Country, they want with a prototype coaster to save some money and have had nothing but issues with it, and they never finished what they planned.

[@JustinCoasters]

1:20 A Multi Inversion Vekoma would be more reliable

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

I understand the draw of the Steelers, but if the licensing is crazy expensive, anything colored black and gold is enough to say it’s a football experience zone

[@MyGman18]

The Jumbotron’s already broken. It already has big pixel spots

[@Wild1995]

Maybe some of these projects are still delayed from the pandemic? Great video as always!

[@TomWasHereOnYoutube]

The Steelers country area is absolutely useless. Beyond the curtain, there’s nothing to do back there. That’s why people don’t stay back there. Rarely is the end zone cafe ever open. I can’t imagine the Steelers can be happy with this as it offers nothing beyond the Curtain as it stands now. I get the Covid reasoning but they’ve never tried to add anything to draw a crowd over there.

[@sonic23233]

Kennywood was ruined for me because of Thomas

[@mattmoorman9595]

A small scale Gerstlauer euro fighter.

[@CrazyDude10528]

I honestly hope that Kennywood ditches both Thomas town and Steelers country in the future, and instead re-themes the areas to fit the park better. Both areas feel way to enclosed, and the sponsorships feel really tacky. I really like the steel curtain coaster though and I hope that at least stick around if they ditch the NFL licensing.

[@JUNIATABURGH]

AMEN !!

[@logo115]

Nah, steel curtain should keep its theming but the others could go away.

[@urbex_coasters]

@@logo115 I'd prefer it theamed to the long lost inversions of Steel Phantom. They have some old Arrow track from the inversions in storage I believe, have the supports for Curtain growing out of it. Would make an epic theme.

[@redwolfcorprevamped8266]

"whatever they're calling it now" I take it you're not a Steeler fan?

[@RampagingRex]

I’m not really into football as a whole, but I was trying to reference how upset nearly everybody in Pittsburgh was over Heinz Field becoming Acrisure Stadium. The locals here are adamant about still calling it Heinz Field.

[@gapt33th]

Bruh I still call whatever it is the Penguins play at the Civic Arena.

[@redwolfcorprevamped8266]

@@RampagingRex Makes total sense. Heinz is a local brand- its logo is even in the shape of a keystone! I don't know why they'd change it...

[@rampagingrex2]

@@gapt33th The Civic Arena was just before my time. I grew up going there when it was Mellon Arena. I still call the Penguins’ stadium Consol Energy Center.

[@timk987]

@@redwolfcorprevamped8266 $150000000

[@pladampa]

Really people rode the steel curtain.

[@timk987]

If we learned anything from Steel Phantom/ Phantom’s Revenge only six more years until Curtain’s Revenge when Steel Curtain loses it’s inversions in favor of airtime hills. I can’t wait!

[@reyesownsacomeup339]

Heinz Field

[@tianamonk2487]

man, we were in kennywood today and there was a shooting...

[@sisterjudith2571]

Kennywood had to make their Covid protocols in February so they decided not open the Steelers experience this year. I believe there’s a chance it will open next year. It is gonna be in used this fall season for a new haunt.

[@Duffster115]

if that was the case and they were going to open it up as they originally planned wouldn't they have kept the Steeler's Experience sign they once had above the entrance of that building up

[@April_ONeil]

There is nothing in the building but the haunt.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

Oh 2020 how I will never forget you nor forgive the Politicians who caused that disaster

[@joestewart8914]

On the very first night of Fall Fantasy a bunch of Fetterman thugs ruined the experience at Kennywood. The night came to an end when the park's metal detectors were defeated simply by tossing at least one handgun over the fence near Old Kennywood and shooting into the crowd. Three people shot and many trampled. Nobody's going back there. Goodbye, Kennywood. They. Ruin. Everything.

[@April_ONeil]

tell me you are racist without telling me you are racist.