Lawmakers in Gurnee gave their thumbs-up Wednesday to a new Six Flags Great America roller coaster.
They voted to allow the amusement park to construct a wooden coaster with a maximum height of 165 feet. Six Flags plans to build the fastest-ever wooden roller coaster in the spot where Iron Wolf once stood.
The park's current wooden coaster, American Eagle, features a 15-story drop and speeds of up to 66 mph. It's visible from I-94 and has been in operation for more than three decades.
The plan is to open the coaster next year.
Last spring, Six Flags Great America introduced X Flight, a "wing coaster" that includes 3,000 feet of track, a 12-story plunge and a zero-g roll. At one point it speeds straight toward a structure before making a last-minute vertical flip to fit through a keyhole cut-out.
X Flight was designed by the Swiss manufacturer that created Raging Bull, Superman and Batman rides at the park.
