By Noah Festenstein, Sky High Screams

In front of an eager crowd of thrill seekers on Thursday morning, Six Flags Great America President John Krajnak emphasized what the 48-year-old suburban Chicago theme park wants recognition for: building record breaking attractions.

And his highly anticipated new roller coaster announcement lamented just that.

Krajnak unleashed “Wrath of Rakshasa,” a Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster themed after a shapeshifting tiger demon — an ode to its neighboring father and 48-year-old Arrow Dynamics coaster (Demon).

Situated on the County Fair midway in the park’s center, the golden orange supports and 3,239 feet of blue track will suspend riders 180 feet in the air, before dive dropping 171 feet into a world record 96-degree drop and five inversions.

Thus, forever changing the skyline for the near half-century-old Gurnee, Illinois theme park.

“When I come out of hometown square, I just picture this ride just filling this space,” Krajnak said, looking across the County Fair midway where Demon still stands.

When asked about how the area is going to look different, Krajnak said, “I really like that we’re going to have the ability to have the guests walk around, and under through where so many of our guests kind of interact with (Wrath of Rakshasa), whether you’re brave enough to ride it or not.”

This installment will be the first coaster in Six Flags Great America history to travel over a park path.

“It’s a unique opportunity, for sure,” the park’s president said, adding Wrath of Rakshasa is slated to open Memorial Day weekend next year.

Six Flags Great America’s 16th roller coaster indicates the park’s intention to continue building record breaking attractions.

Wrath of Rakshasa is the third world record holder Six Flags Great America will consecutively build.

In 2014, the park debuted Goliath, the worlds fastest and tallest wooden coaster. Five years later, the park opened Maxx Force, now the worlds fastest accelerating launch coaster. It also boasts the fastest inversion in the world.

When it came to project 2025, Krajnak said the Six Flags team and B&M worked months on end to design what they seek to be a world class, record breaking attraction that not only retains the parks history, but also one that modernizes the area.

Literally, and figuratively, Wrath of Rakshasa is a leap of faith.

In fact, Krajnak revealed on Thursday that Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the first B&M dive coaster to feature a beyond vertical drop, was built for the Gurnee, Illinois theme park a couple years ago.

Instead, that dive coaster went to the San Antonio Six Flags park.

It is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic impacted that decision, or if it was financially or logistically motivated.

But, missing out on Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger was for good reason, according to the Six Flags Great America president.

“We’re stepping up and doing something bigger,” Krajnak said.

Once built, Wrath of Rakshasa breaks the B&M dive coaster world record for drop steepness and number of inversions. By a slim margin, it surpasses both Dr. Diabolical Cliffhanger and the new for 2024 Iron Menace at Pennsylvania’s Dorney Park.

During weeks of Six Flags Great America teasers, many thrill seekers speculated what could have been something bigger, taller, or a world’s first. Some called for a giga coaster, one that would’ve exceeded 300 feet. Others suggest the new S&S Axis Free Spin coaster, which would’ve been a world’s first. Or a smaller single rail coaster by Rocky Mountain Construction.

Notably, most people feared the new addition would prompt Demon, Six Flags Great America’s (then Marriott’s Great America) opening day attraction, to be torn down. Even the go kart track and the historic Demon Snacks building was in question.

In the end, only the old Buccaneer Battle boat ride was sacrificed, and the old Demon Snacks building will become a gift shop, according to Krajnak.

The level of theming that Wrath of Rakshasa has remains to be seen. Although, at a certain level, it is intended to be themed well, the park president indicated.

Six Flags Great America’s newest addition compliments the park’s long history with B&M, a Swiss-based steel coaster manufacturer.

In fact, B&M’s first ever coaster was Iron Wolf, a stand-up roller coaster built in 1990. Then, two years later, Six Flags Great America debuted Batman, the world’s first ever inverted looping roller coaster.

Through the years, Great America called B&M to build Raging Bull, Superman, and X-Flight — all favorites in the park.

A notable and, most fitting named, element of Wrath of Rakshasa will be the world’s second ever Demonic Knot double inversion. The element begins with a a zero gravity roll, followed by a 270-degree turn into another zero gravity roll under the previous inversion.

Only the B&M wing coaster Flug der Dämonen at Heide Park, Germany features a Demonic Knot.

All big B&M roller coasters have one thing in common: they are high capacity rides. With Six Flags Great America located between Chicago and Milwaukee, it is no wonder why this is one of the most popular park’s in the theme park chain.

Wrath of Rakshasa will feature up to three trains: three rows of seven seats that could serve over 1,000 riders per hour. Krajnak emphasized the need for another high capacity ride at Six Flags Great America, and so did some other coaster enthusiasts.

Jeremy Wdowicki, Assistant Representative for American Coaster Enthusiast’s Western Great Lakes Region, celebrated Wrath of Rakshasa’s announcement at his home park on Thursday.

“I think this is a step in the right direction,” Wdowicki said of the new coaster. “We needed the capacity.”

Especially, he added, “this is going to be something new for a lot of people. It will give a new thrill a lot of people have never experienced.”