Goliath roller coaster opening delayed at Six Flags Great America

GURNEE, Ill. (WLS) -- The grand opening of what's being billed as the world's fastest wooden roller coaster is on hold.

Six Flags Great America spokeswoman Katy Enrique says the amusement park in Gurnee is pushing back the ride's rollout because of "delays in the final touches."

The ride, dubbed Goliath, was supposed to have opened this coming Saturday. No new date was set.

"Thanks to Mother Nature's freezing temperatures this winter and unseasonably cool and rainy spring, the final touches on Goliath have been delayed. We anticipate announcing the roller coaster's opening date later this week," Enrique said.

The park in northeastern Illinois says it will be the world's fastest wooden coaster.

It will also have the tallest and steepest drop, plunging riders down 180 feet at a near-vertical 85 degrees. It will reach speeds of 72 mph.

Goliath is the first wooden roller coaster in the world to propel riders upside-down through two separate maneuvers, the organization said in a release. The ride required a total of 300,000 feet of lumber, 70,000 bolts and 40,000 hours of work to build.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.