To celebrate the historic opening of its record-shattering new roller coaster, Cedar Point is once again turning to NBA superstar LeBron James to mark the occasion.
Like it did last year when it opened the Rougarou roller coaster, Cedar Point is partnering with the LeBron James Family Foundation to auction off the first rides on its Valravn coaster.
The park says details of the auction are being finalized, but it has set aside May 5 for exclusive rides for those who bid online for a seat on the first coaster trains to leave the station.
Last year when the park auctioned spots on the stand-up Mantis coaster conversion into the sit-down Rougarou, the effort raised $126,000 for LeBron’s charity. The highest bidders were among the first 64 public riders on the Rougarou, with one rider paying $760 to sit in one of the coaster’s front seats.
With the Valravn considered one of the most anticipated roller coaster openings in the world in 2016, the price per seat this time around may fetch higher bids. When it opens, the Valravn will be the world’s tallest, fastest and longest dive-coaster.
The coaster is a monster-size attraction along the park’s main midway, where its riders will board one of three, 24-passenger floorless trains and then climb 223 feet at a 47-degree angle.
The train will then stop and dangle its riders facedown on a 214-foot-long vertical drop.
Valravn — named for a Danish legend of a bird-like creature that was said to have swooped down from the sky to feed on the flesh of knights killed in war — will fly along at 75 mph, taking riders through multiple turns and inversions.
The coaster trains are unique to Cedar Point and feature eight-across seating — making them the widest such trains in the park.
The park’s partnership with James started when rumors swirled in 2014 that he was thinking about leaving Miami and returning to the Cavs.
Park General Manager Jason McClure sent out a tweet at the time offering to name a coaster at the park after James should he once again become a Cavalier.
Instead of naming a ride, the two sides agreed to partner to raise money and awareness for James’ charity that works to encourage Akron kids to remain in school and graduate.
Cedar Point was host to around 2,500 of his I PROMISE kids and their families at the park last August.
The park will host its season-pass holders from 7 to 11 p.m. May 6 so they, too, can have a sneak peek to ride the new coaster.
It then plans to host a Valravn World Premiere Weekend for the public May 7 and 8.
The park will begin daily operations on May 13.
The gate price of a daily admission to Cedar Point this season will be $65 — an increase of $3 over last year’s undiscounted rate.
Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3547. Check out his Air Time blog on Ohio.com.