Six Flags to build world's fastest wooden roller coaster

GURNEE (WITI) -- Six Flags Great America announced on Thursday, August 29th plans to build a new roller coaster for its theme park in Gurnee, Illinois. It will be called "Goliath."

Goliath will be the world's fastest wooden roller coaster with speeds reaching 72 miles an hour. It'll also have the tallest drop on a wooden roller coaster at 180 feet -- and also the steepest drop on a wooden roller coaster at 85 degrees. The coaster will have over-banked turns, a 180-degree zero-gravity roll, and an inverted zero-gravity stall.

Watch a point-of-view animation provided by Six Flags to get a sense of what the ride will be like.

Construction on the new coaster begins in the fall. It's expected to open in spring 2014.

For those who frequent the park on a regular basis, the ride will be located where Iron Wolf used to be (towards the back of the park near the train station).