Six Flags Magic Mountain says it will “permanently retire” X2 roller coaster; closure follows brain injury reports

By Chelsea Hylton

Six Flags Magic Mountain has announced it has “decided to permanently retire” its X2 roller coaster.

In a statement on Tuesday, Magic Mountain President Brian Oerding said that after almost 20 years, they’ve decided to retire the roller coaster.

“Since X2 opened in 2008, it has welcomed more than 16 million guests and earned a passionate following among ride enthusiasts,” Oerding wrote. “We recognize the special place X2 holds in the coaster community, and we are grateful to our team members who operated and maintained it throughout its run.”

He added that while the roller coaster consistently passed safety tests, they decided to close the ride because they believe “it’s the right thing to do.”

“Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously,” Oerding said.

The roller coaster’s closure follows reports and lawsuits alleging that more than a hundred riders were left with brain injuries. 

An attorney in one of the cases said the lawsuits raise questions about the ride’s design, alleging that Six Flags and the ride’s manufacturer, S&S Worldwide, used outdated testing and maintenance.

At the time, Six Flags said it did not comment on pending litigation. CBS LA reached out to S&S Worldwide but did not receive a response.