Griffon is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster located at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park in James City County, Virginia, United States. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, it is 205ft high, and is the second-fastest (71mph) Dive Coaster built. The roller coaster features two Immelmann loops, a splashdown, two vertical drops and was the first of its kind to use floorless trains. Griffon was announced to the public on August 23, 2006 and opened on May 18, 2007 to positive reviews by both newspapers and enthusiasts. In 2007, Amusement Todays annual Golden Ticket Awards voted it the third-best new steel roller coaster of that year and the 27th-best steel roller coaster. It was voted the 33rd-best steel roller coaster in 2013.HistoryOn June 30, 2006, Busch Gardens Wiliamsburg announced that LeMans Raceway would be closing to the public on July 5, 2006 in order to make room for the next year's new attraction. Construction for Griffon began the next day with the demolishing of the raceway. A trademark for the name "Griffon" was filed by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment on July 12, 2006. The roller coaster was announced to the public on August 23, 2006. On December 11, 2006, two cranes installed the highest piece of Griffon with an evergreen tree. The vertical drop and immelmann loop were completed in January 2007 and the final piece of track was installed in late February. After testing was complete, the roller coaster opened on May 18, 2007; one week earlier than its original scheduled opening date.
