GateKeeper is a steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.

Initial planning for a new roller coaster began under former Cedar Fair CEO Dick Kinzel in 2011, who credits his successor Matt Ouimet with the project.

[3][4] On April 24, 2012, Ouimet said at an Erie County Chamber of Commerce meeting that there would be $25 million in capital expenditures for Cedar Point in 2013.

[5][6] On May 30, 2012, the Sandusky Register reported that a memo written by Ouimet to Cedar Fair's board of directors on February 15, 2012, stated that a new Wing Coaster code-named "CP Alt.

Details claimed the ride would be 170 feet (52 m) high, and that both Disaster Transport and Space Spiral would need to be removed to accommodate the new attraction.

[9][10][11] Annie Zelm, a marketing representative for the park, stated that some of the clues on the website were intended to mislead readers.

[12] On August 3, 2012, Cedar Point launched a countdown clock on their Facebook page, letting the public know when the next major announcement was scheduled.

The page said, "We can't keep it locked away much longer... Join us outside the Main Gate at 3:30 pm on August 13, where all we've kept hidden will be set free!

"[13] On August 13, 2012, Cedar Point made an official announcement introducing GateKeeper with specifications that confirmed the report leaked previously by Sandusky Register—a 170-foot-tall (52 m) Wing Coaster that would be manufactured by B&M.

[18][19] Cedar Point announced in early July 2012 that the Disaster Transport and Space Spiral attractions were scheduled for removal.

[21] Space Spiral closed on August 14, 2012, and was demolished a month later by a controlled explosion that imploded the base and caused the tower to fall toward the beach.

[27] A construction update on January 7, 2013, said that approximately 40% of the ride's structure, including the Wing Over Drop, Immelmann and Camelback elements, had been completed.

[27] Sherrod Brown, a United States senator from Ohio, praised Cedar Point for hiring local companies for the job.

The Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital and United Way of Erie County each had 32 seats available in separate auctions, and proceeds were shared between the organizations.

[40] After leaving the station, the train turns a big 180 degrees to the right and begins to climb the chain lift hill at a 40-degree angle.

The train then dips low to the ground and enters an inclined dive loop, where the track reaches its turnaround point.

The train then traverses a small hill before turning left into the final brake run, which leads back into the station.

The ride covers 3.5 acres (1.4 ha); it initially runs parallel to Lake Erie then travels through the parking lot, over the main entrance then turns around in front of Blue Streak.

[5] GateKeeper was the third Wing Coaster in the United States, following X-Flight at Six Flags Great America and Wild Eagle at Dollywood.

The griffin's eyes and the outside seats of each row incorporate LED lighting, a first for a roller coaster at Cedar Point.

[27][30] Unlike Raptor and Rougarou, the track and supports are filled with sand to reduce the noise as the ride traverses the main entrance.

[28] At the Great Ohio Coaster Club holiday tour, Ed Dangler—Cedar Point’s Director of Maintenance and New Construction—stated the original plan was to have the towers' supports encased by an outer shell; however, Cedar Point went back to B&M, and decided to build a steel structure to serve as the keyhole element and the supports.

[64] In 2013, GateKeeper ranked third in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride behind Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City and Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.