The Interpreter Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 STATEMENT BY CAROL HILL ALBERT, CO-OWNER OF ASTROLAND AMUSEMENT PARK I am making this statement today to set the record straight. I have not "given up on Coney Island" as Thor Equities has stated. I have given up on trying to get Thor to negotiate which I have attempted to do every month since June, and numerous times in August. Each time their response was, "We have no answer." The safety of our customers and our commitment to employees means our time has run out. Ride parts must be ordered a minimum of eight to 10 months in advance. My employees cannot live in a state of limbo any longer. It takes six months to pack up a three-acre amusement park that has been in operation for 46 years, so a January 31st deadline means start packing yesterday. We are out of time. Today I notified Astroland's employees that the amusement park will cease operations permanently at the end of the day on Sunday, September 7th. Many in the community had hoped along with us that Astroland could remain open to keep the lights on in Coney Island until the rezoning issue had been resolved, because carnival rides, as the "Summer of Hope" sadly proved, are no substitute for a permanent amusement park. However, when even our good friend, Councilman Domenic Recchia could do nothing to persuade Thor to negotiate, it became clear we had no choice but to close the business permanently on Sunday night, September 7th. Coney Island's future as a tourism and amusement destination is clearly in peril. Thor equities, which now owns most of Coney Island, came onto the development scene showing beautiful renderings of this great 21st century amusement park they were promising to build. All indications however, are that their real priority is retail and high end housing. There is a real question as to whether Coney Island will ever have amusements, other than the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel in its future. Instead it appears to be that a series of shopping malls and condos will replace amusement parks as the centerpiece of the Coney Island that has been here for over 100 years. This is a tragic loss for the City of New York and visitors around the world. Astroland Kiddie Park and the Cyclone Roller Coaster will open for the last weekend on Friday, Sept 5 at 12:00 noon. Major thrill rides will open at 4 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, all attractions will open at 12:00 noon. We invite all New Yorkers to come to Astroland this weekend to bid farewell to this historic icon. And we look forward to seeing many of our loyal patrons on opening day for the Cyclone roller coaster, Sunday April 5, 2009. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...&refer=muse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 They better save the Cyclone. It's a National Historic Landmark and I've never ridden it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 The Cyclone, as has been stated many times here, is not owned by Astroland, but is instead owned by The City of New York, and is on the National Register. Since it is government owned and on the register, it will almost certainly be preserved. It is merely leased to Astroland for operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Yey! It is sad to see such a historic location closed down though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I have never been to Coney Island. It makes me sad to see it go, I hate the fact that I never got a chance to experience it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChase Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Certainly sad to see such a classic amusement park close. Definitely closing another chapter in the history books. On a positive note: Cyclone remains! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 And don`t forget that Cincinnati`s Coney Island borrowed its name from the park in New York. In 1886, Parker`s Grove was renamed "Ohio Grove: The Coney Island of the West" and officially opened on June 21, 1886. The following season, the Ohio Grove name was dropped and the park was simply called "Coney Island". Its sad to see that Astroland is finally meeting its demise. Although I never visited the park, it seems as if it is a mere shadow of its former self when there were more parks operating at the location than just Astroland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 Uh...there still are...there's Wonder Wheel Park and the Coney Island Sideshow/midway, neither of which is associated with Astroland... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 A somewhat different view of things: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/...e/index.html?hp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 But not the big major parks like Luna Park, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 6, 2008 Author Share Posted September 6, 2008 http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/36..._astroland.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanofki Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 It's sad to see a park like this disappear over something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Theater Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I hate this.Ok,Geauga Lake,Lesourdesville Lake,Idora park,Chippewa lake park,Fantasy farm,Conneaut Lake park..All their left in OH is Strickers Grove,to getaway from the big packed amusement parks.Its like most parks that has "lake" or "park" In it,dissapears.Very Very sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 7, 2008 Author Share Posted September 7, 2008 Coney's (NY) Carnival For Sale On Web: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/09/07...l_for_sale.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanofki Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 ^Anybody here have enough money to buy all that stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I wanna Buy the waky worm and put it in my backyard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcia Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Thery can't do that this historical landmark should be opened for generations to come to Coney Island in NYC I was in new York 10 years ago and I didn't have time to go to Coney Island now i can't go this is a end of New York history as we know it. Marcia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 7, 2008 Author Share Posted September 7, 2008 In the Coney Island (NY) area, ONLY the Cyclone and Deno's Wonder Wheel are historical landmarks. Even then, that is little protection unless the property is government owned, which the Cyclone is. All that stands between a private owner and destroying a historic landmark is the loss of favorable tax treatment. That's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 No more Astroland: http://www.wnbc.com/news/17413447/detail.html http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brookl...f__sand_-1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigellinus Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 ^^This might sound mean, but people should be happy they got this season since last year it was supposed to close!! Either way, in life nothing lasts forever as sad as that sometimes is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Astroland Gets Shot At Second Life? http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brookl...fe_as_of-1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Goodbye Astroland, Or Maybe Not... http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/36...6_mm_coney.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Let's hope that Astroland gets saved, and if not may it rest in peace. And let's hope that the Cyclone continues it's long life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 Development Plans May Change Look and Feel of Coney Island (NY): http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brookl...ook_and_fe.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 17, 2008 Author Share Posted September 17, 2008 Ital selling the rides: http://www.businesstn.com/content/200809/astro-slide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Astroland Hope (Opinion from New York Post): http://www.nypost.com/seven/11172008/news/...hope_139140.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 26, 2008 Author Share Posted November 26, 2008 http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/47...ney.html?comm=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 So is there any real hope anymore for Astroland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 26, 2008 Author Share Posted November 26, 2008 The short answer is no one knows. The Cyclone is almost certainly safe, as is the Wonder Wheel. After that, no one truly knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 I hope to ride Cyclone when I go back to New York, so I hope it's saved. Then again, I'll be going back once the Freedom Center is done, so it might be a while..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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