R.I.P.
Filed under: R.I.P. > Sad Sad
Sad news!
This weekend marked the last time that Coney Island's iconic "Astroland" amusement park would be open.
Rumors were circulating over the past few days that there was a last minute deal to keep the park open for another year. However, owner Carol Hill Albert, whose family has owned the park for more than four decades, says that's not the case.
Albert says, "Despite rumors to the contrary, there are absolutely no negotiations going on, and there never were."
So, Sunday night officially marked the final night for the park, with the rides and lights shutting off for good.
The over 20 rides throughout the 3 acres are now closed. For good.
Sad.
The only things remaining will be the Coney Island roller coaster and the 150 foot-tall Ferris wheel, both of which are separately owned by the city.
Hundreds of fans visited this last weekend, hoping to enjoy the park for one last time.
As for the owners of Astroland, Albert said she had tried since June to re-negotiate her lease for another year. Currently, the lease was due to expire on January 31, 2009 to Thor Equities which owns 11 acres of seaside property which includes the park.
According to Albert, every time she tried to contact for an extension, the company simply told her they had "no answer."
But why did she close so quickly and give up just after a few months? She had until the beginning of next year!
Stefan Friedman, a Thor spokesman, said the company was "extremely disappointed" that Albert had "decided to give up on the future of Coney Island" with several months remaining on the lease.
We agree.
But according to Albert's rep, she had decided to close Astroland only after it became clear that Thor had no intentions of negotiating with her.
And it seems she's not delaying on selling the rides either.
According to reports, some rides are already being offered for sale online with prices from $95,000 to $199,000 for the bumper cars.
Sad.
Wonder what they'll put there instead.
[Image via WENN.]
A mall what else!
I got my first BJ under the board walk.
Sad indeed - I remember throwing up my first Nathan's hot dog at Coney Island (on the sit and spin and reverse ride)….:(
Oh yeah 1st.
perezland! or maybe jacko will buy it and open it only for boys under the age of 12…
Re: harrybalsac – now you can buy me dinner! lol!
Something stupid that only tourists will go to.
Weeping!
this is a shame.. such a classic attraction!
www.japan-c.com
Where do all the blacks go now?
Have you been living under a rock? they're building luxury high rise condos there.
lol
Well as New York City resident a must say that Coney Island was gross and disgusting anyway. The water was infested and the type of people that went there were straight up bummy lookin. Im glad it closed, i hated goin there, the rides wer TOTALLY unsafe, and it was jus too dirty PERIOD. i say shut it down and open up condo's and please CLEAN UP THAT DIRTY BEACH.
They are going to put in more modern rides and condos.
Thor Equities has had plans to muscle out astroland for a while now. They have plans to built a multi million dollar Condo/Hotel/Shopping complex with a much smaller amusement park. This bitter feud has been going on for years already.
Re: wildmidwestern – Ok, can I smack dat ASS?
I cannot recall when or where, but I remember reading somewhere that the landowners/ managers intend to develop the land into a residential area along with restaurants and boutiques… very high-end. I know I may not be 100% accurate but it is something in that direction.
I heard that they are going to put in a another amusement park. one that is more "updated"
Condos of course!
Replace it with a Six Flags!! JK
this is sad to hear, I went to NY for the first time this past Memorial Wknd and one of my top reasons for going was to take a train ride down to Coney Island and Astroland. It was all that I was expecting and I loved it. I'm glad I was able to make it down there and enjoy myself the little time I was there. I will miss there ghetto haunted ride!
that place be lookin ghetto anyway…
Re: harrybalsac –
lmao that iz a big ass, I wanna smack it too!!
NYC will only be for the rich. Thank you "Sex and the City"
Astroland park is a dump. The Cyclone and Wonder Wheel are not part of Astroland, so they will remain there, as well as any iconic structure from Coney's past. I welcome a new revamped Coney Island! They should clean up that entire area and make it a resort… but first they need to demolish the housing projects near by and get rid of the rif raf.
Disney Land NY
you heard it here first
thank gawd! coney island is by far the nastiest place i have ever been! just keep the boardwalk and hotdogs.
i took my god kids here a lot - fun times … too bad.
www.darryn.de
That place will surely be missed by many a baby momma and baby daddy that can't afford Disney World.
:-(
More unaffordable housing for 'real' NYC residents.
But I'm sure you'll have plenty of out-of-state people who THINK they're real NY-ers live in them.
I can't believe they would do that. It's such an integral part of NYC. I used to go there all the time as a kid. I feel as if they're selling my childhood. All these people care about is trying to make as much money as they possibly can while stepping on all the little people.
I imagine they'll put up a Super Wal-Mart.
Re: harrybalsac – #2. HONEY, I GAVE mine! Talk about
SLURP-O-LICIOUS!!!
i'm guessing a parking lot or high rises or strip mall. amusement parks are disgusting anyway.
"In its place comes a planned $2 billion Coney Island makeover, a proposal to convert the once-seedy stretch of Brooklyn into a year-round stop with a swanky Vegas-style hotel and glitzy indoor attractions."
At least the Cyclone, Parachute Jump & Wonder Wheel will still be there since they're landmarks. They're supposed to be putting up some condos but mostly new high tech amusement area/mall - whatever design they finally decide on will be nicer than what's there now. It won't be the same which is sort of sad in a way because that's NY history, but that place does need a major facelift. Hope they leave the original Nathan's as is.
Perez, I have worked at Astroland for the past five years and I am also a student. I know Mrs. Albert since I started working there due to the fact that my mother works in the office there.. if you know New York you would understand why its impossible to run an amusement park in the middle of the winter.. secondly thror never even tried to negotiate with the Alberts for a lease extension. It takes about 6-8 months preparation to get the park ready for opening day which always falls on Palm Sunday. She has over 270 employees she could not let them put their lives on hold any longer.. these aren't people born with a silver spoon in their mouths they needed an answer right away… and the reason why she is selling her rides is because she has to have everything out of the park by January 31st or else she gets fined $20,000 a day… she has 46 years worth of items in that park that needs to be out ASAP she can't wait around until the last minute to do that!!!!!!!!!
I'm from around there, and Thor wants to put this horrible Las Vegas Atlantic city type mall there, which is stupid! If anything put Luna Land there again, or w.e it's called, the old wooden amusement area that burned down there. Gah, people are destroying Brooklyn….
I was there last night… And i rushed home to see the VMAs.
But, from what I hear, Albert said that it would take at least 6 months to move the rides out of the park, so if the lease wasn't going to be extended, then she'd need all the time possible to sell the rides and vacate the property.
But it was TRULY a sad day for Brooklyn. Coney Island is an unofficial national landmark.
there building condos and maybe a mall
omg soo sadd i've always wanted to go there
I loved seeing that place in the movies. Sad!
WHAT? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! SAY IT AINT SO. IVE BEEN GOING THERE SINCE I WAS BORN. ITS THE SINGLE THING I ENJOYED IN MY CHILDHOOD.I REMEMBER CUTTING MY BIG TOE BECUASE THE BEACH ALWAYS HAD SOME F*CK UP SH!T IN THE SAND. I REMEMBER ALWAYS HEARING SOMEONE DIED ON THE CYCLONE. I REMEMBER VOWING NEVER TO RIDE THE CYCLONE BECAUSE OF THAT. I REMEMBER WAITING UNTIL I WAS TALL ENOUGH TO GO ON SOME OF THE RIDES. I REMEMBER LOSING A LOT OF CHANGE THAT WAS IN MY POCKET WHEN I WAS ON THE RIDE THAT GOES ALL THE WAY UPSIDE DOWN. AND I WILL NEVER FORGET HAVING MY FIRST NATHANS HOT DOG. BROOKLYN NY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. DAMN THE MILITARY. THEY GOT ME HERE IN OKLAHOMA. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO BE THERE. SNIFF SNIFF.R.I.P
Re: UESmadfein – STFU!!!! U DUMBASS!! THAT'S A PIECE OF HISTORY!!! IF I COULD RIGHT NOW I'D SLAP THE CRAP OUT OF YOU!!
I'M FROM BROOKLYN!!!!! They should clean the place up nicely, but don't fucking sell it!!!
ITS ALSO HAS THE BIGGEST AND HIGHEST BOAT SWING EVER MADE. IVE BEEN ON THE SWINGING BOAT EVERYWHERE..EVEN IN KOREA! CONEY ISLAND'S SWINGING BOAT IS THE ONLY BOAT THAT I CAN STILL CRY ON IT TO STOP! THE LAST TIME I WAS ON IT WAS 2 YEARS AGO AND I WAS 21,CRYING,AND YELLING FOR IT TO STOP! AND MY FIRST KISS WAS THERE. IM REALLY HEARTBROKEN.I WONDER WHO'S GONNA GET THE BOAT SWING. THAT SHOULD SELL FOR A LOT.
aaw man i live in bklyn i mean it was a good place but the prices got crazy after awhile so i give up, good memories man imma miss it
Pshhh. NO SHIT. That place was going down the drain for years now. My Dad is from NYC and was raised in Brooklyn. His brother (my uncle) and his family live and Queens and know NYC.
What a shame. People have to go and ruin a perfectly nice landmark.
Ten bucks says they'll put up projects.
Shit!!! This totally sucks. My husband and I wanted to go to NYC for vacation this spring or summer but we didn't have the money to go so now if we ever do go, Coney Island will be nothing! I am mad at the dumb bitch who owned the place and let it go. She should be ashamed for letting a family business and civic treasure fall by the wayside.
As a Brooklyn native, this is sad news. I am glad to hear that the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel are protected though. I knew this was coming but I didn't know how soon. I really really hope they don't make it into Disney land. Coney Island needs to keep it's flavor and history.