Astroland is closing forever on Sunday 9/7/08

[CycloneMan]

STATEMENT FROM CAROL ALBERT

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.

I will be there to say good bye to my child hood park

-Dainan

[GADVwow]

Another view:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/yet-again-astroland-threatens-to-close/index.html?hp

[GADVwow]

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/36/31_36_mm_astroland.html

[GADVwow]

Coney's Carnival For Sale On Web:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/09/07/2008-09-07_the_rides_over__coneys_carnival_for_sale.html

[GADVwow]

No more Astroland:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/09/07/2008-09-07_coney_island_will_still_have_surf__sand_-1.html

[Steve]

I never went

[CycloneMan]

Yesterday was crowded as hell! I've never seen lines like that before. And the crowds stretched into other parks as well! The line for the Wonder Wheel (NOT ASTROLAND) was on the ramp, AFTER you bought your ticket! The line for Dantes Inferno was down to the arcade. Musik Express, wasn't even an attempt. And the Water Flume's queue was filled

[Dubya91]

^ Last licks will do that

[GADVwow]

Astroland Gets Shot At Second Life?

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/09/09/2008-09-09_astroland_gets_shot_at_second_life_as_of-1.html

[GADVwow]

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/36/31_36_mm_coney.html

[GADVwow]

Ital selling the rides:

http://www.businesstn.com/content/200809/astro-slide