ConeyIsland.com Message Boards - Statement from Astroland on the Closing

aaron

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Statement from Astroland on the Closing
Sep 04^th, 2008, 3:55pm

We just received this from Astroland about their status:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

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Coney_Islander Son of A Beach Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 909 Coney Island Baby!!! Gender:	Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing Reply #1 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 4:27pm There goes the neighborhood
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natty CI Tourist Offline Posts: 19 Brooklyn, NY Gender:	Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing Reply #2 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 4:39pm This news makes me so glum. I'll likely brave the forecasted rain to be there on Saturday and I already had plans to be there on Sunday. I had really hoped that my plans for Sunday would not become so bittersweet. sigh
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fixconey Son of A Beach Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 1479	Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing Reply #3 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 4:44pm The only thing I wonder is if Thor caves today and contacts Carol Albert. I can only imagine the buzz around Lynn Kelly's office and the offices at Thor Equities. If only to be a fly on the wall.
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GB Thrill Seeker Offline Posts: 50 Coney Island Gender:	Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing Reply #4 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 4:53pm fixconey wrote on Sep 4^th, 2008, 4:44pm: I can only imagine the buzz around Lynn Kelly's office and the offices at Thor Equities. If only to be a fly on the wall. no punn intended, I am sure.
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fixconey

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Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing
Reply #5 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:09pm

aaron wrote on Sep 4^th, 2008, 3:55pm:

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.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this line but it's interesting that she only mentions the Wonder Wheel and not the rest of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park. Maybe Steve finally got his way... I just can't believe that Dennis would give in. Their father was a good man and I remember when he owned the hot dog stand before the park. I remember when Deno was stabbed and my cousin was his nurse at Coney Island Hospital. He told her then he was buying the Wheel for his wife and that one day his kids would run the park and then pass it on to theirs. She thought he was joking...

He would be rolling in his grave if they caved in. I hope I'm just reading more into this than is reality. I hope...

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TheMediaLoft Aspiring Carny Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 110 Gender:	Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing Reply #6 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:12pm I hope that buzz is loud enough to get them to move. Still not giving up.
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DEL_AIR

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Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing
Reply #7 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:29pm

The only hope here is that this is VERY bad publicity for Thor. Maybe he will take his head out of his behind and realize this and turn around and negotiate quickly with Albert to keep the park open. This of course would have to happen almost immediately. If he doesn't it shows that he doesn't care how badly his reputation is tarnished going forward and he just has his own greedy agenda. Even though we all know this is true, the loss of Astroland and another empty Thor lot can't be good for him, and somewhere he has to know this.. If I were him, especially since no re-zoning has been done yet in his favor, I would look VERY carefully at the fact that he is going to get bad publicity about this. Not good if he plans to curry favor with the administration, community, etc into the future.

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DEL_AIR

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Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing
Reply #8 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:38pm

I might add that even though Sitt is a complete Sc*mbag, I also hold Carol Albert and The City responsible for this turn of events.

Everyone ultimately had a hand in Astroland's demise...

1. Sitt: A complete greedy lying sc*mbag only out for his own profit and willing to destroy the neighborhood to achieve it.

2. Albert: If she was so concerned about her employees well being into the future why did she sell the land out from under them in the first place?

3. The City: Major responsibility lies with the City for allowing this fiasco to end this way. NYC should have and could have prevented this outcome in many ways.

Shame on all of them.

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BillLumpock CI Tourist Offline I Love Coney Island! Posts: 7	Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing Reply #9 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:44pm Bad publicity for Thor? What a joke. The way I read it, Carol demanded a contract in exchange for not walking away and Thor called her bluff.
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Sandy Dee

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Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing
Reply #10 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:48pm

DEL_AIR wrote on Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:38pm:

I might add that even though Sitt is a complete Sc*mbag, I also hold Carol Albert and The City responsible for this turn of events.

Everyone ultimately had a hand in Astroland's demise...

1. Sitt: A complete greedy lying sc*mbag only out for his own profit and willing to destroy the neighborhood to achieve it.

2. Albert: If she was so concerned about her employees well being into the future why did she sell the land out from under them in the first place?

3. The City: Major responsibility lies with the City for allowing this fiasco to end this way. NYC should have and could have prevented this outcome in many ways.

Shame on all of them.

1. is a no brainer ... shame on Sitt.

However, maybe 2. and 3. believed Sitt's original sale pitch.

Quote:

"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."

Removing C7 zoning ... shame on whoever facilitates that.

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fixconey

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Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing
Reply #11 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 6:02pm

DEL_AIR wrote on Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:38pm:

2. Albert: If she was so concerned about her employees well being into the future why did she sell the land out from under them in the first place?

You know I've been her fiercest critic but I was schooled by an old timer who is very close to the Alberts. Maybe I'm speaking out of turn but hey what's the difference at this point. The city basically forced them into the position of selling. They put the screws to them saying they would have to adapt the entire park to be year round. The Alberts are elderly. The Husband is sickly and Carol basically runs it without any family support. Their kid or kids don't want anything to do with operating the the park when they pass on so they basically had no choice since they weren't in a position to redo an entire park with no one to take the reins.

The true villain in all of this is The City Of New York. I worked for the city for much of my adult life so it's painful for me to say it and it's one of the reasons why I stay anonymous because they can't be trusted on any level. Politicians are 99 percent the lowest forms of human life. No decent person would ever run for office and the ones with their hearts in the right place never get anywhere. It's a ruthless cut throat business and NY has become just ike ANY TOWN USA. There's basically no soul or character left in this Apple.

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coneyislandbarker

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Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing
Reply #12 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 6:08pm

This really sucks and the city should take all the land away from thor and keep all c7 land that way it is and help all involed in amusements to build a great coney island ride and amusment district , If they can use our tax money to build two new major league ball parks than they should build a great coney....I'm Crying

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Eliot

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Selkie

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Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing
Reply #13 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 6:15pm

BillLumpock wrote on Sep 4^th, 2008, 5:44pm:

Bad publicity for Thor? What a joke. The way I read it, Carol demanded a contract in exchange for not walking away and Thor called her bluff.

I don't think it is unreasonable or unusual business practice to negotiate the renewal of your lease before it runs out. I know I let my landlord know well in advance, 3-4 months, if I am planning to move or renew, ans I expect the same notice from him. It seems like good planning to me, especially if you have such large "furnishings" to move or sell.

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DEL_AIR Sand in my Shoes Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 314	Re: Statement from Astroland on the Closing Reply #14 - Sep 4^th, 2008, 6:28pm [/quote] The city basically forced them into the position of selling. They put the screws to them saying they would have to adapt the entire park to be year round.. The true villain in all of this is The City Of New York. [/quote] So maybe the City and Thor have been in bed all along.
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