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Coney Island Ride Count: Veteran Ride Ops 40, Joe Sitt 10!

Posted in amusement park, Amusement ride, tagged Coney Island, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, Joe Sitt, Kiddie Park, rides, Thor Equities on June 4, 2009| 2 Comments »

The Wonder Wheel....Go Up...It's Great! Photo © me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

This post was written in 2009. For updated info, please see most recent ride census from April 2011: “Coney Island Has 64 Rides and 30 Weekends of Summer!”

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Yesterday a teller at my bank said she thought Coney Island had been redeveloped into a flea market with just a few rides. Where’d she get that idea? Joe Sitt’s cartoonish “Festival by the Sea” subway posters. Some of the search terms being used to find ATZ have been “What rides are left at Coney Island?” and “Are the rides and games open at Coney Island?” When people hear that Astroland closed, they mistakenly think ALL of Coney’s rides have closed. I went around and did a ride count last weekend (May 30-31). The numbers may surprise you.

THE GOOD NEWS

Coney Island currently has a grand total of 50 operating rides, That’s right FIFTY RIDES. Pretty good for a place that’s rumored to have closed. Forty rides are owned and operated by longtime Coney ride ops Cyclone Coasters, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, McCullough’s Kiddie Park, 12th Street Amusements and Eldorado Skooters.

On real estate speculator Joe Sitt’s property, there are currently 10 rides of the “more than 25 fun-filled rides” promised by Thor Equities in an April 2 press release.

A carousel under construction on May 25 is one of 10 rides in Thor Equities "Dreamland Park." Photo © me-myself-i/ Tricia Vita via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

Sitt’s pr team hasn’t said a word about rides lately, but the Coney Island Rumor Mill is abuzz with rumors of everything from coasters to kiddie rides being on the way. ATZ will keep you posted if and when more rides do arrive in Sittland East aka “Dreamland Amusement Park,” which is a work in progress.

If you want to see the full list of Coney Island’s 50 rides, Click here for the second part of my post, “What rides are open at Coney Island?”

STARTLING STATS

When you break down the current ride count, forty (40) rides are owned and operated by Coney’s veteran ride owners on land that is NOT owned by Joe Sitt or Thor Equities. Sitt is the largest property owner in Coney Island, with 80% of the land in the amusement district in Thor Equities investment portfolio. Yet two months after Coney’s opening day of the season, Sitt has mustered only ten (10) carnival rides for his so-called Dreamland Amusement Park. McCullough’s Kiddie Park, which occupies a tiny piece of land at the Bowery and 12th Street, has squeezed more rides onto their site than Joe Sitt has in all of Coney Island. The score is McCullough 12, Sitt 10. Or Veteran Showmen 40, Predatory Real Estate Speculator, 10. If this were a ball game, the showmen would win!

McCullough's Kiddie Park in Coney Island has 12 rides. Photo © me-myself-i/ Tricia Vita via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

The “dozens of amusement rides” ballyhooed by Thor’s pr firm Knickerbocker SKD in their April 2 press release later dwindled to the promise of “25 rides and attractions” and “upwards of 25 rides”. Obviously Thor Equities picked the number “25” to say, see you’re not missing anything, we’re replacing the evicted Astroland’s old rides with an equal number of new rides.

The startling fact is that last year during Thor Equities “Summer of Hope” (May 22-June 2), Sitt had 52 rides on all of his Coney Island properties. This year, he has only 10. This means Coney Island is down 42 rides from last year during the same time period.

On Sitt’s property on the last weekend of May 2008:

52 rides including

Astroland – 24 rides (Palm Sunday- Sept 7)

Reithoffer Carnival – 18 rides (May 22-June 3)

Geren Rides – 10 rides (May 22- mid-July)

On Sitt’s property on the last weekend of May 2009:

“Dreamland Amusement Park” 10 rides

This year Thor has come up very short. Instead of spending huge amounts of money on the tents and advertising for his flopped Festival by the Flea, oops I mean Festival by the Sea, Sitt should have bought rides and set them up on the property, which is zoned for amusements. A batting range, go karts, bumper boats, mini-golf and other popular amusement attractions thrived here before Joe Sitt bought the property and bulldozed them in 2007 to deliberately create his empty lots and the opportunity for a zoning variance.

“What rides are open at Coney Island?”

Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park has 22 rides. In addition to the legendary Wonder Wheel and Spook-A-Rama dark ride, adult rides include the Thunderbolt, Bumper Cars and Tilt-A-Whirl. The Kiddie rides are the Dizzy Dragons, Mini Enterprise, Willie the Whale, Fire Engines, Pony Carts, Jets, Free Fall, Boats, Carousel, Flying Elephants, Jumping Motorcycles, Pirate’s Pond, Red Baron Airplanes, Big Foot Trucks, Rio Grande Train and Sea Serpent Roller Coaster.

Mangels Pony Cart Ride at Deno's Kiddie Park, Coney Island. Photo © me-myself-i/ Tricia Vita via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

McCullough’s Kiddie Park has 12 kiddie rides on the Bowery at 12th Street. The rides are the Bumblebeez, Ferris Wheel, Carousel, Swings, Motorcycles, Yellow Submarine, Dizzy Dragons, Himalaya, Ladybug, Frog Hopper, Circus Train and Tug Boat.

Thor Equities new “Dreamland Park” (former Astroland property) has 10 rides. Adult rides are the Himalaya, Spin Out, Ring of Fire, Scrambler, Trabant and Star Dancer. Kiddie rides are the Carousel, Dragon Wagon, Kid Country and Drive In.

The world famous Cyclone Roller Coaster is a city owned landmark and continues to be operated by the Alberts, the former owners of Astroland Park (Surf Avenue at 10th St)

Erik Knapp, the Cyclone's first rider on opening day, April 5, 2009. Photo (c) Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

The one and only Eldorado Skooters is a family owned business at Surf Ave between Stillwell and 12th St.

Eldorado Bumper Car Crew. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

Another family business 12th Street Amusements has 4 adult rides including the Polar Express, Bumper Cars, Saturn 6 and Ghost Hole.

The Polar Express. Photo © me-myself-i/ Tricia Vita via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

AUG 5 2009 UPDATE: Coney Island Has 56 Rides and 33 More Days of Summer!

Memorial Day Weekend Mania: Thor Equities Coney Flea In-Fest-ation Is a Flop

Posted in News, Redevelopment, tagged Coney Island, Coney Island Redevelopment, Festival by the Sea, flea market, Joe Sitt, Thor Equities on May 27, 2009| 1 Comment »

Opening day at Thor Equities huge tentless structure on west side of Stillwell behind Nathan's. An equally huge and empty structure stands on the east side of the street. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

Before I start my tirade against Joe Sitt’s Memorial Day desecration of Coney Island’s C-7 amusement district, if you’re wondering “Are the rides and games open at Coney?” the answer is YES! The REST of Coney Island–Boardwalk and beach, rides, games, sideshows, food, drinks– is alive and kickin’! Thor Equities does NOT own the entirety of Coney Island, though you’d never guess it from the Sitt-centric Festival by the Sea posters in the subway.

The May 15 grand opening of Joe Sitt’s flea market was postponed due to threat of bad weather on a sunny day, but on Memorial Day Weekend the rescheduled less than grand opening took place under the open sky. Last weekend’s “Closed due to threat of bad weather” sign was replaced by one that read “Pardon our Appearance while we adjust our tents.” Translation: The City’s DOB is requiring that the tents and structures be able to withstand hurricane force winds before issuing a C of O.

Pardon us until we get our C of O from the DOB. Photo by me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

Pardon us until we get our C of O from the DOB. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Despite Thor Equities much vaunted $250K advertising campaign with full-page ads in the New York Post, Time Out New York, AM New York, plus subway advertising and Google ads, vendors were sparse over the Memorial Day Weekend. On Friday, a couple dozen vendors set up in preassigned spaces and were scattered throughout the huge tentless structures on both sides of Stillwell. Most of the booths were selling clothes, new and used. Vendors specializing in auto supplies, housewares, Arbonne cosmetics, a water filtration system, Hawaiian noni juice and credit counseling also made an appearance over the three-day weekend. Here is my set of flickr pix of Thor’s attempted flea in-fest-ation of Coney Island.

Vendors at Thor Equities Flopped Flea Market, Coney Island. Photo by me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

Stands selling clothing and shoes were a reminder that Thor Equities pitch book unsuccessfullly used to lobby BP Markowitz for 10,000 square feet retail touted flagship retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap/Banana Republic, and DSW (“Thousands of shoes…prices you love”).

Shoes galore at Thor Equities flea market. Photo by me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

One vendor told me she was given a free space on Friday to compensate for the time and trouble of having showed up last week for nothing. Several others said rent had been temporarily reduced from $100 a day to $20. Despite the bargain basement prices, many said they wouldn’t be back next weekend. On Saturday the flea management moved all of the vendors to the east side of Stillwell, leaving the tentless framework behind Nathan’s completely empty. On Surf Ave. I ran into a man and his son carrying a display rack with repros of his Coney themed artwork. Five dollars apiece. The man said he decided NOT to rent space at Thor’s festival after seeing the miserable setup. He also didn’t like the dirt ground of Sitt’s space. Instead he walked around Coney Island all day and was pleased to have exercised his first amendment rights by selling about $100 worth of his artwork without paying any rent.

Thor Equities idea of entertainment at the flea market was a band playing two sets. Photo by me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

The entertainment at Thor Equities self-described “uniquely entertaining and amusing marketplace in Coney Island” consisted of a band playing two sets. So I guess this makes the flea legal in the C-7 amusement district? Loophole in the law or flagrant violation? In March Joe Sitt’s newly registered to do biz in NY state Delaware LLC “Chart Development Company” successfully applied for a DOB permit for a “temporary fair” after an earlier app for a “flea market” was disapproved.

Tent-less structure on East side of Stillwell Avenue

Thor Equities Flea Fest on Opening Day. Photo by me-myself-i/Tricia Vita

What used to be here? The Tornado Roller coaster (1927-1977), the Bobsled (1941-1974), and Stauch’s Baths and Dance Hall (1930-1998). An aerial view of the amusement district looking west from the Astro Tower in the 1970s shows Stauch’s Baths, the Wonder Wheel, the Tornado and Thunderbolt roller coasters and the Bobsled ride. In recent years, popular amusements such as the Bumper Boats, Go Karts, Climbing Wall, Batting Cages and Mini-Golf thrived here. Visitors to Coney still ask what happened to them: Bulldozed in February 2007 by Joe Sitt who was eager to get an early start on “site prep work” though nothing could be built there until the rezoning was done. Site prep work = Deliberately created empty lots.

The Bumper Boats and other amusements thrived on this very location until Joe Sitt evicted them in 2007 to create his empty lots. Hooray for redevelopment! Photo by the hanner via flickr

photo via the hanner, flickr

Joe Sitt’s Memorial Day Weekend flea in-fest-ation is a desecration of Coney Island’s C-7 amusement zone! The rash of press releases from Thor Equities touting their so-called “Festival by the Sea” fails to mention that Joe Sitt created the empty lots where he put his flea market. That area was NOT rundown until Sitt emptied it out to blight the property in hope of getting it rezoned for big box retail and high rises. There were thriving amusements here when Joe Sitt bought this property from Hy Singer. He evicted the amusement operators and made empty lots. Sitt wants to erase those rides and attractions from our collective memory to make way for a tented shopping mall followed by a permanent shopping mall. Want your Bumper Boats, Go-Karts, and Batting Cages back? Here’s what you can do to Save Coney Island’s amusement zoning now!

Somebody please tell the City what is wrong with this picture. Photo by me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

No C of O for Thor Equities Tents, Coney Flea Fest Postponed!

Posted in Coney Island, Real Estate, Redevelopment, tagged Coney Island, Coney Island Redevelopment, Festival by the Sea, flea market, Joe Sitt, Thor Equities on May 17, 2009| 2 Comments »

On Friday afternoon I swung by Thor Equities’ Festival by the Sea site on Stillwell (Sittland West) to see what was going on. Not much.

Tourists stand in sunshine and snap photos of Thor's Coney Festival by the Sea Closed Due to Threat of Bad Weather Sign

Tourists stand in sunshine and snap photos of Thor's Festival by the Sea "Closed Due to Threat of Bad Weather" Sign

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

The Brooklyn Paper reported on Thursday that Joe Sitt’s flea market set to open on May 15 had suffered a setback. Instead of an indoor market, vendors would be “exposed to the elements due to a tent mishap.” But when I walked by there looking for a photo op, nothing was going on. There were no vendors. Instead I took pix of tourists taking pix of Thor’s vacant festival lot.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. The Coney Island Rumor Mill had been sayin’ since last week that Thor Equities would postpone the much publicized grand opening of their Dreamland park, or is it their Festival, oh well whatever it is…for a week or two because the rides aren’t arriving in Dreamland and the Festival tents are the wrong tents and they have to be taken down!

Anon VIP Invite, including styrofoam straw hat, sits forlornly on chair, unused....Thor Equities Festival by the Sea Opening on May 15 and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on May 17... POSTPONED!

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

When I went to the DOB website and clicked on the C of O Summary tab for Sitt’s permit for his “temporary fair,” it said in big red letters THIS JOB HAS NO C OF O APPLICATION ON FILE. A new building cannot be legally occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued.

On Thursday workers removed the brightly striped roof and sidewalls leaving the structures open to the air. On Friday, Sitt employees wearing “Festival by the Sea” hats & T shirts were on site answering questions from visitors and potential vendors.

When I asked the employees what happened and when the festival would open I was told the following: The Festival by the Sea opening is postponed till next weekend (May 22) when it will be an open air flea market. Weather permitting, of course. The tenting material would not be replaced till the following weekend, May 29th, because the roof structure needed to be reinforced. A festival employee mentioned the collapse of the Dallas Cowboys practice tent in heavy winds earlier this month as a reason for the reinforcement.

According to the Rumor Mill, the DOB is requiring that the festival tents be able to withstand hurricane force winds. It’s a good thing too, if you look at the vid of the collapsed Dallas tent. Or if you look at some of the photos taken over the months of Thor’s collapsed construction fences.

Collapsed construction fences afford a view of Thor Equities vacant Stillwell property in Coney Island, New Years Day, 2009. This is the site where the festival tents are set up.

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

It’s important to note that Thor Equities’ Festival by the Sea is not just a summer flea market. The festival website says they plan to be open through Christmas. The permit is valid till January, so the tents will be subject to windy, stormy, snowy weather. I don’t know if the city’s DOB revised the regulations for tents after the Dallas Cowboys tent accident or if the rules were already in place, but the Dallas tent collapse is the subject of a federal investigation.

The Coney Island Rumor Mill has also been speculating about the validity of the permit for a flea market disguised as a “temporary fair” in the C-7 amusement zone. It is distressing to see gi-normous enclosed structures for retail booths set up where amusements rightfully belong. The batting range, go karts, bumper boats, mini-golf and other popular amusement attractions thrived here before Joe Sitt bought the property and evicted them to deliberately create his empty lots.

My guess is the “Festival by the Sea marketplace” is an incubator project for Thor Equities proposed 10,000 square foot retail spaces in a rezoned Coney Island. Fortunately the City as well as Borough President Marty Markowitz said NO to big box style retail in Coney, yes to Mom & Pops in Coney. Now it’s up to City Planning and the City Council, which will hold a public hearing on the Coney Island rezoning this summer.

Thor Equities tent structure under construction. Shoot the Freak is visible at the far end along with the sign for the batting range which occupied the site along with other amusements until evicted by property owner Joe Sitt.

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

How did Sitt obtain the permit to make a flea market in the C-7? I’m guessing it’s some kind of loophole based on the fact that he says there will be some entertainment. Sitt’s agents advertised for variety acts and bands on craigslist. Thor Equities calls it a festival and brings in strolling entertainers as an amusement because their original application for a flea market was disapproved. If you look at the subway sign for the “festival” you’ll even see the phrase “uniquely entertaining and amusing” and a cartoon of a fire eater and a snake charmer. Oh, and there’s also a vendor selling lamps!

Some of Friday’s tourists weren’t sure what there was to do in Coney Island since they’d come here for the postponed Festival by The Sea. I told them there’s plenty to do! I sent them over to ride the Eldorado bumper cars, the Cyclone and McCullough’s kiddie rides.

McCullough's Kiddie Park, Bowery and 12th Street

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

The kiddie park was especially busy on this weekday afternoon. I sent the tourists over to see Target the Cat, who was working the Basketball game on the Bowery, and Jimmy, who was running his Balloon Dart. Despite Thor Equities prediction of threat of bad weather, it was a sunny, delightful Friday in Coney Island’s C-7 amusement zone. Let’s keep it that way! As my friend Spidora says, “Carnival Stalls, Not Mega-Malls!”