Image by betty_86 (Flickr.com)The plan to relocate Astroland somewhere else in Coney Island has been mutually ended by both parties: the City and Astroland, according to an article in the New York Post, by Richard Calder.
President of the Coney Island Development Corporation, Lynn Kelly, told the Post that a new site near the boardwalk large enough to house a reassembled Astroland theme park could not be found in time to make it possible and feasable. The time has come where owner and operator Carol Albert needs to make a decision as to sell the rides now or not. If Albert waits, she could suffer significant financial loss.
Richard Calder writes:
President of the Coney Island Development Corporation, Lynn Kelly, told the Post that a new site near the boardwalk large enough to house a reassembled Astroland theme park could not be found in time to make it possible and feasable. The time has come where owner and operator Carol Albert needs to make a decision as to sell the rides now or not. If Albert waits, she could suffer significant financial loss.
Richard Calder writes:
Albert's lease runs through January, but she said she must begin selling her 23 rides by the end of the month or risk massive financial losses.
The Post reported last month that Thor is seeking $3 million in rent for Astroland to help recoup some of the $30 million it paid Albert for the 3.1-acre park property last year. Albert, however, wants to continue paying $170,000.
A Thor spokesman said the $3 million figure is now lower but declined to
elaborate.
According to a recent discussion Albert was heard being quoted that she will wait no more and corner Thor Equities into coming up with an answer as to weather to give Astroland another year or not. A few Carnies from Astroland as well as an administrator from Astroland's office have all said that Albert will only be waiting up until the 23rd of this month.
Now is the time to rally up in support to demand Thor Equities to offer Astroland a lease to open another year at its current location - which has been its home for the past 45 years.
ASTROLAND DOOMED AT CONEY IS. [New York Post]
Follow the discussion at the CIUSA board
Now is the time to rally up in support to demand Thor Equities to offer Astroland a lease to open another year at its current location - which has been its home for the past 45 years.
ASTROLAND DOOMED AT CONEY IS. [New York Post]
Follow the discussion at the CIUSA board
1 comment:
The lot between Nathans and Keyspan is Bullard's.
Certainly, if Bullard is pro-amusement development, he would negotiate a reasonable rental agreement for Astroland.
While the future of Coney Island remains murky at best one more season of Astroland in the Bullard lot would maximize foot traffic between Stillwell Avenue and Keyspan Park.
It would also give the Astroland group another year to look more broadly at their alternatives, considering it is extremely unlikely that this group can continue to operate out of Coney Island beyond 2008, and that is only if Bullard pulls a rabbit out of his hat.
Despite all of the renderings produced by Bullard in the past, he ranks right up there with Fred Trump and Thor Equities in terms of land speculators.
He has done nothing to bring any of his properties into conformance with the current amusement zoning.
Instead, he bought lots of amusement zoned land just as the great Coney Island Casino speculation began, and he continues to stand to profit handsomely from whatever non-amusement zoning his properties shall eventually get.
Selling the Washington Baths site put him at break-even, and now all of his potrential real estate sales in Coney Island are certain to make him great profits.
Why doesn't someone do an expose on Horace Bullard and put the hard questions to him, instead of sugar coating his failed efforts to bring amusements to Coney Island, because he couldn't get the financing done?
What about building up amusements year by year?
Obviously, one would really need to be interested in growing an amusement styled park in order to undertake a slow but steady development.
In my mind, Bullard is no better than Fred Trump or Thor Equities. He is a land speculator eagerly awaiting his payday.
It's his right, but call him what he is.
Here, Astroland is looking for one more year in Coney Island, and Bullard is nowhere to be found, while his amusement zoned land lies dormant and in violation of its zoning.
Purplexingly, while Astroland is moments away from becoming Coney Island history, Bullard recently stepped up to the microphone and asserted his support for Joe Sitt!
How is that for historical perspective.
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