Showing posts with label Joe Sitt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Sitt. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Thor Needs To Get Out Of Coney Once And For All

It is now plain as the summer sunlight that Thor Equities and Joe Sitt is just another Fred Trump or Robert Moses; the foes in the Coney Island history. Joe Sitt has done nothing to prove wrong what everyone has said about him and his company. They they are mainly speculators out to rip off with Coney Island and its legend and charm.

After bulldozing thriving attractions and a theme park that could've still been left to function while the new Coney Island finally happens, Thor Equities has only made a shambles of everything they touch. As recent as a few days ago, they shut down their own amusement park; Dreamland, which was supposed to be the fill the void they left empty after carelessly evicting the long standing Astroland Amusement Park. Thor has made a mess of their empty lots from a hooky kiddie inflatable slide to a distressing flea market and they yearly short-lived makeshift carnivals that goes kaput before the season ends. Actually coming in late and leaving early.

And even though they could still reopen in a few days they have already displayed a lack of respect. A lack of business savvy doesn't seem to be at the crux of the problem here but a mere lack of respect with a sole interest in financial gain.

There is now a
petition going on to boot them out as well as an angry 'Save Coney Island' coalition retort to the matter.

Save Coney Island writes:
“The closure of ‘Dreamland,’ Thor Equities’ half-hearted attempt at anamusement park, is only the latest installment in Thor's deliberatecampaign to blight Coney Island,” said Save Coney Island spokesman JuanRivero. “First, Thor senselessly drove out many of Coney Island’slong-established amusements — including the beloved Astroland amusementpark — now Thor is even shutting down the amusements that they themselvesbrought in.”

So, sign the petition, make your comments heard on the Internet, and pressure the city to give Thor Equities its 'Get out of Coney card'.


Thursday, July 02, 2009

CEO Of Thor Equities, Joe Sitt's Statement On City Council Hearing


Image courtesy of Adrian Kinloch (Brit In Brooklyn)

Like many on the council who lean towards protecting the established businesses in Coney Island as well as push for private investment for Coney's only chance of revitalization, Joe Sitt warns that passing the zoning purposed by the city will not only hinder private investment but also lead to future years of decline for the 'former' people's playground, as he puts it.

In a press release yesterday Joe Sitt's statement reads:

"As we've said time and again, the city's zoning proposal as it currently stands will not lead to the revitalization of Coney Island,but rather to years, if not decades, of more of the same decline for the former People's Playground. By sacrificing any hope of private investment in Coney, the city is in real danger of passing zoning that will waste a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to return Coney to its heyday.

As the largest landowner in the amusement district, we stand ready to work with the city to come up with a zoning proposal that encourages private investment, allows for year-round amusements, games, shopping and other activities, and ensures significant job creation."


The statement released yesterday by Loren Riegelhaupt, Senior Vice President, KnickerbockerSKD