March 12, 2009

Freakshow fight at Coney; Cyclone to reopen April 5

The battle of good vs. greed is turning into a fight of the freakshows at Coney Islands.

The California-based John Strong’s Shows is in negotiations to open on the remnants of Astroland, throwing down competition for the reigning Coney Island Circus Sideshow, according to the Daily News.

Strong talked smack about his competition, claiming among other things that he has the world’s only two-headed cow, (see SideShow World for pictures.)

Stong said he will open April 9, but the Daily News also quotes a spokesman for Thor Equities, the owner of the Astroland site since 2006, who said the deal hasn’t been finalized.

Meanwhile the battle rages on over the future of Coney Island’s boardwalk redevelopment.

On Wednesday night, Community Board 13 voted to approve the city’s rezoning plan, but according to the Brooklyn Paper, it added 20 advisory amendments “demanding far larger retails stores, a ban on the use of eminent domain, and a rejection of a key part of the mayor’s scheme, the rezoning of some of Coney’s amusement zone to parkland.” Those are mainly concessions to Thor Equities, according to the Brooklyn Paper.

Elsewhere of note: The front page of the Astroland website has been remade to feature the Cyclone rollercoaster, which will open for the season on April 5. “There is still plenty to see and do!,” the site implores.

More key summer dates for Coney Island in 2009:

June 9 - Opening Day for the Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Staten Island Yankees
June 20 - Mermaid Parade
June 23 - Cyclones change their name for a day to Baracklyn Cuclones
Oct. 2 to 4 - Coney Island Film Festival

Also of note, the Coney Island-set sequel to “Phantom of the Opera,” Phantom: Love Never Dies is in the works.

Picture credit: Amy Langfield/NewYorkology

Earlier: Coney Island Polar Bears’ New Year swim in pictures
Video: Coney Island Polar Bears on New Year’s Day
Original Coney Island Pier for sale, piece by piece

March 12, 2009 1:20 PM in Cheap Stuff, Kids, Out of Manhattan, Sightsology

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