Yes! It’s Time Again! Save Coney Island Campaign Returns!

By Victoria Traina 

(Visit FELTMANSOFCONEYISLAND.COM)

-Brooklyn, NY

Save Coney Island!

First they battled the mighty real estate company Thor Equities who even to this very day has been destroying more than a century old historic Coney Island buildings.

The next chapter of the story involved Central Amusement International ala Zamperla owners of the revived Luna Park. Through a classic Bloomberg era real estate deal Central Amusement International (CAI) has been given free reign of New York City owned (tax payer) property in Coney Island in exchange for building their own rides and operating their own amusement parks in the area. They currently hold the lease for the small businesses on the boardwalk taking in an astronomical amount of rent from these mom and pop shops in addition taking in a whopping 10% (gangster style vig)  of their overall sales! They alone make the decisions for which boardwalk businesses may stay or go on City owned property!

Now Save Coney Island is preparing to go to battle again! According to Lola Star a Coney Island Boardwalk business owner and co-founder of Save Coney Island:

“The time has come to resurrect the Save Coney Island Organization. I regret that I ever felt confident enough in Coney Islands future that I let it go. There should always be an advocacy group focused on preserving the Spirit of Coney Island. As that Spirit is challenged again it’s time to rev that engine back up and fight to save the Spirit of Coney Island! More details soon!” 

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Coney Island was created by small business visionaries with the courage to dream fantastical dreams into a reality on our sandy shores! The world had never seen anything like the Elephant Hotel, built in 1884, until one brave dreamer made it into a reality. Coney Island was built by a myriad of diverse dreams and visions. Not just one like many other amusement parks. That’s what makes it continually surprising and fascinating. Coney Island should continue to be a place where unique small businesses thrive rather then being pushed out. And it should be a place that dazzles visitors with many different dreams, not just the vision of one company or person.

A post shared by Save Coney Island (@saveconeyisland) on Nov 13, 2019 at 5:08pm PST

 

 

In recent years grassroots organizations like Save NYC and blogs like Jeremiah Moss’ Vanishing New York and E.V. Grieve have been making NYC residents hip to the corrupt relationships between politicians and the real estate companies which are destroying small businesses and the fabric of NYC. The Coney Island situation is a consummate example.

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Just last year CAI had taken down the Feltman’s of Coney Island stand at Luna Park without fulfilling the contractural agreement. At one time the Feltman’s Restaurant name was the most famous in Coney Island. According to the licensing deal with Feltman’s a fully painted stand with exclusive Feltman’s signage was to be put in place by CAI at Luna Park. The contract was signed by both parties. Feltman’s held up their end of the contract by immediately paying CAI. However, Luna Park breached the contract after taking thousands of dollars from the Feltman’s owner who is an Iraqi War Veteran.

With an insane 400% rent increase expect all of your favorite long time businesses on the boardwalk to be replaced by Dave and Busters, Buffalo Wild Wings, as well as the Cheesecake Factory! 

Stay tuned for more!

About Save Coney Island:

Save Coney Island is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization committed to restoring Coney Island as a world-class amusement destination. We work to raise awareness of the issues facing Coney Island and promote discussion about how to turn Coney’s amusement area once more into the “Playground of the World”.

Victoria Traina  Editor The Coney Island Blog

Contact: TheVictoriaTrainer@gmail.com

 

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Our first Save Coney Island Demonstration on the steps of City Hall in 2007. Coney Island lovers descended upon City Hall to fight against greed and to preserve the Spirit of Coney Island! This was the beginning of a long journey to fight for the right kind of development in our Historic Amusement District. The fight never ends. Because unfortunately greed never ceases to covet the magic that inhabits our sandy shore. So we must use our voices to protect it!

A post shared by Save Coney Island (@saveconeyisland) on Nov 13, 2019 at 5:25am PST