Astroland owner wants two-year lease or will shut the park down

Looks like Carol has gotten smart. I hope things work out that she can stay until Thor and the city come to terms with what they are going to do with the properties. I agree that her employees need more job security than on a year by year term and last minute agreements at that. If it is going to really take a year or 2 until they can even break ground why dont they just do that?

Also the city might want to look at taking the property via eminent domain if they cant come to terms with Thor. I am for one surprised that they werent the buyers of the property a long time ago before Thor bought it if they wanted to really preserve what is there. The current setting of only 9 acres isnt much for an amusement park nor really was 15 acres. If the city got a hold of the entire 40 some acres now that would be nice. The city could lease to an operator or operators. There could be some open space for picnicing or gardens and fountains. Personally I think the best option is just that but I totally understand that Thor wants to be able to make money off the property. There must be some middle ground that they could find somewhere.....cant there?

I went to Coney Island for the first time last weekend...it is truly an incredible place. Thank God the Cyclone is a city landmark, and I really hope Coney Island, and Astroland, the best.

I also got to visit it 1 week ago. I have pictures from the cyclone and really TBH, hated the ride it was painful and people begging for you to reride it I had fun at the arcade though and ennoyed a Nathans hotdog before returning to the hotel in Manhatten

The painful bit really depends on where one sits. Trust me. Middle of the train seemed to be the worst for me. Front of the train was smoothest. Oddly the back wasnt that bad either.

The Cyclone is in terrible shape, and Astroland really is a bit of a pit. It's better to have Astroland than to have nothing at all between the Cyclone and Deno's, but honestly, what is there now? A Von Roll observation tower, two spectacular carnival rides, and a fairly extensive kiddieland, none of which cooperates in any meaningful way with Deno's next door, which in turn does not cooperate in any meaningful way with the lot of rides next door to them. It's a hodge-podge of stuff ranging from gorgeous to downright dangerous, in an environment where the consumer is responsible for figuring out whose tickets work with what rides.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Update: Thor missed today's deadline, and Newsday says Astroland is done.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

NYP confirms it:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09042008/news/regionalnews/astroland_is_closing_for_good_on_sunday_127490.htm