Zamperla fined for razing Shoot The Freak at Coney Island without a permit

They should demolish the whole block, and send a check in advance to the city.

Just from the look of the videos and previous pictures... what on earth was there to demolish?

I do agree it is sad in a way that these folks are getting booted, but even I am not happy with my neighbors for not keeping their property up. I can understand Zamperla's investment protection desires.

I would like to hear/see the courtroom drama from this however, the attorney's are going to have a hoot with this vendor on the stand.

I bet the fine is cheaper than the time and expense it would have taken to get a permit.

I know of a major and reputable "Jersey Shore" amusement operator who was offered the "job" to take over and manage the Coney Island complex before Zamperla was offered. They declined mostly because of the unwritten "Brooklyn Code" that was seemingly impossible to overcome. That is, the intense pressure and culture of the existing CI operators and their "connections" with burough and City folk who would have made the transformation of CI better, practically impossible.

While some may describe the existing CI landscape as "nostaglic", anyone who has a vision for success would characterize it as "trashy". Therefore a complete "cleaning house" would be necessary in order to bring the area to the "next level". That is what Zamperla is trying to do.

In the end, I hope Zamperla is successful. While it may be sad to see long time vendors to go...it is for the best. Trashy boardwalk businesses are for the past and new, clean, friendly and themed business developments will only raise the bar for the area.

Now, if Zamperla can only rise above "the code".... Time will tell...

@ PerrysburgGuy - LOL, exactly. For Zamperla to go through the red tape and hassle to "properly" dispose of the Shoot The Freak game, it probably would have cost 5x as much as that pitiful "fine".

@Hanging n Banging - yes, Zamperla certainly brought a newer, cleaner, more profitable vision to the area. But they did kinda agree to the city/borough "terms" when the bid/proposal process was going along. To say that they'll cooperate fullly with the investigation seems just a tad disingenuous, considering all that has been said and done this far. If Zamperla wants you out of CI, you might want to make sure you have a lawyer on speed-dial.

I suspect that people like this guy can't afford a lawyer, and I can't see an ambulance-chasing, work-on-contingency type sniffing around there expecting money. The little guy might get pushed out in the long run, but he never had a shot when the big boys showed up anyway.

Having never been there, I can't say that there was anything that gave me incentive to go as an out of state tourist. Even as a coaster dork, the Cyclone sure wasn't enough. I'm not saying that the trendy mixed use development with a Cheesecake Factory and an Apple Store are necessarily the kind of place that improve an area, and we've yet to see if that's what it will end up, but it certainly appears that the real estate is too prime for the area to remain seedy in the long run. It seems to me that this transition was inevitable, if not overdue.

The Cyclone is an awful ride anyway...

...and that may be a polemic, but I sincerely believe that. I've ridden it once, and that was more than enough.

I didn't think the Cyclone was anything to write home about either. The historic aspect is cool, but that's about it.

As for razing the game, they shouldn't have stopped with Shoot the Freak. They should raze that entire trashy games area.

I have made several visits to Coney Island since 1997, and it has remained the same. The NYC Aquarium needs to market itself, and do some serious upgrades, and same for the Cyclone, which is more like a comparison to Scott toilet paper; rough and tough, and doesn't take @%#$ of anybody.

Wonderwheel Park has some new kiddie rides, but also needs freshening up, and the older rides have seen better days. Everything between Astroland and Nathans needs the wrecking ball. Period. The old 'Bowery' has always been an embarrassment. Nathans needs some proper covered outdoor seating, not concrete tables in the alley covered in pigeon poop.

If you are daring enough to stand on Surf Avenue in front of the subway station, all those buildings also need to go. The $6 bumper car rides and carousel roundhouse are never going to do anything to upgrade. I actually saw beds for sale on the sidewalk in September. Yes, beds.

And all those slum properties, with paintball, Ruby's, etc, there is zero reason for them to continue. They have never put any money into their operations, and never will. Coney Island has to market themselves with that great beach, baseball, outdoor cafes, and rides with safe ample parking.

Some parts of Coney Island remind me of Calcutta. It was a crowded, dirty, free for all. I'm not sure how much Zamperla have improved things..I sure hope they have. When I look at beach side parks like Santa Cruz or Morey's, Coney just pales in comparison.

And yes, Cyclone almost extracted my liver. It sucks!

Wow, have to admit I'm a little surprised at all the hate for CI Cyclone (aka, Mom). Yes, its a rough and tumble ride, but I'd take it over MOST wood that I've ridden....the level of aggression alone makes it a formidable ride IMO.

Meh - I'd take most wood I've ridden over the cyclone ;-) LOL

I hope the next time I'm at Coney, I get a 'good' ride on Cyclone. I liked it less than Psucklone. Seriously.

Love me some Viper, though.

I've only ridden it once, in 2008 when I was much less likely to appreciate a wooden coaster, and even *I* liked it. Keep in mind though that the seats were heavily padded (to the point that only one adult could fit). With no padding and two adults bumping elbows, I imagine I'd have had an entirely different impression.

Bet you didn't ride in the very back seat, did you?

rollergator said:
Wow, have to admit I'm a little surprised at all the hate for CI Cyclone (aka, Mom). Yes, its a rough and tumble ride, but I'd take it over MOST wood that I've ridden....the level of aggression alone makes it a formidable ride IMO.

Another like.

Tekwardo said:
Bet you didn't ride in the very back seat, did you?

I did when I was there. Laughed my ass off the whole time, too. You can bet we paid for some re-rides that night.

Georgia Cyclone = great. Astroland Cyclone = cut knee and greased up shorts. Its a fine ride, but its no Kennywood Thunderbolt or Knoebels Twister.

I got both GA Cyclone and Mom on bad days. They were both running slow and sucky.

I didn't absolutely hate GA Cyclone, though.