Page 1 of 1

Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:12 pm
by Hurricane
In light of a failure to come to an agreement between the past owners -- and current operators -- and its current owners, the future of Astroland, a classic amusement park on the foreshore of the Coney Island beach in Brooklyn, New York, has been in doubt in recent years. As the ongoing saga continues, the only thing that looks certain is that Astroland as it currently stands looks set to disappear.

In recent weeks however reports have surfaced that 'The Oliver Group', led by Sydney Matthews and Timothy Oliver, have been in discussion with the owners of the many rides that make up Astroland and have also engaged in discussions with Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke which the Group's own press releases describe as "successful". Their plans are to relocate the amusement park to give it a new lease of life on the Gold Coast, already home to Australia's five largest theme parks.

The iconic 81-year-old Cyclone roller coaster, which stands at Astroland looks to be safe from removal as it holds status as a New York City landmark, as well as being declared a National Historic Landmark. The bulk of the attractions that make up Astroland are not classic amusement attractions but rather more modern carnival-style rides.

The Group's press releases state that every single piece of Astroland that can me successfully dismantled and relocated and anything that can't be moved will be reconstructed. Despite the Cyclone's security in New York City, The Oliver Group wants to clone the roller coaster from original plans.

Perhaps most bizarre is the Group's intention to even relocate soil from Astroland for the sake of authenticity.

Likening the project to the sale of the London Bridge from England to the US in 1967, marketing manager Timothy Oliver stated: "We are stealing one of America’s true icons – from the city the proclaims itself the number one city in the world – and we are bringing the last vistages [sic] of Coney Island to Australia!"

The Oliver Group's plans were briefly documented in the New York Daily News in November.

Specific information regarding the proposed location or project timeline is not provided, nor are the projected costs of such an undertaking. They suggest there will be as many as 350 full time employees.

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:30 am
by Zamperla
this is truly unbelievable. I hope this one gets off the ground (odds look heavily stacked against it) - but the lady who ran the lease on Astroland had a penchant for investing in some quality rides - the ones in discussion above (portable) would be:

HUSS Enterprise
HUSS Breakdance
HUSS Pirate
HUSS Topspin(!)
Zipper? (I think this has already been sold off)
Spider

- all those quality German rides - anyone else excited to read this?

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 10:07 am
by Matt Diabolism
Zamperla wrote: HUSS Enterprise
HUSS Breakdance
HUSS Pirate
HUSS Topspin(!)
Zipper? (I think this has already been sold off)
Spider

- all those quality German rides - anyone else excited to read this?
YES!!!.I'm yet to do the QLD amusement park run.If this were to go ahead it would be first on my list.

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:13 am
by Paulie123
woopee. another park for the goldcoast. :roll:

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:04 pm
by Space Roller Freak
It will be great to have a different park on the gold coast bring all the huss rides on!

CHEERS,
Space Roller Freak

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:14 pm
by Paulie123
I agree it just sucks its going to the Gold Coast. They already have 5 parks.

Bring a park to Sydney.. More people live here anyway.

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:23 pm
by Hurricane
But Paulie... Sydney is a hole :wink:

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:24 pm
by Paulie123
excuseeeee you?

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:14 pm
by Josh in Rocky
hehehehehe... you go hurricane!! :)

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:50 pm
by Paulie123
I hope it doesnt happen. :evil:

Then, i hope all you themeparks shut.

Then some crappy themepark opens up with ex carnival rides and charge $40 to get in.

Then your litttle gold coast wont be so precious, will it. And it will be just as bad as sydney.

The themeparks are only things that keeps the GC from being a 'hole'.

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:21 pm
by Space Roller Freak
I honestly don't go much on Sydney at all, Melbourne is better and much more easier to get round (as long as it isn't peak hour). They need to get their act togeather and get some other parks operating at major cities. I wish Melbourne had something a bit more exiting than Luna Park!

CHEERS,
Space Roller Freak

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:23 pm
by Zamperla
No one will ever agree on the best city to live - horses for courses, but ANY major rides into this country are a good thing, especially ones made in Bremen.

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 10:14 am
by benclare
This is a very exciting prospect but in my opinion it’ll never happen because it would be far too expensive in this current economic climate to transport the attractions from America, set them up somewhere on the Gold Coast and then attempt to make money and compete against the already established theme parks. I would definitely visit this new location as the Astroland rides are top notch but it would need something more spectacular than the cloned Cyclone roller coaster to bring in the crowds. Personally I do think a park of this nature would run better away from the GC, perhaps Brisbane itself. What might be better is if the Astroland rides were incorporated into LPM or LPS; unlikely but just an idea.

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 11:02 am
by Paulie123
I think it would turn out to be another Lunapark..

I know these rides are alot better than the ones at LPS, LPM, but they are still portables. People will get sick of them very soon, just like people did with the Lunaparks. Only difference would be this park would have GOOD rides and a wooden coaster i guess..

Still, Sydney should get it. :evil:

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:29 am
by katestow77
hey guys ,

firstly can i say that GOLD COAST is not a hole as u so put it paulie u r only upset becuase there is more to do on the gold coast as far as attractions go then there is to do in Sydney alone.and when u look at the g.c. compared to sydney u think its at least 2 or 3 times the size of the g.c.
even when the theme parks are closed by day or on gazeted hollidays there is stil heaps to do on the g.c. u r ony jeallous of what the gold coast attracts. theres surf and theres pubs and rainforests just to name a few.
so y dont u stop paying out the g.c. and get ya facts straight.

2ndly it would be nice to have a theme park of a different style come into qld but imo the g.c. has enough so y not try the sunshine coast. or even melbourne, sydney is to hard to get around its always got hussel and bussel.

i would like to see a decent theme park come to australia from O.S. as coney is. as it has a fantastic reputation.

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 5:31 pm
by Paulie123
i am jealous. you try living in sydney with no themeparks. it sucks cow nipples.

Re: Coney Island to move Downunder?

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:40 pm
by katestow77
hey guys,

yea paulie yea i can understand that.

keep ya chin hopefully u might get something good in sydney although i will not hold my breath