In Memory Cathy Spivey

In Memory, Cathy Spivey, 

Senator Street, Brooklyn NY

In 1984 I moved onto Senator Street.   This Brownstone lined block was a very Brooklyn block with residents who had spent most of their lives on the block.  By 1984 most of the children of the block had grown up and moved away.  Most of the residents had European descendents, Irish, Norwegian, German and others.  At the top of the block was the old Bay Ridge Girls High School.   In the court yards were years of gifts from graduating classes of the past.  By 1984 the girls were gone and High School of Telecommunications was established.  To accomplish this transformation, a renovation was planned for the school.   This renovation would cost the city millions of dollars and would take over 25 years to complete (still in progress).

The first house next to the school belonged to the Spivey family.  Dorothy Spivey was nearing 65 in 1984.   Cathy was still living at home and was in her 40's.  Cathy was a misfit child.  Her overweight posture and whiskers made her homely and unappealing to the man who might be seeking a wife.   Her voice was often a nagging whine that made conversation difficult.   By 1984 she lived with her mom and best friend Pat from High School.  Her friend was shorter and wore glasses and was in part a good fit for Cathy.  Pat went to work everyday in Manhattan.  As best friends, they went everywhere together.

Because of Cathy's stature, she was not able to work.   She did work at home making hand made Jewelry which she would sell at fairs.   She also created beautiful artwork of her animals.  Most of all she loved animals.   She had cat collections, both indoor and out door.  She also bred show dogs of the most unusual types.   A few dogs were allowed to live inside and others were kept outside.   Neighbors would complain about the barking dogs.   Some threatened to shoot the dogs after they shot Cathy.   To cart the dogs to the shows she had a green dodge van.   She would back the van into her driveway.

Cathy was one of our friendliest neighbors.   She loved to talk about her dogs and she was a good source on caring for any pet you might have.   Over the years she guided me as to how to car for my dogs.   My first dog, Misty was a gentle soul.  When she passed away, Cathy was there with a beautiful sympathy card.   It captured the feelings that we were all going through at the loss of our family pet.   My second dog was the polar opposite.  This dog bit everyone.   Cathy's best advice was to kill the dog.  The dog never bit Cathy.  When Texas died, Cathy was there with another sympathy card (perhaps a little less sympathetic than the first card).

Encounters with Cathy could be very interesting.   I often whistle.  I do it without thinking.  Evidently my whistling over the years would awaken her dogs into a rousing round of rough barking that would disturb the neighbors, whom I mentioned above wanted to kill her and the dogs.  One Sunday morning when I was at church she rang our bell and woke Rob, my son, out of a drunken sleep.  Upon answering the door, he found Cathy reeling about my whistling and how it had to stop.   If I continued she would have me arrested for harassment.  Robbie was not sure how to deal with Cathy and simple closed the door and went back to sleep.

Shortly after the construction on the school started, Cathy became relentless on stopping the project at any cost.   First it was the continual noise,  then it was a dirt and heavy machinery.   Then they destroyed all the gardens that the graduating classes had donated.  As a final hit against Cathy, in the midst of all the noise and dirt flying, her mom passed away in her sleep.   She then set out to sue the school for her mom's death.   For 15 years the noise and dirt never stopped.

Over the years Cathy became a loyal friend.   She had an urban garden in her front yard.  She grew all sorts of plants and told me to help myself to her herbs.   She had a variety of mint plants, including a chocolate mint. 

At one point, social services made her work.   That lasted for a summer.   She would go into bodegas with a teen to try and buy beer.  Of course she was the spy, who no one would ever suspect as Drug and Alcohol enforcement.   She really liked that job and was a hit for her unit.   However, funds ran out and she was out of a job.

In recent years I did not see Cathy much.   I had moved across town and rarely got back on the block.   About 5 years ago I happened on the block and Cathy was outside.  She did not look the same, she really seemed to be failing.  She announced that her best friend and supporter of her home had passed away during a routine surgery.  Evidently infection had set in and she died in about two days.   With her mom gone and now Pat, she had no one to help her with her life.   Several neighbors tried to be with her.   Her finances finally were running out to the point where she had no more lights or heat and barely enough food.  In Early April she was found dead in bed by a neighbor who occasionally would check in on her.  I was on the block the day after she was found.  My heart was deeply touched by her death.   She was a good friend and a great neighbor.   Her laugh and insanities will never leave my mind.

Her relatives quickly moved in on this home.  Her mother specified in her will that Cathy had rights to the house until she died.  Now they were able to take over the place.   The weeks that followed were spent in carting all of her earthly possessions away.  Six 30 yard dumpsters were filled with all of her possessions.   Watching this was difficult.   Everything that was hers was deemed of no value to the relatives.  They ripped away all of the flowers and a big center bush and left the outside yard baron.   They will sell the home for about one million dollars... that is the fix me up price.   They had finally won this prize with little reference to the real prize that had passed away.   In memory of Cathy, oddly enough, flowers began to grow in her front yard.   No one has a clue how they got there or how they managed to grow without being watered.   But as you walk by there they are for all to enjoy, sporting the memories of our dear friend Cathy Spivey.

Coney Island Revival

 

This weekend, Memorial Day 2012 marks some huge changes for Coney Island.  The past disappeared over the winter months as final changes to the boardwalk became a reality.  The fight to preserve the old with the new actually played itself out.

Gregory and Paul's Now Paul's Daughter

Vintage Look of Paul's Daughters

New Boardwalk Nathans

Gregory and Paul's elected to stay on the boardwalk.  Greg, Steve's Father, retired.  Paul now in his eighties gave the business to his Daughter.   They completely gutted the place and created a retro look.  They spent a lot of money putting this together.  With great effort they are open and ready for business.

Michael Of Coney Island

The other mainstay was Ruby's bar.   Michael, the owner, worked all winter to upgrade his place.   He did most of the work himself.  During the winter they replaced part of the boardwalk and he took all the scrap wood to create a new bar and interesting decor.  His place opened back up last weekend.

Ruby's New Boardwalk Plank Bar

Making a huge impact to the boardwalk is Nathans who created a huge presence with a beautiful restaurant.   It is very corporate and at the same time very retro.   They opened up a month ago.   They have been packed everyday since their opening.  They also opened up a Nathan's Tee Shop.

Brooklyn Beach Shop

Also new to the Boardwalk is the Brooklyn Beach Shop.  This is owned by the family that runs a very successful Beach Shop next to Nathans on Stillwell Avenue.  They poured a lot of money into this facility and it looks amazing.  

Beach Shop Interior

Tom's New Restaurant

After all the dust has settled, The Boardwalk looks great.  Next to come on the boardwalk is Tom's a Restaurant with a great breakfast and lunch menu.   This facility is in the process of being built.

Steve's New Grill House

In all, of the eight owners fighting to save their businesses (The Coney Island Eight), two remained.   My dear friend Steve Bitetzakis lost his battle to stay on the boardwalk after a long court battle.   In the end, Luna park (New York City) paid him $120,000 for his building.   He took the money and bought a trailer and set up a food vending business off the Boardwalk.   This has been very difficult for Steve.   Currently he has stage 3 colon cancer and is on Chemo.   Yesterday his wife mentioned that he is in pain all the time.  Most nights he cannot sleep.  

Steve's Old Shop Becoming Bar

The City of New York continues their battle against the smaller businesses who try to make money in Coney Island.   There is a flea market just off the boardwalk that offers a lot of Coney Clothing and ethnic foods.   This is run by some pretty powerful guys.   Last year the city turned their back on this market letting them operate without permits.   This year, Luna park stands to loose a lot of money from this market and now that the Boardwalk is the parks, yesterday the city raided the market, completely shutting it down.  I guess you have to be the judge of whether this is right or wrong.  Steve of course had his food stand in that Market so on the first day he was to open he was shut down.

  

In the next few months more new rides are going to open up.   Steve's old place is going to become a Bar on the boardwalk.

Newly Added Go Cart Rides

I am now 62.  I love all the changes because it has brought new life to the boardwalk.  However, gone are the familiar faces that frequented Coney Island.   Gone are the favorite watering holes where the mainstay people would come.   This has definitely taken an emotional toll on my place to relax and see my friends.   The carpet was pulled out from under me.   

The interesting lesson in all of this is that the corporate rebuilding of America takes the personal community element away from the people.   The boardwalk was a community where many people used to go and relax.  In a big way it has been replaced as a big money maker. 

The question is whether all this renewal will be affordable and profitable for those who will bear the expense of this.  The aim is to draw a higher end client who can afford $4 for a hotdog.   As of this weekend those people did not show up.  God also has his say in all of this; if it rains they will not make it.   This weekend was filled with on and off rain.

Coney's Cones

The story of Coney Island, "America's Play land" will continue to unfold, hopefully with a bright future.   Have a wonderful summer.

Coney Island Transitions

Polar Bears January 2011

Life could be simpler.  Tomorrow is the annual Polar Bear Club swim.  About 3 thousand swimmers will dip into the cold Atlantic Ocean bringing in the New Year with a bang.  This year things will be different.  Kris Greg's Gill House, owned by Steve Bitetzakis will be closed.  It will be the first time in many years this establishment will be not be serving hot coffee and chocolate.

Last year it was decided that the boardwalk establishments would have one more year to stay open and then be taken over by Central Amusements Inc, CAI.  CAI had hired Sodexo to rebuild all of these restaurants into a themed food court.  Sodexo had rebuilt a restaurant across form the Cyclone.   It opened with a flare but during the summer their business was horrible.  The numbers in the park were 1/4 of what they were the year before and Sodexo backed out.   CAI hired two men, Michele Merlo, a chef in South Beach Florida and Julio Gonzalez a Florida businessman and lawyer to take over the building out of the boardwalk.  Announcements were made in the NY papers and they started by creating Coney Cones, and upscale ice cream parlor on the boardwalk.  Due to no fault of their own, they were delayed in opening and missed the 4th of July weekend.  They opened up on the third week in July.  There was a lot things that still needed to be done but the doors were open and these guys made an excellent attempt to get going.  As days followed they proved themselves to be great a making ice cream and getting better at being part of the boardwalk.  By mid August their first profit loss statement came in and it was not looking good.   They realized at that point that to build out the rest of the boardwalk would take more money than it was worth and in the end they could loose their shirts.   They went back to Zamperla the owner of CAI and asked to renegotiate the terms of the lease based on real figures.  After a long discussion with Valereo Ferrari who ran the park for him, they said no and Michele and Julio backed out of the larger deal.  Ruby's was asked to stay along with Paul's Daughter.  

Coney's Cones

All the other vendors were told to leave as of November 1.   On November 1 everyone except for Steve packed up and left.  Ruby's was asked to invest a huge amount of money to winterize their bar and make it into a more upscale sports bar.  In early December they completed their agreements.  Nathans will take over the Gyro corner doubling their presence on the boardwalk and a new player will enter the boardwalk as a Diner / Breakfast establishment.   They will have to invest more than a million dollars to get up and going.   They are currently busy renovating their building.  By the best estimates they are going to have a really hard time making it there.   Steve decided to take the matter to court and challenge the ownership of his building.

During the last week of July, Steve became really ill.   He went to several doctors and found out that he had colon cancer.   This news spread fast over the boardwalk.  After a long ordeal his HR friend got him insurance and he went to surgery in early September.   When they opened him up they found a huge tumor and removed it successfully.    He was told that he should undergo Chemo as a precaution.  This all happened at the NYU medical center.

The next step was a battle in court.  Valereo was very angered by Steve's persistence.  The NYC EDC also stepped into court with Valereo to stay that they in fact owned the building and that they had a deed for the building to prove it.   Their lawyers were confident that they would win.   If they lost they would have to rebuild the building or buy it from Steve at market value.   That could cost them 1.5 million just to get a building back to where it could be used as a restaurant.   Both parties refused any offers, and the offers made by this city were a mere slap in the face.  So the case went to trial.   The judge was a giant black man who could easily win a spot on network TV.   He warned the parties to know that going to trial might not be good for either party.   As the trial began a huge discussion came up about conversations that I had had with Nathan Bliss over who owned the building and Nat telling me and others that we should move the building.   After two days of testimony to which Nat and Valereo lied,  I was to be the last witness to be presented.  No one from CAI was present except for their lawyer and Nat had also not showed up.   I finished my testimony.   The court room was very tense as the Judge offered his decision.   As his mouth opened to reveal his thoughts he gave credit to both lawyers for doing an excellent job.   Then he quickly awarded the building to Steve.   The lawyer for CAI left without comment.  He was noticeable shaken.  Steve looked like he had just had a stroke.  His face was beat read.   He had won an impossible case and now had the task to move a 40x75 foot building.  He was given until January 13th to have the building off of their property, unless he could show that for good reason he was not able to.

New Fences Block Grill House

The next day, as we were all collecting our thought, the city parks department erected a fence along the boardwalk preventing Steve entry to his building.  That had begun the restoration of the boardwalk  along side his building.   The following day, the park set up a meeting with Nathan, a representative from the mayors office, a parks department representative and the construction company renovating the boardwalk.  Nat who is the president of CIDC and Vice President at the EDC holds a lot of power for the redevelopment of the Boardwalk.   Steve pulled him aside and asked him to buy the building or allow Steve to stay.   Both suggestions would save CAI a million or more dollars from several vantage points.  He rudely replied that they were not interested in any deal at this point.  Steve verbally attacked the representative from the Mayors office calling Nat a liar who did so under oath. It was downhill from there.  Steve got in his car and left and they moved the fence so that Steve could get into his building. 

At the same time this was happening we were calling construction companies to move the building. Although we worked hard to get the riggers to give us an estimate, to date all of them have put us off until after the first of the year.

On Christmas day Steve began to have more pains in his stomach.  Thursday he returned to the hospital to figure out what was going on.  He found out that he was severely constipated.  The X-rays also revealed that the cancer had begun to develop again and may have now gone into his stomach.

Steve has a place along Stillwell Avenue to rest his building.   It is not a perfect spot but he can make money there and might do better than on the boardwalk.  Whether with court constraints and his health issues the building will ever make it there is another question.  

Brooklyn Coney Island Summer Months 2011

Leiby Kletzky

About a month ago on a Monday night I was looking at the news and noticed that a young boy was missing in Boro Park, one neighborhood away, (about 10 minutes by car).  It caught my interest because of all neighborhoods, this one is very safe.  Little Leiby Kletzky was on the way home from a day camp, doing the trip solo for the first time.  He was 8 and most kids can pretty well figure out their neighborhood by eight.  Also, it is known that the community would help if one got lost.  He should have been able to ask any stranger and be brought right back to his home.  During the day on Tuesday the search intensifies with several thousand people looking for Leiby.  By that time it was fair to assume that something was very wrong and the tension began to build.  This was every parent's nightmare.  Local Authorities and the FBI began an intense search.  By Tuesday night around 10pm I figured the worst happened.  Everyone in Brooklyn was playing this out in their own lives.  Early the next day Eric, my godson called to say that he was found dead, and that he had been cut to pieces and discarded in a dumpster.  

The FBI raided a home at 5am and discovered remains of the body along with the killer who confessed to the crime.  Levi Aron a middle aged man, had taken the child when the boy asked for help and a day later poisoned and killed him, then chopping the body up and discarded all but the boys feet which were left in his freezer.  The gruesome crime paralyzed the Orthodox Jewish community.   At the funeral on Wednesday evening with thousands in attendance, it started to rain and then to everyone's surprise a rainbow appeared.  At the time I was at my counseling service about 10 miles away and the rainbow was so strong that people went to the window to look at it.   His dad at the funeral said that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.  It is faith that sustains us.

Leiby's Funeral

That Levi Aron was Jewish made matters worse.  Up until this event no one in their community had ever done anything like this.  Their community is built on trust and a high value for life.  This heinous murder violated the very fabric of their society.   No longer would there be an open ended trust that made their community safe and a good place to live.  Now fear has entrenched even this community.

Several weeks later on the Brighton end of the boardwalk, about a mile from the park a young man shot two people on the boardwalk.  One girl, 16, died and the other young man in his 20's lived.  This created a new fear on the boardwalk making people uneasy about visiting Coney Island.  Two Sunday's later police raided a beach party right off the park which again created more tension.  The young man who was shot just happened to come to my counseling service.  I guess it is a small world.

Coney Island is Still Moving ahead...

Soring Eagle Ride in Coney Island

Paul's Daughers Coney Island

Cyclone's Stadium

Fishing Pier

Sunset From Fishing Pier

Even with this incident, Coney Island had millions of visitors this summer.  On one Thursday evening the boardwalk was packed with people in the park, a game at the stadium and a huge concert down further from the stadium.   A lot of changes have been made and more are to come.  There are things that I cannot mention yet but will when the time is appropriate.  The dust is far from settled.

Another interesting addition were the food stands along Stillwell Avenue.  Even though they competed with the Grill House they offered some pretty amazing ethic foods.

Ethnic Food on Stillwell

What you can do with a planton

Arepas - Sweet Corn Cakes from Peru

On a lighter side, while on the fishing pier I saw a new invention.  A young man had tied a kite to a fishing pole and had it sailing in the sky.   He set his pole to have a slight drag and the kite did just fine.   It was a good use for a fishing pole on a day when the fish were barely biting.

See the Kite tied to a fishing pole

The Inventor of Kite Pole

Brooklyn's Death on the Boardwalk

On Thursday of last week a tragedy occurred in Coney Island.  At 5.30 pm on the east end of the boardwalk a dispute broke out and a 19 year old young man pulled out a gun and started shooting.  The boardwalk was very crowded and panic immediately dispensed.   Most people there had never heard a gun shot before but instinctively knew exactly what was happening.   "There was no where to escape" said one person caught in the crossfire.   The shooters, now believed to be two people, escaped into the crowd leaving 5 people shot and a 16 year old girl dead.

Tysha Jones was dead.  The high school senior from Harlem was shot in the midsection and did not survive. “She was just an innocent bystander,” said Tysha’s mother Cynthia Jones. “She didn’t have anything to do with nothing.” Tysha’s mother says she reluctantly let her daughter, the youngest of three children, go to the beach to beat the heat. It’s a decision she now regrets.

“You’re never expecting nothing to ever happen at no beach. Somebody pulling out guns with kids and everybody out there having fun, I never thought that,” said Cynthia.

Tysha wanted to go to medical school and become a nutritionist. Her life suddenly ended and a community paralyzed. 

I was upstate when this happened and did not read the news that evening.   After church on Friday morning, I decided to ride my bike to the end of the boardwalk.   At the beginning of Brighton, I was stopped by police who had taped the entire boardwalk off.   Litter from all the garbage cans were spread over the boardwalk as police were sifting through looking for clues as to who did this.  There were many people standing around talking about this violent tragedy.

This scene pales in comparison to the scene in Harlem where a mother is forced to deal with the consequences of the death of her youngest child.   There is no doubt that everyone fears the moment that they might have to deal with the death of a child.  A violent death makes it so much worse.   There is no rewinding the clock, there are no good byes, there are the images of the moment of the impact of a bullet into your child's chest that slowly drains their life away.  You see her lying on a cold wooden boardwalk with people surrounding her as she slips into eternity.   You are not there and you cannot hold your child.  The pain of the endless thoughts overwhelms your soul.   Maybe somehow you are to blame and you rehearse the "what ifs" that might have been.  A memorial outside your house gives others a chance to grieve.  There is some comfort as people stop by to remember and share your pain.

 

On the boardwalk a police tower is set in place to prove to the citizens that somehow law enforcement is in control.  It is very much after the fact.  The tower amplifies the crime that most people want to ignore.  People's comments on the news boards point to the lack of safety at the beaches and the fear that now is set in place.  "No where is safe" writes one commentator.  The police presence is upped with more cars and bicycle police.  As you walk on the boardwalk your eyes are looking for blood stains.  You wonder what has happened to our society.  How does a dispute at the beach end in such tragedy?  Arrests have been made and justice will prevail.  Life in Brooklyn moves forward deeply affected by a senseless death.

The New Coney Island

Coney Island Beach May 2011

Coney Island is now redefining itself again.  After an 8 month court battle, the Coney Island 8 have won the right to be back for one more summer.  Each of the businesses has a renewed energy to make it for one more summer.  They have spent countless hours fixing up their businesses after a long winter. 

During the winter months Central Amusements erected several new high impact rides.  One is the "Sorin' Eagle" which sets across the street from The Grill House.  The rides will cost $8 for the roller coaster and a whopping $20 for the bungie like ride.

In many people's minds Coney Island has to compete with the likes of Great Adventure.  This will never happen.  There is no space for the kinds of rides that these theme parks offer.  That said, Coney Island has a lot of really unique rides that give the guests a really fun time.  Although many may disagree with the reconstruction of the park and the politics that played around its redevelopment, most all would say that these changes have made great improvements to the area.

Soring Eagle

Even though Coney Island has been redeveloped with the end users in mind, the bottom line is that this area must make enough money to satisfy the owners.  There in lies the big question mark.  The four new high impact rides are low volume rides that on a good day cannot make a serious amount of money.   A new food stand across from the cyclone has been closed most of the spring because they cannot make enough money to justify staying open.  The park claims that they turned a profit last season.   However, the cost to set up the park and pay off rising debt makes the profit disappear.   The park also wanted Sodexo to take over all the food establishments. This would be a huge profit center to the park.  In the park, hot dogs cost $4.  On the boardwalk hot dogs are $3.   For years I have watched the price of hot dogs vary from $1.50 to $4.  At $4 people pass by because the cost is unreasonable.  At $2 people line up and buy tons of dogs.  The $3 price point begins to exclude people who cannot afford such prices.  My Godson recently visited Luna Park with his family.  His words upon leaving were that this was a very expensive day and they were only there for 3 hours.   Last summer mother nature was on our sides with a no rain summer.   This summer may be a rainy summer.  That is where the real gamble comes in.

Corporations have larger costs than do small businesses.  Not only do they have higher payroll costs but they also have to turn a profit for shareholders to be satisfied. 

Luna Park

Among the Coney Island 8 there is an underlying hope that Sodexo will back out of wanting to build their empire in Coney Island.  The one serious restaurant that they have open is very nice.  They sunk a lot of money into building it.   It is in a slower location that brings a lot of trashy people late at night.   Succeeding there will be very difficult. 

The New Nova City Bus

 On a lighter side, the new NOVA buses were placed in our neighborhood this week.  These buses are made in Upstate New York.  They are a division of Volvo.  These high tech buses have many new features that add comfort to the riders.  Since my Godson works out of the Ulmer Park Depot, he was one of the first to drive this new bus.  I got to take a private ride on the bus.  Within about 5 minutes he was able to identify many of the issues that they would have with the bus.  Things like line of site and blind spots were a big concern.  The entry door is so large that it is easy for people to slip by without paying.  Also a new barrier makes it so the bus driver cannot assist passengers with payment.   This is a big issue when for the drivers.   These are the first new buses for our depot since 1996.   People waiting on the corner really reacted well to the new buses with all their comforts and style.   Time will tell us how good the buses will hold up.  Many of the other new buses have major problems with them early on.

Nova Interior

Harlow Soliman - City Boy

Last but not least.  Here is a picture of a new generation city boy.  Harlow is now nearing 3 years old.  He is smart as a tack and drives his mom up the wall.  Someday this young man will carry the torch that we leave behind.  

The Coney Island 8

It has been a long time since I entered anything in my journal.  I am not sure why.  Brooklyn has been in a whirlwind since late September of last year.  There were huge snow storms and cold weather that did not allow the snow to melt quickly.  Snow can have a huge impact on living in Brooklyn.  If it snows long and hard enough, food supplies will fail and it will be hard to find food to eat.  Many stores cannot get deliveries and people in panic tend to clean the shelves quickly.  The second impact is on getting your car out and being able to drive.  This winter the snow buried my car twice under 4 and 5 foot drifts.  Even if I could get my car out, driving was impossible.  And if I got my car out, finding a place to park would be impossible.  People are hoping at this point that the worst is over and spring may be around the corner.  Most of the snow is gone now and there is some signs of spring for which we are all happy.

Another thread through this winter was the fate of The Coney Island 8.  These are the eight businesses that are being forced off the boardwalk by NYC.  They put up a simple web page www.coneyisland8.com which I helped to design.  They hired a good lawyer and a public relations organization hoping to stop the inevitable eviction.  My friend Steve along with the others received the eviction notice on November 1st 2010.  Steve had hoped after submitting a well defined plan for his future that he would be one of the businesses staying.  The shock of being told to get out in 15 days was very hard to swallow.  A lot of patrons were amazed that such a decision could be made, ending half a century of history.   For the people who frequented these establishments, the decision ripped apart their lives, mine included.  The complexity of friendships in Coney Island is hard to measure, yet each summer there are a large group of people who unwind on the boardwalk with familiar faces and food.  For the old timers, it is always good to see that friends return alive at the beginning of each new season. 

The decision to evict these 8 businesses was formally made by Central Amusements who according to their second in charge executive said that Mayor Bloomberg wants Coney Island to have a fresh new image.   The New York City Economic Development Corporation, a right arm to the Mayor, closely worked with the park to dissolve these businesses.  The City bought 6.9 acres of Coney Island Property for 98 million dollars.  They were only able to secure 1/2 the 14 acres.   They put down infra structure and paving and gave it to Central Amusements for 100,000 a season plus a percentage of the profit.  In their agreement Central Amusements could do whatever they wanted with the property within the NYCEDC guidelines.   Central Amusements is an Italian company.  They primarily manufacture rides and sell them worldwide.  So for Central Amusements, the deal is very good.  They can showcase rides and sell them in world class showroom, namely Coney Island.  When one puts the figures together it is obvious that this is a lost leader for NYC.   They will never make back the money they have invested.  However, just having an amusement park in NYC will draw tourists.   Central Amusements decided to bring Sodexo in to provide all the food.  They are a French company that has a very poor ethical record.   It is understood that the price of food on the boardwalk will skyrocket once there is no competition.   Already a hot dog sold for $4 inside the park this summer.  Knowing all of this made the eviction even harder for the Coney Island 8.

Trying to focus was very hard.  The pain of eviction, combined with who had been hired to run the concessions, along with loyal customers absorbed in their own history made moving forward very difficult.  The lawyer and PR agency was very expensive.   During the winter months these businesses were in and out of court working on securing a future or be paid substantial amounts for their businesses.  At this point, as some news agencies have reported, the eight have made a deal to stay one more summer.   The deal as of today is not complete but heading in that direction.

My Opinion, which I have expressed to all of the 8 as supported Steve's efforts:   This is a horrible deal.  No one wins.   At the end of the summer the historical Coney Island is gone.  Foreign owned corporations take over.   Prices will rise and an effort to clean up Coney Island will be underway.  For all the Morons who don't get the point,  Bloomberg wants this track of land for the wealthy of New York.   They have already begun the process of displacing Blacks and other minorities from the projects.  They have approved new zoning that will allow for luxury housing.  A new transit hub was completed there two years ago. 

Practically, If it rains this summer, the eight businesses will lose money along with their businesses.  There is also a long list of stipulations that will cripple the businesses.   If it is another good summer, the cost of the lawyer and PR firm will eat significantly at profits.  And at the end of the summer, they have to say goodbye to their businesses as well as so many who frequented these businesses. 

Personally, I am very stressed by all of this.  In my life I have watched urban renewal ruin many small towns.   Having worked for years with significant American corporations, I have come to despise the greed and manner by which they have ruined our country.  They dictate our lives telling us what foods we are to eat, and what we are to wear, what cars we drive and basically how we are to live. Coney Island for me is the ultimate take over of our American Dream.  The profound evil encased in this takeover was obvious in all the lies and leverage that the mayor used to get his corporate mentality stamped into our American play land.   He insulted us by giving our business to a foreign corporation and then destroying the dreams of successful small businesses who hired many hard to employee people. 

Americans have become complacent.  As long as people seemingly get their cut of the pie, then there is no reason to say "we have had enough".  It is the perfect storm.  We are too obsessed with our personal agendas to be concerned for the community.  We are afraid of the government and believe we have no ability to stop their agenda which is a mystery to all people.

This is the true loss of freedom.  Coney Island in a small way released people nearly 100 years ago to a new freedom of life.   Today, It will be taking back those liberties and forcing us to a predesigned play land priced to be exclusive in nature.  Regulation and cleanliness will be paramount.  And in the end, we all know that Cleanliness is next to Godliness.