Cyclone, Meet the Leviathan at Coney Island Park

The Daily News received renderings of what Coney Island may look like, if developer Thor Equities has its way. Thinkwell Design & Production designed a 6-acre plan for "Coney Island Park." Thinkwell creative director Chris Durmick said, "Whatever you come looking for at Coney Island, it's all going to be there." What happens in Coney Island, stays in Coney Island?

The centerpiece of the plan is the "Leviathan, a 100 foot roller coaster with loop-de-loops that dips under the Boardwalk before flying back aboveground." That's pretty cool, but consider this ride that News mentions: "The Aviator...would soar 120 feet, with gondolas guided individually by hand-held joysticks." You Wii can't do that!

The Coney Island Park plan, which replaces the Astroland lot that Thor bought bought, also includes "21 rides, a hotel, a manmade canal for boat rides, a glass-encased atrium and commercial space." All exciting news, even if the rendering makes Coney Island look like Atlantic City.

Kinetic Carnival wonders about that other Coney Island Park. And Curbed had renderings of other Thor ideas for Coney Island, garish ideas make made many gag.

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By Jen Chung in News on January 25, 2007 1:21 PM

Comments [rss]

Damian

MT: Coney Island has always been a spectacle, but it has also always been an affordable diversion, accessible by working class people. This plan is Disneyfication, pure and simple.

JLawsoul

Coney Island is one of my favorite places in New York. It's tackiness is exactly what appeals to me. It is everything that it should be. It's a good old slice of old Americana and I would like for it to stay that way. When Coney Island changes to this new 21st century "super-futuristic" hell-hole clone of Las Vegas you can bet your ass I will never go there.

ed_Extinct

coney island was pretty gaudy back in it's hayday.

MT

I know everyone is going to complain about this plan, but I think it's totally right for Coney Island. the place was conceived as a spectacle. This is a 21st century spectacle.