City Buys Deno's Wonder Wheel Kiddie Park Land for $11 million

The New York City Economic Development Corporation has reached a deal to buy the roughly one acre of parcel of land occupied by Deno’s Wonder Wheel kiddie park in Coney Island. Gowanus Lounge has the press release from the NYCEDC with details about the purchase, which is part of the city's controversial plan to rezone 12 acres of amusements as parkland and turn the management over to a "world class operator." Last May the Vourderis family, which owns the Wonder Wheel ride and other amusements, worried the city would force them to turn over control of the landmark Ferris wheel. UPDATE: The Village Voice stresses that the deal is for the kiddie park adjacent to the Wonder Wheel property, which the Vourderis family still owns. Now they will lease the property for the kiddie park through 2020. “We are delighted with the news that the city … will be our landlord,” said Dennis Vourderis in a statement.