After racing against the clock for the past couple months, workers finished assembling the new Luna Park on Coney Island just in time for Memorial Day weekend. This morning Mayor Bloomberg, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and other functionaries gathered at the amusement park to celebrate the opening. They rode one of the park's 19 new rides for an amusing photo op (note how Bloomberg is the only one holding on). Then it was on to the recently-reopened Totonno's, which Markowitz not inaccurately called a "pizza mecca." (And note how Bloomberg's wearing an apron, but not Marty.) more ›

Even if Coney Island is slowly disappearing in front of our eyes (or at least morphing from what it used to be), some evicted amusement rides have gotten a new lease on life... in Honduras! more ›

The city has selected a new amusement park company to operate rides in Coney Island. Following its purchase of a large chunk of Coney Island land, the city has tapped Zamperla USA to kick off its controversial plan to revitalize the neighborhood by bringing new amusements to the area between KeySpan Park and the former Astroland amusement park. more ›

You can ride on a piece of Michael Jackson history right on Coney Island! That sounds weird, but it's true. The Dragon Wagon Kiddie Coaster is the very same one that used to reside in Michael Jackson’s private amusement park at Neverland Ranch. Reportedly Earl “Butch” Butler, CEO of California-based Butler Amusements purchased the ride last year. Butler is old pals with recent Coney addition John Strong "whose sideshow has been operating in Sitt’s would-be Dreamland since April. Strong kept calling him and said they were having trouble getting rides. Butler agreed to fly out and see the situation. His impression: 'Coney Island needs upgrading.'" And that's how a piece of Neverland ended up in Brooklyn. [via Amusing the Zillion] more ›

It's on! John Strong's freak show is officially headed East to set up shop on Coney Island this summer, just blocks from Dick Zigun's Coney Island Circus Sideshow. A press release announces that this summer visitors to the area will be greeted by more than 25 fun-filled rides and dozens of circus freaks, courtesy of John Strong’s Shows, allegedly the largest collection of oddities and freaks in all of America. Did we mention his entourage includes a 17-inch horse named Tiny? more ›

An amusement park ride inspector warns that some of the rides at Coney Island are so dangerous they should not be open for business. Last summer a man died after surgery to heal vertebrae fractured on the Cyclone, but the rides now targeted by “amusement-safety consultant” Walt Reiss don’t include the famous wooden roller coaster. more ›