View source for Coney Island Amusement Park

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'''Coney Island''' is a neighborhood and entertainment district located in the southwest part of Brooklyn, New York City. Brighton Beach borders it to the east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to the north, including the Sea Gate subsection to the west. The larger Coney Island peninsula comprises Coney Island proper, Brighton Beach, and Manhattan Beach. Previously, it was the westernmost of the Outer Barrier islands along Long Island's southern shore, but it was connected to the mainland of Long Island through landfill in the early 20th century.

The origin of Coney Island's name is disputed, but the area was originally part of the colonial town of Gravesend. By the mid-19th century, it had become a seaside resort, and by the late 19th century, amusement parks were also built in the location. The attractions reached a historical peak during the first half of the 20th century. However, they declined in popularity after World War II, and following years of neglect, several structures were torn down. Various redevelopment projects were proposed for Coney Island from the 1970s through the 2000s, though most of these were not carried out. The area was revitalized with the opening of the venue now known as Maimonides Park in 2001 and several amusement rides starting in the 2010s.

Amusement parks and attractions
Coney Island features two amusement parks, Luna Park and Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, along with several rides that are not part of either park. These rides are owned and operated by various companies, functioning independently of one another. Additionally, Coney Island offers other attractions for visitors, including skeeball and ball tossing, as well as a sideshow showcasing shooting, throwing, and tossing skills. The area also hosts well-known events. Coney Island's amusement zone is among a few in the United States that is not predominantly owned by any single entity.

== Rides ==
=== Current rides ===
Coney Island contains three rides with landmark status. One is a New York City designated landmark, another is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and a third is both a city landmark and an NRHP-listed landmark.

'''The Wonder Wheel''', opened in 1920, is a steel Ferris wheel with both stationary cars and rocking cars that slide along a track. It holds 144 riders, stands 150 ft (46 m) tall, weighs over 200 short tons (180 long tons; 180 t), and is located at Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park. The Wonder Wheel was made a city landmark in 1989.

The '''B&B Carousell''' (as spelled by the frame's builder, William F. Mangels) is Coney Island's last traditional carousel, near the old entrance to Luna Park. The carousel was built circa 1906–1909 with a traditional roll-operated fairground organ. It was relocated multiple times, most recently to Luna Park's Steeplechase Plaza in 2013, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

The '''Coney Island Cyclone''', opened in 1927, is one of the United States' oldest wooden roller coasters still in operation. The Cyclone includes an 85 ft (26 m), 58-degree drop. It is owned by the City of New York, and is operated by Luna Park under a franchise agreement. The Cyclone was made a city landmark in 1988 and was listed on the NRHP in 1991. The Cyclone is New York City's only remaining wooden coaster and is considered "irreplaceable", since timber-supported coasters can no longer be built under modern city building codes.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px" caption=""> 
File:WonderWheelNewYork.jpg|Wonder Wheel
File:Coney_Carousel_006.jpg|B&B Carousell
File:Coney-island-cyclone-usgs-photo.jpg|Coney Island Cyclone
File:Thunderbolt_2014-08-11.jpg|Thunderbolt
</gallery>

Coney Island also boasts numerous other attractions. Construction on the new Thunderbolt, a steel roller coaster built by Zamperla at a cost of $10 million, began in March 2014. This ride features 2,000 feet (610 m) of track, reaches a height of 125 feet (38 m), and has a top speed of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h), including four inversions. The Thunderbolt officially opened in June 2014. Additionally, several bumper car rides in Coney Island operate independently. As of 2019, these include a ride at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park and the Eldorado Auto Skooter on Surf Avenue. Historically, the first bumper car rides were situated in Coney Island. Moreover, there are two classic dark ride haunted houses at Coney Island: Spook-a-Rama at Deno's and Ghost Hole located on West 12th Street next to Deno's.

=== Former rides ===
[[File:ThunderboltConeyIsland1995.jpg|thumb|right|200px|{{bc|The original Thunderbolt in 1995}}]]

Coney Island has had three major amusement parks in its past—Steeplechase Park (1897–1964), Luna Park (1903–1944), and Dreamland (1904–1911)—as well as several standalone attractions.: 74  In addition, Astroland operated at the site of the current Luna Park from 1962 to 2008, while a second Dreamland operated at that site for only the 2009 season.
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In addition to the rides in Coney Island's former amusement parks, there were also several dozen roller coasters that are now defunct. The Comet, located next to the Cyclone's current site, was built in 1921 and destroyed in 1945. Another coaster, the Oriental Scenic Railway, was created by LaMarcus Adna Thompson in 1887 and demolished in 1955 to be replaced with a "hot rod" amusement ride. The '''Steeplechase roller coaster''', created by Steeplechase Park operator George C. Tilyou in 1897, consisted of people riding wooden horses around the park on a steel track. The original wooden Thunderbolt coaster, located between West 15th and West 16th Streets, was constructed in 1925, closed in 1983, and torn down during the construction of nearby Keyspan Park in 2000. Nearby was Tornado, a wooden coaster built in 1926 and destroyed by arson in 1977.

Coney Island features one decommissioned ride that remains in place: the Parachute Jump. Initially constructed as the Life Savers Parachute Jump for the [[1939 New York World's Fair]], it was the first of its kind. Riders were lifted 262 ft (80 m) into the sky and then allowed to drop using guy-wired parachutes. Although the Parachute Jump ceased operation in the 1960s, it was officially preserved; it was listed on the NRHP in 1980 and recognized as a city landmark in 1989.

=== Beaches ===

The beach at Coney Island in June 2016, with the Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge visible on the horizon
There is a broad public sand beach that starts at Sea Gate on West 37th Street, runs through the central Coney Island area and Brighton Beach, and ends at the beginning of the community of Manhattan Beach, a distance of approximately 2.7 miles (4.3 km). The beach is continuous and is served by the broad Riegelmann Boardwalk for its entire length. Numerous amusements, as well as the aquarium and a variety of food shops and arcades, are directly accessible from the landward side of the boardwalk. The boardwalk in Manhattan Beach, located within Manhattan Beach Park, is not connected with the Riegelmann Boardwalk.

The beaches in Coney Island were private until 1923, when the city purchased all the land on the waterfront and created the Riegelmann Boardwalk and Beach. Today, only the sandy beach inside Sea Gate remains private; it is accessible solely to residents of that community.

The city regularly maintains the public beaches. Since sand no longer naturally deposits on the beach, it is replenished through ongoing beach nourishment projects that utilize dredged sand. The public beaches are open and free for use, although the boardwalk is closed at night from 1 to 5 a.m. The beach area is divided into several sections by rock groynes constructed in the 1920s to prevent erosion.

There are several clubs that host activities on Coney Island's beach. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club consists of a group of people who swim at Coney Island throughout the winter months. Their most popular event is an annual swim on New Year's Day. The beach also serves as the training grounds for the Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers, a group dedicated to promoting open water swimming, which hosts several open water swim races each year.

=== Public parks ===
Coney Island has numerous public parks managed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The parks located in the primary Coney Island area include:

* The Abe Stark Skating Rink, located on the south side of Surf Avenue between West 19th and West 20th Streets, adjacent to the boardwalk. It opened in 1970.
* Coney Island Creek Park, located along the south shore of Coney Island Creek. Opened in 1984, it is composed mostly of plants.
* Leon S. Kaiser Park, located on the northern side of Neptune Avenue between West 24th and West 32nd Streets, and contains playgrounds, athletic facilities, fitness equipment, and open spaces for barbecuing.
* Poseidon Playground, located along the beach between West 25th and West 27th Streets, and contains water spray showers, playgrounds, and handball courts.
* Steeplechase Park, located along the beach between West 16th and West 19th Streets. It contains a public plaza with seating, as well as MCU Park, a minor league baseball stadium.
* Surf Playground, located on the south side of Surf Avenue between West 25th and West 27th Streets, just north of Poseidon Playground. It contains basketball courts, playgrounds, and water spray showers.
=== Other attractions ===
The New York Aquarium, established in 1957 on the site of the former Dreamland amusement park, is situated at 602 Surf Avenue, between West 5th and West 10th Streets. As of 2018, it features five main exhibits: Aquatheater, Conservation Hall, Sea Cliffs, Sharks, Rays & Turtles, and Ocean Wonders: Sharks. The aquarium also showcases the original Bathysphere, a deep-sea submersible known for its historic underwater journeys during the 1930s.

Maimonides Park is situated on the former site of Steeplechase Park. Opened in 2001 as KeySpan Park, it serves as the home for the Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball team. In 2010, it was renamed for the Municipal Credit Union (MCU), the city's largest credit union, following an eleven-year naming rights deal that concluded in 2021.

In June 2016, the Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island opened on the boardwalk west of Maimonides Park, hosting several live musical acts as well as other events. It was built on the site of the Childs Restaurant, originally established in 1923, which was renovated during the construction of the amphitheater. The rooftop section of the restaurant reopened in July 2016.

Coney Island USA is a nonprofit organization that runs the Coney Island Museum, showcasing memorabilia that reflects the neighborhood's history. Established in 1980, the museum is situated at 1208 Surf Avenue, close to the intersection with West 12th Street, and charges a $5 admission fee per adult. In addition, the Coney Island History Project, another nonprofit founded in 2004, manages a location near the Wonder Wheel.

== Events ==
Coney Island USA sponsors a variety of seasonal events each year. In April, the organization presents the Noisefest and the Congress of Curious Peoples. This is followed by the Coney Island Mermaid Parade in May or June, held along Surf Avenue and the boardwalk, featuring floats and performances. In August or September, Coney Island USA stages the Beard and Moustache Competition, Tattoo and Motorcycle Festival, and Coney Island Film Festival. Finally, in October, the organization hosts the Creepshow at the Freakshow, an interactive Halloween-themed experience.

The annual Cosme 5K Charity Run/Walk, hosted by the Coney Island Sports Foundation, occurs on the Riegelmann Boardwalk at the end of June.

A major national volleyball tournament, hosted by the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), which typically takes place on the West Coast of the U.S., was held in Coney Island starting in 2006. The AVP constructed a 4,000-seat stadium and twelve outer courts next to the boardwalk for the event. When AVP tournaments resumed in Brooklyn in 2015, they were held at Brooklyn Bridge Park instead.

In 2009, the [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus]] performed in Coney Island for the first time since 1956. The event, titled The Coney Island Boom-A-Ring, was held in tents located between the boardwalk and Surf Avenue. The following year, they returned to the exact location with The Coney Island Illuscination.

In May 2015, Thor Equities unveiled Coney Art Walls, a public art wall project curated by former Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, director Jeffrey Deitch and Thor CEO Joe Sitt. Located at 3050 Stillwell Avenue, the project featured work from over 30 artists. The exhibition has been held annually through at least 2019.

== External links ==
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