Coney Island's Astroland Owner Calls It Quits

NEW YROK (AP)  -- The owner of Coney Island's historic Astroland amusement park is calling it quits -- and this time she says it's for real.

Carol Albert -- whose family has owned the rides by the Brooklyn boardwalk for almost a half century -- said Thursday that she told employees she's permanently closing the park after Sunday.

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Albert said she's given up on negotiating a two-year lease with Thor Equities, the developer that owns 11 acres of the seaside property, after they missed a Thursday deadline to reply.

Thor spokesman Stefan Friedman said the company is ``extremely disappointed that Carol Albert has decided to give up on the future of Coney Island when her current lease isn't even up for a number of months.''

But he said other Coney Island rides -- including the landmarked Cyclone roller coaster and the Wonder Wheel -- and amusements will be ``fully open for business in the summer of 2009.''

For years, the future of the outer space-themed park built in 1962 has been the focus of bickering among the developer, ride operators and city officials, with the Albert family threatening previously to shut it down.

Last fall, Thor and Astroland agreed to a one-year lease extension that expires Jan. 31. Albert wanted a lease for the summers of 2009 and 2010, saying her 300 employees need more job security.

They ``cannot live in a state of limbo any longer,'' she said, adding that ride parts must be ordered a minimum of eight to 10 months in advance.

Albert sold Astroland to Thor Equities two years ago.

Last year, the city announced a redevelopment plan for 47 acres of the shabby old Brooklyn seafront, which includes the 3-acre parcel that Astroland sits on.

Thor had planned to break ground next year on a $1.5 billion complex including high-rise hotels and New York's first new roller coaster since the wooden Cyclone was built 75 years ago.

Coney Island fans and community activists have accused the developer and the city of trying to gentrify the seedy neighborhood where the old rides sit alongside freak show attractions.