NEWS! 10-4-10- possible new operator for Cyclone rollercoaster
jimvid
For the first time in 35 years, the world-famous Cyclone rollercoaster
is up for grabs.
And the Bloomberg administration is taking the opportunity to bring
big improvements to the 83-year-old landmark on the Coney Island
boardwalk, including longer hours, better lighting and other upgrades
along its surrounding plaza.
The city today announced it’s planning to solicit proposals from
amusement operators to potentially replace Carol Hill Albert, whose
family has run the ride under a city lease since 1975.
Albert, who also operated fabled Astroland Park before closing its
doors in 2008, said she still wants to remain operator of the Cyclone.
But Albert said she agreed to let the city put the lease up for grabs
on the open market because it is to only way to make necessary
upgrades to keep her business afloat.
Albert, who said she plans to bid on the new lease, told the Post she
“is losing” money under conditions of the existing lease that runs
another five years.
This, she said, is despite the rollercoaster’s ridership dramatically
increasing this summer after the new Luna Park opened next door on the
old Astroland tract.
“For years, Astroland helped subsidize running the Cyclone, and
without the park it became evident that we need to make changes like
adding a food-and-drink stand to keep it afloat,” she said. “I was
told by the Parks Department that the only way that could happen is
through a new lease” that would be open to anyone to bid on.
And now she’s rolling the dice.
Zamperla USA, which operates Luna Park, could potentially offer Albert
stiff competition.
Both Zamperla and the city declined to discuss such a possibility.
Valerio Ferrari, president of Zamperla USA issued a statement saying,
"the Cyclone is a New York City icon, known and loved throughout the
world for generations. Luna Park is proud to call the Cyclone our
neighbor, and we fully support any effort that will enhance this
landmark and contribute to the neighborhood's revitalization."
The “request for proposals” that the city intends to distribute within
weeks calls for the ride taking on longer hours and an extended
season. It also calls for an improved marketing plan, upgrades to area
lighting and fencing, a betting ticketing systems, a new entrance on
W. 10th Street and possibly adding a merchandise and snack bar.
Andrew Brent, a city spokesman, said the Cyclone, like the rest of
Coney Island, “is coming off its busiest summer in decades” and the
city thinks the ride “can play an even larger role in the area’s
revival than it already has."
Dave Althoff, Jr.
: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/city_promising_big_improvements_FsWt...
:
: For the first time in 35 years, the world-famous Cyclone rollercoaster
: is up for grabs.
:
: And the Bloomberg administration is taking the opportunity to bring
: big improvements to the 83-year-old landmark on the Coney Island
: boardwalk, including longer hours, better lighting and other upgrades
: along its surrounding plaza.
:
: amusement operators to potentially replace Carol Hill Albert, whose
: family has run the ride under a city lease since 1975.
:
: Albert, who also operated fabled Astroland Park before closing its
: doors in 2008, said she still wants to remain operator of the Cyclone.
: But Albert said she agreed to let the city put the lease up for grabs
: on the open market because it is to only way to make necessary
: upgrades to keep her business afloat.
:
: Albert, who said she plans to bid on the new lease, told the Post she
: another five years.
:
: This, she said, is despite the rollercoaster?s ridership dramatically
: increasing this summer after the new Luna Park opened next door on the
: old Astroland tract.
: ?For years, Astroland helped subsidize running the Cyclone, and
: without the park it became evident that we need to make changes like
: told by the Parks Department that the only way that could happen is
: And now she?s rolling the dice.
I have to think this is potentially good news no matter who gets the
contract.
When I rode the Cyclone, what should have been an easy top-10 coaster was a
virtually unrideable mess. As overstaffed as it was for the crowd on the
day we were there (this was with Astroland in operation) I couldn't see how
the ride could pay for its own operation, let alone generate a profit,
unless the ride operators were paid entirely with reride money. In which
case the ride was still not making any money.
If the Cyclone were in half as good condition as the Wonder Wheel, it would
be one of the best coasters in the nation. As it was when I rode it, it
made Mean Streak look good by comparison.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
/X\ _ *** Respect rides. They do not respect you. ***
/XXX\ /X\ /X\_ _ /X\__ _ _ _____
/XXXXX\ /XXX\ /XXXX\_ /X\ /XXXXX\ /X\ /X\ /XXXXX
_/XXXXXXX\__/XXXXX\/XXXXXXXX\_/XXX\_/XXXXXXX\__/XXX\_/XXX\_/\_/XXXXXX
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David H.--REMOVE "STOPSPAM" to reply
The Cyclone really varies in quality from year to year (if not week to
week. I only manage one visit in any given year.) I'm imagining that
hat's based on how much maintenance and trackwork it gets in any given
year.
It's ranged in my rankings anywhere from top 5 to 20-ish, over the years.
I thought it was running quite well on my visit at the end of June. I
always have this kind of weird combination of anticipation and dread when I
head out to Coney because I'm fearing that it will be running poorly and
roughly, but hoping it will be running relatively well and be a ton of
(still violent) fun.
Even on its best days, it's a violent coaster. But there's a difference
between good violence and bad violence. (That sounded weird. I'm sure
there are whole websites devoted to that thesis, but with different
contexts!)
"With the first link, a chain is forged. The first speech censured,
the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us
all irrevocably." -Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
"The Drumhead", _Star Trek: The Next Generation_
kirk_ri...@yahoo.com
>
> Even on its best days, it's a violent coaster. But there's a difference
> between good violence and bad violence. (That sounded weird. I'm sure
> there are whole websites devoted to that thesis, but with different
> contexts!)
>
nogodforme
So they had more attendance, yet they're losing money. That lease
must be expensive.
Snack bar isn't needed, there's Nathans which has the food eating
contest in July, that's a landmark as well.
They've also got the boardwalk. They've got tons of people, it's a
question of show me the money.
Wolf
"David H.--REMOVE "STOPSPAM" to reply" <davidhhh...@bellatlantic.net>
wrote in message news:2umta69bm3t3p1tll...@4ax.com...
> It's ranged in my rankings anywhere from top 5 to 20-ish, over the years.
>
> I thought it was running quite well on my visit at the end of June. I
> always have this kind of weird combination of anticipation and dread when
> I
> head out to Coney because I'm fearing that it will be running poorly and
> roughly, but hoping it will be running relatively well and be a ton of
> (still violent) fun.
>
> Even on its best days, it's a violent coaster. But there's a difference
> between good violence and bad violence. (That sounded weird. I'm sure
> there are whole websites devoted to that thesis, but with different
> contexts!)
Roughness and violence are different things.
And if we wanted to get really technical, I could explain what that
difference is, objectively.
--
|\-/|
<0 0>
=(o)=
-Wolf
Wolf
"nogodforme" <nogod...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:0a4dc828-1319-485f...@g8g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
Carol doesn't own Nathans...
Victor Canfield
> Roughness and violence are different things.
>
> And if we wanted to get really technical, I could explain what that
> difference is, objectively.
Go for it.
ansley
<davidhhhSTOPS...@bellatlantic.net> wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Oct 2010 00:12:36 +0000 (UTC), "Dave Althoff, Jr."
>
>
>
>
>
> >jimvid <tboltme...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >:http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/city_promising_big_improv......
> >:
I also rode the Cyclone in late June, and I thought it was the
roughest it has been in years. Although, I know I have a much lower
tolerance for rough coasters now then I used to. Age, occasional back
problems, gained weight, and a general lack of fitness will do
that! :-) I still enjoyed my visit but I only rode the coaster
twice. Plus, it is way more expensive then it used to be. Still a fun
ride, but not something that I'd ride many times anymore. We did have
a good time at Luna park, but it was nothing too outstanding. The
kids had a great time, as we usually do at any seaside amusement
park. I hope the Cyclone comes out with some improvements.
Ted
Wolf
news:i8tls6$8k5e$1...@tr22n12.aset.psu.edu...
Violence is the forcefulness of a coaster. It is, essentially, the plan
forces -- the forces driven by the layout and the by the speed profile of
the train over the hills. These are low-frequency accelerations, and they
typically last 0.1-10 seconds or so. These forces are mostly independent of
train effects, other than speed changes from train to train.
Roughness is the vibration of a coaster. These are error forces -- slop in
track gauge, poor steering in trains, track damage, poor linkages, wear,
square wheels, etc. These are unplanned forces. They are mostly
high-frequency accelerations, lasting 0.2 seconds or less. These forces are
usually driven by the train-track interaction, or the rider-track
interaction. (You hope the rider-track interactions are few and far between)
David H.--REMOVE "STOPSPAM" to reply
That's exactly what I was talking about when I was using the terms.
Generally speaking, violence in a coaster can be good -- assuming it's
designed well -- although not all people will like it.
Usually roughness is bad, though it can be tolerable if it's a good
coaster.
Dave Althoff, Jr.
: "Victor Canfield" <va...@psu.edu> wrote in message
: > On 10/10/10 3:45 PM, Wolf wrote:
: >
: >> Roughness and violence are different things.
: >>
: >> And if we wanted to get really technical, I could explain what that
: >> difference is, objectively.
: >
: > Go for it.
:
: Violence is the forcefulness of a coaster. It is, essentially, the plan
: forces -- the forces driven by the layout and the by the speed profile of
: the train over the hills. These are low-frequency accelerations, and they
: typically last 0.1-10 seconds or so. These forces are mostly independent of
: train effects, other than speed changes from train to train.
I'd say that's a good limit to use, since that's the exact limit expressed
in the standards for ride force measurement and design analysis.
: Roughness is the vibration of a coaster. These are error forces -- slop in
: track gauge, poor steering in trains, track damage, poor linkages, wear,
: square wheels, etc. These are unplanned forces. They are mostly
: high-frequency accelerations, lasting 0.2 seconds or less. These forces are
: usually driven by the train-track interaction, or the rider-track
: interaction. (You hope the rider-track interactions are few and far between)
I like your explanation. It puts the standards data into a very useful
perspective.