NEW YORK (AP) – The Wonder Wheel started spinning and the Cyclone took action when the famous Coney Island amusement parks reopened on Friday after the coronavirus pandemic shut down New York’s iconic summer playground last year.
After 529 days of closure, “It’s been a very emotional day. We wanted to spread positivity, ”said Alessandro Zamperla, President of the company that owns Luna Park – the home of the cyclone – at an opening ceremony.
“It’s been very tough, but now is really a day of celebration, a day when we want to come together and inspire people to come here for real fun,” said Zamperla, whose company is called Central Amusement International Inc According to its website, there are six new attractions for teenagers to go online this year.
The attractions will initially be open on weekends, with reduced capacity and other pandemic precautions.
Frontline workers got their first rides on the Wonder Wheel, which turned 100 last year. It was closed for its 100th birthday, but Dennis Vourderis, a family member who owns Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, was just looking forward to it.
“It’s a great honor for us to bring joy to so many New Yorkers … to come back in, have fun and smile again, which they haven’t done in a while,” said Vourderis at the opening ceremony at the federal government -, state and city officials were enthusiastic about rides, hot dogs and summer fun.
Chuck Schumer, US Senate majority leader and a native of Brooklyn, remembered riding a bike to the boardwalk as a boy. Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul said she happily got up at 3:40 a.m. to make it to reopen. City parks commissioner Mitchell Silver said he intends to ride the Cyclone for the first time since he was a teenager.
Mayor Bill de Blasio described the reopening as “one of the best days of the year”.
“Coney Island is coming back, the rides are coming back, and now New York City is coming back. You can feel it, ”the mayor said before turning the cyclone himself.
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