Coney Island officially closed late last year, and the new owners finalized the purchase of the historic amusement park.
Music and Event Management (MEMI), a subsidiary of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), plans to build a concert venue at the site. But the plans — which would include demolition of Sunlite Pool and Moonlite Gardens — have spurred online petitions to save the almost 100-year-old attractions.
On Cincinnati Edition, we'll discuss what impact adding a new music venue could have on the region, the response from community members, and the efforts by the Save Coney Islanders to prevent the demolition.
Cincinnati Edition reached out to the CSO/MEMI and the Anderson Township Trustees. They all declined to join the program, but on Monday sent the following statements:
"...We understand why the closure of Coney Island was met with a range of emotions," the statement from MEMI reads in part. "We recognize the nostalgia and attachment that many feel toward this storied space. Though Coney Island and Sunlite Pool were closed by its previous owners, and the pool will not reopen, we are currently reviewing ways to appropriately acknowledge its heritage within the new music campus."
Meanwhile, the Anderson Township Trustees said:
"As of December, we did not have any details regarding the future of Coney Island other than what had been released to the media by the CSO and MEMI. That is pretty much still the case as plans for these privately-owned properties are being developed as we learned when Trustee Vice Chair Josh Gerth, I [Township Administrator Vicky Earhart] and several staff members met with the CSO and MEMI in mid-January.
"During that meeting, representatives from both the CSO and MEMI committed to keeping us informed about their plans for the existing Riverbend Music Center as well as the former Coney Island properties. For our part, we expressed a desire to discuss opportunities where the Township may be involved if the CSO determines that not all the property in Anderson Township is needed for its development. Only about thirty-five percent of the former Coney site is in our community. The remainder is located within the City of Cincinnati’s borders."
MEMI is a financial support of Cincinnati Public Radio.
Guests:
- Scott Wartman, politics reporter, Cincinnati Enquirer
- Victoria Vogelgesang, organizer, The Save Coney Islanders
Ways to listen to this show:
- Tune in live at noon ET M-F. Call 513-419-7100 or email talk@wvxu.org to have your voice heard on today’s topic.
- Catch the replay on 91.7 WVXU and 88.5 WMUB at 8 p.m. ET M-F.
- Listen on-demand. Audio for this segment will be uploaded to this page by 4 p.m. ET., or subscribe to our podcast.