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City Buys Deno's Wonder Wheel Kiddie Park Land for $11 million
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 16, 2008
Modified Oct 16, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 16, 2008
Modified Oct 16, 2008
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The New York City Economic Development Corporation has reached a deal to buy the roughly one acre of parcel of land occupied by Deno’s Wonder Wheel kiddie park in Coney Island. Gowanus Lounge has the press release from the NYCEDC with details about the purchase, which is part of the city's controversial plan to rezone 12 acres of amusements as parkland and turn the management over to a "world class operator." Last May the Vourderis family, which owns the Wonder Wheel ride and other amusements, worried the city would force them to turn over control of the landmark Ferris wheel. UPDATE: The Village Voice stresses that the deal is for the kiddie park adjacent to the Wonder Wheel property, which the Vourderis family still owns. Now they will lease the property for the kiddie park through 2020. “We are delighted with the news that the city … will be our landlord,” said Dennis Vourderis in a statement.
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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