The three-ring circus wanted to play at Astroland, the fabled amusement park that closed for good in September. But officials contend Sitt who is battling the city over the mayor's Coney Island rezoning plan tried to nickel and dime Ringling Brothers by insisting his company, Thor Equities, be allowed to offer concessions during event days that compete with the circus own concessions.
Sitt, they said, also wanted a section of New York Aquarium's parking lot to provide circus parking, rather than offer parking on the 10.5 acres of boardwalk land he owns.
"It looked like Thor was going to be able to say, 'We tore down Astroland, but look at what we're doing for Coney.' Something really positive for the locals," one official said. "But then they added demands, so they could make more money, and the whole thing fell apart."
Steve Payne, a vice president for Feld Entertainment, which produces the circus, called Coney Island "an American icon" that is an attractive area for Ringling Brothers to consider expansion, but added "it's premature" to further comment. |
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