Under the Bloomberg administration there was a controversial renovation of sections of the Coney Island amusement park, including, in 2011, the opening of a new area called the "Scream Zone." And what more likely ride to make a thrill-seeker scream than a roller coaster?
So, how many roller coasters does Coney Island in Brooklyn NY now have?
One, the Cyclone, is a cherished relic from the 20th century, still in operation. Two others are new, opened in the 21st century.
Cyclone, An Official Landmark, Was THE Coney Island Roller Coaster for 80 Years
The Cyclone, first opened in 1927, was the roller coaster in Coney Island for over 80 years.The wood-framed Cyclone, considered one of the best historic roller coasters in the nation, is a piece of American history. It was designated a New York City landmark in 1988, and added to National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
Generations of New Yorkers have grown up with the Cyclone. Over the years, those who rode the Cyclone also rode the ups and downs of 20th century America's most extraordinary periods: the Great Depression, the second World War, white flight from Brooklyn and New York City, the Vietnam War, integration and civil rights, and the development the Internet, among others.Two New Roller Coasters Opened in 2011
The 21st-century roller coasters, opened simultaneously in April 2011, are called the Steeplechase Coaster and Soaring Eagle. Part of the "Scream Zone," they are located off the Coney Island Boardwalk between West 12th and 15th Streets.As reported in a Wall Street Journal story in January 2011, Valerio Ferrari, president of the company developing this part of Coney Island, Central Amusement International, said the 3-acre Scream Zone was designed "to push the envelope of the roller coaster experience in Coney Island."
