NY Aviators release 2010-11 schedule

http://www.newyorkaviators.com/view/newyorkaviators/a-s-news/news_15438

Also Ace, the Aviators Eagle mascot, will be throwing out the first pitch at the Cyclones Game next Saturday at MCU park.

Here is a pic of Ace

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=15057527&id=351513775494#!/pages/ACE-official-mascot-of-the-NY-Aviators/138531136178548?ref=ts

The Changing of Williamsburg

A taste of the wonderful things rezoning can do.

NY Times excerpt -

“Things are improving,” Mr. Miller said. “But there’s still a long way to go.”

In other words, Williamsburg may still be a place of backyard clotheslines and old-timers greeting passers-by on the street, but with swaths of gray-brick-and-chrome apartment buildings snaking through the area’s low-rise buildings, perhaps not for much longer.

“The neighborhood has been changing drastically, and it seems like every year or two there’s a quantum leap in the change,” said Ward Dennis, co-chairman of the board of Neighbors Allied for Good Growth, a volunteer community-planning group. “If you’re not paying attention, you turn around one day and it’s a completely different place.”

Those changes have been under way for at least a decade, Mr. Dennis said, though a major rezoning in 2005 pushed them into overdrive, encouraging developers to build enormous towers on the waterfront and more modest apartment buildings in the interior.

The coming of a destination hotel like the Williamsburg was perhaps inevitable in a neighborhood where hotels can be built on old manufacturing plots without a rezoning or variance. One boutique hotel, Le Jolie, is already open on a stretch near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, as hoteliers seek to capitalize on the neighborhood’s increasingly young, well-heeled population.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/nyregion/17hotel.html

Video - Atlantic Yards construction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pi5vkb8CDA

Let's Go Nets!

Magic Johnson invests in Brooklyn

Real Deal Excerpt

Magic Johnson partnership breathes life into Brooklyn condo

A partnership co-founded by basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson has recapitalized the stalled Isabella condominium in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn with $22.6 million in new financing, and the developers have retained the Corcoran Group to relaunch sales.

http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/magic-johnson-partnership-breathes-life-into-brooklyn-condo-at-the-isabella-condominium-545-washington-avenue-in-clinton-hill

Marine Park vs. Coney Island

It is quite interesting to see the amount of people that are visiting the Marine Park/ Floyd Bennett Field area this summer. With Parks, Golf, Tennis, Concerts and a Sports Arena this area is developing into strong competition with Coney Island as South Brooklyn's recreation destination. Great for Brooklyn.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/marinepark

http://golfmarinepark.com/home/index.php

http://www.aviatorsports.com/

Miniature Golf now open across the street from Aviator Arena

What I saw was almost an exact replica of the old Coney Island Miniature Golf course and it is right on the left side of the great driving range at the Brooklyn Golf Center. Check it out when you get a chance. I was amazed to see it had the waterfall and everything that the Coney golf used to have. Terrific location -

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001176414470

Coney Movie Theater deal in the works

Brooklyn Eagle excerpt -

Greenstone, who also represents two movie theater chains, said he has a deal in the works with Thor Equities for a site in Coney Island and is in talks for one in North Williamsburg.

http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=5&id=37203

CenterStage Concerts at Aviator

Outdoors Under the Stars

All shows start at 7:30pm, rain or shine. Call 718-758-7556 for more information.

CenterStage at Aviator is located on the spacious grounds of historic Floyd Bennett Field – 3159 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.
Exit 11S (Flatbush Avenue South) off the Belt Parkway

TICKETS ON SALE for “Hot Tub Time Machine” Show:

AUGUST 26, Q104.3 welcomes “Hot Tub Time Machine” with Blue Oyster Cult. CLICK HERE for Tickets!

SEPTEMBER 2: The Spinners
& Dennis Edward’s Temptations Review

SEPTEMBER 11: Don McLean

SEPTEMBER 25: Eddie Money

All events rain or shine. No refunds. Events, performers and dates subject to applicable venue fees and convenience charge.

http://www.aviatorsports.com/brooklyn-centerstage-2/

They are tracking the Henderson building like hawks

As they continue to try to stop the hotel development and save the dilapidated buildings.

http://www.coneyisland.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1281560867/60#60

They don't have a prayer. They really don't. The buildings are going. For some reason these preservation groups want to ignore the Coney rezoning that was enacted last year. Both the Henderson and Bank buildings are now zoned for hotel development. They can spin all they want, but the buildings will still go.

Ask yourself this question - Why in the world would Thor let old buildings in a hotel zone remain standing, while preservation groups are trying to landmark in order to stop hotels? The buildings are going.

FCW Wrestling in Coney tomorrow night

http://www.fcwrestling.net/

Should be another great night in Coney Island! Tickets are only 20 bucks.

Just back from the B-52's/ Belinda Carlisle concert

in Seaside park tonight. Over 10,000 people showed up! What a show!

Once the buildings are down,

then there are virtually no options left for the groups trying to stop Coney hotels. We are coming up to a very big turning point in year round Coney development.

The latest attempt to stop the hotels in Coney

Just as anticipated, as demolition work is beginning, the preservation groups are trying to stop it. They will obviously fail again -

NY Observer excerpts

All of this comes as the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation gave the area a Determination of Eligibility as a historic district, a designation that might enable landlords to qualify for tax credits to develop in the area while incorporating the existing historic structures.

That, however, might not be of much use, should the wrecking ball indeed make its way to Coney.

Mr. Sitt, however, had his own plans, and, from his perspective, it might be easier to ready his prime land for any eventual large-scale development (read: amusement-themed hotel) without the old buildings, and the looming threat of landmarking protections.

http://www.observer.com/2010/real-estate/sitt-readies-coney-demolitions

Wally Backman

Quite honestly why is Backman still managing the Cyclones? He is so good he should be managing the Mets already. They need his fire badly. Maybe next year.

New Name for Nets

There is any easy answer to this - Brooklyn Attitudes!

Brooklyn Paper excerpt -

A team in a new town needs a new name, right?

New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has filed paperwork with the NBA to change the name of the Brooklyn-bound team — setting the stage for countless arguments at sports bars across the borough.

“The name change will happen in 2012,” Prokhorov told Forbes Russia magazine, referring to the season when the team is expected to play in the Barclays Center at the intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues.

It is unclear what the shooting Tsar actually has planned, though — apparently the paperwork needs to be filed even just to change the team name from “New Jersey Nets” to the “Brooklyn Nets.”

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/33/33/all_nametheteamsidebar_2010_08_20_bk.html

Cleaning up Coney

NY Post excerpt -

The city and the owners of the new Luna Park are making it a bumpy ride for some Coney Island mainstays hoping to be in on the fabled boardwalk's revival.

Inspectors this week began cleaning up the boardwalk, weeding out illegal food carts and issuing warnings about overflowing public trash cans.

Some business owners welcome the clean sweep, claiming that some of their neighbors have for years illegally subleased boardwalk space to vendors who sell booze and snub city health codes.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/cleaning_up_new_coney_ixYnTH68ieRW1EBjwemhHN#ixzz0wjUULwzn

I can see the protesters lining up now

I HATE THOR!!! I HATE THOR!!! I HATE THOR!!!!!

oops Zamperla controls that property now. Imagine that................

Re: Shake Shack and Atomic Wings

A big question that needs to be addressed -

Would these businesses be open year round? My guess is they would (they are extremely popular) but I am not certain.

Zamperla in discussions with Shake Shack and Atomic Wings

NY Daily News excerpts -

Nathan's could be getting some competition at Coney Island.

The trendy eateries Shake Shack and Atomic Wings are in talks with Zamperla, the Italian amusement company that launched the new Luna Park in May, sources said.

Shake Shack declined to comment, but Atomic Wings owner Adam Lippin said he likes the idea.

"I love Coney Island," he said. "I think it would be a good fit."

Boardwalk merchants are worried about the shakeup.

The 11 tenants have to turn in business plans by the end of the month, so Zamperla can decide who stays or goes.

Zamperla plans to let all the leases expire in October before deciding on tenants for next summer - and they may even tear down and replace boardwalk buildings.

"If they are a good operator ... we are going to keep them," said the firm's president, Alberto Zamperla, adding, "If you want to improve an area, you have to bring in something new."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2010/08/13/2010-08-13_amusement_park_owner_might_look_to_shake_up_coney_island.html#ixzz0wUTToDSQ

Henderson and Bank Building

The CIUSA message boards have a thread about water and sewer lines being cut to these buildings
http://www.coneyisland.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1281560867

I actually believe there will still be attempts to stop the demolition of these old dilapidated buildings by the groups that want to go against the rezoning and stop the future hotel development. Thor should get these buildings demolished as soon as possible. It is the only way to ensure that the future hotels won't be stopped.

Boardwalk business changes?

Interesting excerpt from the Bay News -

A representative of Luna Park, whose lease with the city to control the concessions runs through 2020, won’t say exactly what they envision for the Boardwalk in the near future, but confirmed that changes are on the way.

“All who care about Coney Island will soon have more good news to cheer about on the Boardwalk,” said spokesman Tom Corsillo.

But Corsillo told our sister publication, the New York Post — which first reported the existence of the letter — that Luna Park “isn’t intending to clear house” next summer.

http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/08/10/brooklyn_heights_courier/news/courier-yn_brooklyn_heights-all_shootingthefreak_2010_8_12_bk.txt

The Waterpark

Spoke to a couple of workers on the boardwalk last week who said it is not going to happen this year. It got caught up in red tape with the permit issue. Unbelievable. Maybe next summer. I hope! What a great idea for a beach waterpark but man!