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COURIER L 4 IFE, JULY 17-23, 2020
Spinning his wheels
Wonder Wheel operator looks to reopen
The Wonder Wheel has been closed since the begining of the pandemic. Photo by Todd Maisel
BY TODD MAISEL
Coney Island’s iconic
Wonder Wheel turned 100
years young this summer
— and the attraction’s
owner Dennis Vourderis
had a big celebration
planned for the Coney Island
landmark.
But, when the
COVID-19 pandemic hit
New York City, leading to
all kinds of shutdowns of
social activities, Vourderis
had to put his plans
on hold. Nearly two weeks
removed from the Fourth
of July and still not a soul
has taken a spin on the
Wonder Wheel this summer
— or, for that matter,
on any of the other attractions
at Deno’s Wonder
Wheel Amusement Park.
The giant ferris wheel’s
caged cars are open air,
without any windows,
and spaced 15 feet apart
from one another — and
Vourderis maintains that
staff members are ready
to sanitize each car after
every ride.
Yet the amusement
park, and others in the
city, have not yet been
allowed to reopen. New
York City is in Phase
Three of reopening, and
amusement parks —
which generally bring
about large crowds — are
a part of plans for Phase
Four, should conditions
stay the same.
In the meantime,
Vourderis — whose family
has owned the ferris
wheel since 1983 — keeps
hoping to hear good news
from a cautious governor
and mayor who have kept
to strict phases as to not
make the same mistakes
as other states now suffering
from coronavirus outbreaks.
The Coney Island businessman
said he worries
about a real estate tax bill
sitting on his desk, as well
as his rent owed to the
Economic Development
Corporation. He also has
a mortgage on an adjoining
property his family
bought to expand their
amusement park.
With the bills piling up
and only two concessions
stands open to the public,
business is just 15 percent
of that during a normal
Coney Island summer,
Vourderis said.
“Give me a reason
why they are keeping us
closed. Why punish us
for what Florida, Arizona
and Texas have done?”
Vourderis groused. “We
are in the safety business,
and we will make sure all
our staff and visitors are
safe. Look at the Boardwalk
and the beach, very
few people are social distancing
and wearing
masks – nobody is following
the guidelines.”
Although Vourderis
has been presented with
a plan to reopen safely
when the time is right,
he and his fellow amusement
park owners are
worried — Rye Playland
has already cancelled its
summer season and Gov.
Andrew Cuomo has cancelled
the annual New
York State Fair in Syracuse.
“I’ve had many sleepless
nights thinking about
what the hell, how will I
pay real estate taxes that
were due July 1,” Vourderis
said. “I have to
pay them. I have to pay a
mortgage and real estate
taxes — those bills must
be paid.”
At a press conference
July 6, Mayor Bill de Blasio
promised to examine
whether outdoor amusements
like those in Coney
Island can resume safely.
“The state rules have
been very smart as we
open in phases to avoid
things that have too much
closeness,” the mayor
said. “Amusement parks
are in that category – the
Wonder Wheel may be
different and that’s a fair
point. I love Coney Island
and I want people there
and we want to continue
to keep Coney Island
alive.”
Vourderis insists his
park will hold a high standard
of safety when it reopens.
Ticket takers will
stay behind plexiglass
and each ride will receive
a thorough wipe down between
customers.
“We will insist on social
distance, use hand
sanitizer, clean our rides
and we will control entry
to the park by selling
tickets before people enter
and control the number of
people,” Vourderis said.
“We are safer than being
on the beach and boardwalk.”
And it’s not just about
business, according to
Vourderis. A bit of summer
normalcy, he believes,
will be good for the
city’s state of mind.
“Don’t you think the
mental health of kids
cooped up is essential?”
he said.
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