SUMMER FUN AT THE PEOPLE’S PLAYGROUND
Island
COURIER LIFE, JULY 2–8, 2021 9
BY JESSICA PARKS
Thrill-seeking Brooklynites
are in luck, as Coney Island’s
newest roller coaster sped into
America’s Playground on Thursday,
offering a topsy-turvy journey
that’ll make you spin aboard
the 68-foot high Phoenix.
“The Vourderis family is delighted
to invite everyone to the
fi rst ride grand opening,” said
Dennis and Steve Vourderis, the
brother-duo behind Denos’s Wonder
Wheel Amusement Park. “As
we cherish and honor the memory
of our parents, Denos and Lula
Vourderis, who started believing
in, and building up Coney Island
in 1947.”
The Vourderis family, who
has owned the amusement park
for over four generations, is opening
its fi rst roller coaster following
their lost season during the
pandemic — and the ride’s name
pays homage to the family’s past
struggles, symbolizing hope, like
a phoenix rising from the ashes.
“It’s not about dollars and cents,
it’s about smiles and lifting people
up out of a pretty dark time,”
DJ Vourderis, son of Steve, and
Dennis’ nephew, previously told
Brooklyn Paper. “It is the reason
why we named it The Phoenix.”
As a celebration, the fi rst 100
riders will be able to experience
the new coaster free of charge, the
brothers announced.
Any daring would-be rider over
39 inches can board The Phoenix
— a height limit that accommodates
most families, which is the
target audience of the Vourderis’
amusement park as well as much
of the amusement district.
In the early days of searching
for inspiration for their new family
coaster, which began shortly
after purchasing the property in
2019, the Vourderises took a pilgrimage
to Tennessee’s Dollywood
to try out their brand-new
SPIN CITY
Coney Island welcomes a twisty
new roller coaster: The Phoenix
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