Coney Island (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Coney Island was a seasonal amusement park and water park destination on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio, located approximately 10 miles (16 km) east of the downtown area adjacent to Riverbend Music Center. One of its signature attractions, the Sunlite Pool, was the largest recirculating pool in North America and one of the largest of its kind in the world. Coney Island first opened as a picnic grove in 1870, and by the turn of the century, the park had added a lineup of popular amusement rides and significantly increased in size. With frequent flooding a reoccurring issue, along with growing competition, park management ultimately decided that a larger destination was needed away from the river bank. Coney Island was sold to Taft Broadcasting in 1969 for $6.5 million. It was relocated further north to Mason, Ohio, where it reopened as Kings Island in 1972. The old location reopened in 1973 and was renamed Old Coney, featuring only the Sunlite Pool initially. Smaller flat rides and other water park amenities eventually returned, and under new ownership, the park resumed operation as Coney Island in 1985. 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land were donated to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) to build Riverbend, an outdoor amphitheater designed to withstand flooding. A decision was made in 2019 to remove the park's amusement rides, and operation continued as a water park resort only. Coney Island permanently closed after the 2023 season following its sale to Music and Event Management, Inc. (MEMI), a subsidiary of CSO, which demolished what remained to redevelop the area as a state-of-the-art entertainment venue. History In 1867, an apple farmer by the name of James Parker purchased a 20-acre (0.081 km2) apple orchard located along the shores of the Ohio River. After renting out the land for a private picnic in 1870, he realized its potential to become a popular gathering place for local residents and named it Parker's Grove. Instead of apple farming, he focused his efforts on building amenities such as a dining hall, dance hall, and bowling alley, and when apple trees died, he replaced them with maple trees for shade. The Ohio Grove Corporation, a company headed by two steamboat captains, purchased Parker's Grove in 1886 for $17,500. They changed the name to "Ohio Grove, The Coney Island of the West" in an effort to link the park with the famous New York destination, and it was marketed as "Cincinnati's Moral Resort" ahead of its grand opening on June 21, 1886. At a time when trolley parks were beginning to appear throughout the United States, Ohio Grove's riverfront location near the major inland port of Cincinnati helped ensure that the riverboat would become the most popular method of transportation for park guests. The name of the park was shortened to Coney Island after "Ohio Grove" was dropped from the title in 1887. The Sunlite Pool was added in 1925. It is an outdoor freshwater pool with 7,450 m2 (80,200 sq ft) surface area. It was the largest recirculating pool in North America, and at one time, was the largest in the world. Over the years, Coney Island became a full-fledged amusement park, complete with rides and carnival games. Notable additions included the first and second Island Queen in 1896 and 1925, respectively, Moonlite Gardens dance pavilion in 1925, the Wildcat and Twister wooden roller coasters in 1926, the Land of Oz children's section in 1934, and the Shooting Star roller coaster (a renovation of the former Clipper roller coaster) in 1947. Coney Island became a Cincinnati institution. It was desegregated after being sued in 1952 by Marian Spencer. The park's proximity to the river made it prone to frequent flooding. In 1968, park management entered into talks with Taft Broadcasting for the purpose of developing a new park on higher ground. Taft responded by buying Coney Island outright in 1969, and construction began the following year on a new site located in Deerfield Township of Warren County 25 miles (40 km) north of Cincinnati along Interstate 71. Coney Island closed its amusements on September 6, 1971, as most of its rides were moved to the newly completed Kings Island theme park. After Kings Island opened in 1972, Taft Broadcasting intended to sell Coney Island's land for redevelopment. However, with the company's decision to open another theme park in Virginia (Kings Dominion) and its acquisition of Carowinds on the North Carolina-South Carolina border, the property's redevelopment became a low priority. Less than two years after closing, Coney Island reopened permanently in 1973. The park was only a shadow of its former self but still featured several popular attractions. The Sunlite Pool helped Coney Island remain a popular summertime destination. The park donated 15 acres (61,000 m2) of land for the construction of Riverbend Music Center which opened in 1984. The land was the former location of the Wildcat and Shooting Star roller coasters. The Riverbend amphitheater serves as the summer home of the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras, as well as a concert venue for other musical acts. In 1991, Coney Island was purchased by Cincinnati businessman Ronald Walker. No longer held back by a corporate entity, management was able to restore Coney Island as a traditional amusement park with familiar rides such as the "Tilt-A-Whirl", bumper cars, carnival games and musical shows. Coney Island announced plans to remove all amusement rides from the park on September 21, 2019, but continued to operate as a water park featuring the Sunlite Pool and other water-related attractions. The decision was based on attendance, consumer feedback, and rising costs associated with maintaining ride operation. On December 14, 2023, the park announced that it would be sold to Music and Event Management, Inc. (MEMI), a subsidiary of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, with plans to redevelop the property into a multi-use venue with sports, dining, and entertainment. Demolition proceeded in early 2024 despite a failed grassroots effort to save the Sunlite Pool and the surrounding property. List of attractions Sunlite Water Adventure Family attractions Pre-1972 Post-1972 Events Over the years, Coney Island hosted a number of annual festivals including the Summerfair Arts Festival, the Cincinnati Celtic World Festival, the Appalachian Festival, and the Cincinnati Flower and Farm Fest. Concerts were also occasionally held in the Moonlite Gardens area of the park. Scenes from the 1968-1970 children's TV show The Banana Splits were filmed at Coney Island. References