New Coney Island set to open this summer

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced today in a press conference that the historic waterfront neighborhood of Coney Island is "coming back, big time."

This summer, visitors to Brooklyn, New York will be able to ride on more than just the 83-year old Cyclone Coaster as 23 new state of the art rides will debut along the beach.

An Italy based company has created the rides, which will start rolling out to the public Memorial Day weekend.  Live entertainment, games and of course Nathan's Famous will all be there as well for customers.

This is just the start of the revamped Coney Island, as plans call for the local aquarium to get a major rehaul and more rides to be opened, including an additional two coasters, which are set to arrive by the summer of 2011.

In the past many have protested the mayor's plans, as they feel it will ruin the historic look and feel of one of America's most famous neighborhoods. Others also fear that the new high rise luxury condos that are included in the plans will force out many lower and middle class families from the area.

However Bloomberg has promised that affordable housing will be set aside in order for many to afford living in one of the last few affordable locations in New York.

As a life long New Yorker, who has always lived within a 10-minute car ride from Coney Island, I am actually happy to see this section of Brooklyn get a long overdue facelift.

However, I could do without the influx of chain restaurants that are surely going to overtake the area soon enough. But this neighborhood has seen better days and was in desperate need of a little TLC.

How do you feel about the return of Coney Island? Will you be interested at all in visiting this iconic U.S. neighborhood once it has been prettied up with a $30 million makeover? Share your comments with us below.

Source: Associated Press

Image: AP Photo/NYC Economic Development Corp.