[title]
Coney Island’s Parachute Jump could have a new job after more than six decades of retirement.
The Parks Department is seeking a business to manage and maintain the landmark tower, with an option to generate revenue by displaying personal messages, The City Reporter reports. Think birthday shout-outs and proposals written across one of Brooklyn’s most recognizable structures.
Here’s the twist: the solicitation doesn’t mention bringing back the parachute ride, which closed in 1964. The potential comeback would instead give the tower a new role as a backdrop for celebrations, so anyone hoping to actually plummet toward the boardwalk will have to keep waiting.
RECOMMENDED: Head to one of these amusement parks near NYC for thrills and chills this summer
The 262-foot attraction debuted at the 1939 New York World’s Fair before becoming part of Coney Island’s Steeplechase Park. Riders descended in canvas two-seaters attached to parachutes; adults originally paid 40 cents. It stopped operating when Steeplechase closed, leaving the structure as a familiar fixture of the skyline.
Under the proposed arrangement, Parks would approve any personal messaging. Obscene, indecent, profane and discriminatory content would be prohibited, along with commercial messages and advertising. Your friend’s birthday could potentially get top billing, but your company’s latest sales pitch couldn’t.
The opportunity comes bundled with responsibility for another Coney Island heavyweight: the Cyclone. The selected operator would renovate and maintain the wooden roller coaster, which opened in 1927, repairing and replacing parts as needed.
Applicants can also propose new rides, games or attractions, although the available space is limited to the tower’s base and a small area near the parking lot adjacent to the Cyclone. Snack concessions are another possibility, with Parks setting maximum prices of $4 for a hot dog and $3 for a can of soda. The agency also prefers menus with healthy options, including fruit, granola bars and smoothies.
Central Amusement International, the company behind Luna Park, currently operates both sites. It hadn’t responded to The City Reporter about whether it plans to bid.
The proposed agreement would run for 20 years and applications are due November 13. The new operator would take over management and maintenance of the Parachute Jump in 2028, though no launch date for personal messages has been confirmed. Meanwhile, Coney Island’s broader overhaul includes a planned $1 billion reconstruction of the Riegelmann Boardwalk, with work still ahead.
For now, the Parachute Jump’s next act remains a possibility. But if the plan goes ahead, choosing the perfect proposal location in New York may become considerably easier than choosing the ring.