Margarita Madness At The Purple People Bridge : May 17th

MEMI Responds to Backlash Over Coney Island Closure

"We understand that any time change is intertwined with someone’s childhood and memories of growing up that it is sometimes not met with open arms."

Dec 18, 2023 at 11:50 am

A rendering of the new music venue replacing Coney Island. Photo: Provided by MEMI

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People are not happy after news broke that Coney Island would permanently close at the end of this year.

"Please god no," one Instagram user commented on CityBeat's post about the news.

Coney Island has been open since 1886, with Sunlite Pool added in 1925. The park announced Thursday that it has been sold to Music & Event Management Inc. (MEMI), a subsidiary of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra that also operates the park’s neighbor Riverbend Music Center, as well as Andrew J Brady Music Center and Taft Theatre downtown.

But CityBeat readers are not jazzed about the $118-million "first of its kind" music venue...especially considering Riverbend is right next door to historic Coney Island.

Coney Island and Sunlite Pool to Permanently Close: MEMI plans to purchase the park and turn it into a cutting-edge music venue.

"WE HAVE ENOUGH MUSIC VENUES FOR FUCK'S SAKE STOP," one Instagram user commented.

"So another adult music venue to replace somewhere where kids can go…sounds brilliant. Stop taking things away from kids," commented another.

The comments across social media were overwhelmingly negative, with users saying the closing of Coney Island is the loss of a piece of Cincinnati history and nostalgia.

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"A travesty. A place my grandmother’s grandma took her, and she took me. Guess that tradition is dead just like all good things," one person commented on Instagram.

CityBeat asked MEMI to comment on the backlash following the announcement. A spokesperson said that change is hard, but necessary.

"We understand that any time change is intertwined with someone’s childhood and memories of growing up that it is sometimes not met with open arms," said Rosemarie Moehring, vice president of marketing at MEMI. "But as times change, we need to change with them in order to stay competitive with other big markets. We believe this new project will elevate Cincinnati and keep us in the conversation as a must-play destination for all artists."

Coney Island will close permanently following the last night of its Nights of Lights holiday event on Sunday, Dec. 31.

Margaret Glaser started a petition on Change.org to designate Sunlite Pool as a historical landmark. You can find that petition here.

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About The Author

Madeline Fening

Madeline Fening is CityBeat’s investigative news reporter. Proudly born and raised in Middletown, she attended Bowling Green State University before moving to Austin, Texas where she dabbled in documentary filmmaking, digital news and bartending. Madeline then moved to Cincinnati to work for WCPO 9 News as an...