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East Farmingdale, New York — An old Long Island family favorite is getting a new, multimillion-dollar redevelopment.
Just days before the season resumes, Adventureland announced plans for the new attraction on Tuesday.
It’s quite a turnaround for a venue that was closed for more than a year during the pandemic.
Long Island’s happy place is back on its feet. Four years into his fight against the biggest pandemic of his life, Adventureland is expanding its services.
Flashback: Long Islanders say goodbye to Hurricane roller coaster at Adventureland
2020 has been a crazy ride. The amusement park had been closed for his 14 months. As New York reopened in phases, amusement park owners waited slowly and painfully. There were concerns that the family-run business, which opened in 1962, would no longer be viable.
“You kept those feelings to yourself and said you were going to get through it, except for one rainy day. It was a rainy day. It was a rainy year,” said co-owner Paul Gentile. Told.
Adventureland has pivoted to hosting drive-in concerts, movies and fitness classes and paying some of its 650 employees.
“It was like we were reaching out of a 6-foot hole and the Long Islanders were pulling us out of the hole and we were pulling them out and helping them out,” Gentile said. “We were all helping each other. It was like psychotherapy. Who would have imagined that we would be here today?”
A five-year, $10 million to $15 million redevelopment that would update 10 percent of the site was announced Tuesday. Some aging vehicles will be replaced with new ones. Officials said the plan would create 50 to 70 new jobs.
Next year, a family-friendly ride modeled after ocean waves will be introduced. This is said to be the first attempt of its kind in the country.
“We’re trying to bring innovation. There are a lot of vehicles you can buy on the market, but they all look and behave the same, so we’re trying to come up with new movements, new combinations of movements,” he said. Told. Roman Rothe, owner of RES Rides.
This was made possible in part through a $500,000 grant from Suffolk County and Empire State Development, as well as new sponsorship from Catholic Health.
Lawmakers say this is all an investment in Long Island.
“This is an investment in the community, and this has been a staple of Long Island for many years,” said Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaefer.
Adventureland co-owner Steve Gentile added, “We’re seeing familiar faces. We see them coming with their kids, sometimes with their grandkids. This is an institution.” Ta.
Adventureland’s motto is, “The memories you make with your children will be your greatest legacy.” Well, memories will increase from this weekend as the season opens.
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