The fact that Thor Equities is a sponsor of the Polar Bears Club New Year’s swim has sparked a debate between members of the Coney Island crew. We noticed this because of a thread on the Coney Island Message Board called “Coney Island Polar Bear Club are Sellouts!!!!” The first entry says:
Never thought that I’d see the day when this club would be involved in an event with Thor. Makes your speeches at the save Coney rally deemed meaningless. Shame on the Polar Bear Club.
The reference to the “rally” is to club president Louie Scarcella‘s vocal opposition to Thor’s Coney plans at a Save Coney Island Rally earlier this year. Here’s Mr. Scarcella’s response, which is interesting in terms of both Thor and other businesses in Coney Island:
…Now hear this and hear this good. For the last four years NO ONE, NO ONE in Coney Island except for Steve at Steve’s Grill house has supported us. People, I know everybody in Coney Island, I have been here and worked here 35 years AND NO ONE offered one red cent. A very well know bar on the boardwalk, which I will not mention, told us to drop dead when we asked them to place jars for donations for the Special Olympics on the bar two years ago. Yes, they refused to help this great cause. This makes me sick. This establishment has made thousands of dollars every New Years Day for many years. If it wasen’t for our club, they would remain closed…if Thor is willing to help me and my club raise money for kids with cancer, I say God bless him. As for calling us sellouts, don’t anyone dare to call this great club sellouts. If anyone wants to talk about this in person I am at Stilwell ave and the boards every Saturday and Sunday at noon…Remember what I have learned…no one in Coney Island except for Carol Albert and Dino at the Wounderwheel gives back to the community. All they are interestd in is THE LAST DOLLAR to be made on any given day. I promise you this is true.
Those of you who know me know that I love Coney Island more than any other place on earth. I will do everything to fight condos and hotels that may become condos. This Thor knows. I want the Coney Island of yesteryear to return. I hope in the coming years I live to see the changes. The changes that will make us, the poeple who love Coney Island happy. Sellouts, no not by a long shot.
The comments about other businesses are as interesting as those about Thor. The full thread and text of the email is here. Details on the New Year’s swim, proceeds from which support Camp Sunshine, are available here. The bears are trying to raise $50,000 for the camp for children.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // Dec 24, 2007 at 2:53 pm
When “polarbearchief” announced the fundraiser in another post he never said isn’t this great Thor is our sponsor. He never mentioned Thor. That’s odd cause he posted isn’t it great Carol Albert and Astroland and the Surf and Turf Restaurant are supporting the Club and the event. I don’t see Astroland’s or Surf and Turf’s names or logos on the freezinforareason website alongside Thor’s. Did Thor ask for the logo? Is it because Thor is sponsoring the “warming up” gathering with free food and towels for the swimmers? Personally I would not use a towel from the enemy Thor or eat their free food. I would not take their money even for a good cause. When politicians or leaders of organizations have something nice to say about Thor, the public perception is oh, they are in Thor’s pocket. They took Thor’s “contributions” so they are obligated to spread the message from Thor’s PR.
“polarbearchief” said in the post he “trusts” Thor’s PR lady and anyhow Thor no longer plans to build condos. BWAHAHAH The chief is fooling himself. He and his club have been co-opted. Thor will send a video crew to film the event and put it on youtube to publicize “the future of coney” the way Thor did with their Mermaid Parade PR film. Thor is not supporting these events out of the goodness of his mega-developer’s heart. It is part of the larger plan as the public hearings go forward. Thor will try to leverage his community partnerships into support from the community board for his plans. Oh you betcha there are condos in the plan. Polar Bear New Years Swim and the Astella-Thor sponsored Halloween Parade, Thor is using you. I would post this on the Coney Island board but the chief is defensive and tried to intimidate the OP.
2 JackSzwergold // Dec 25, 2007 at 1:33 pm
This kind of two-faced self-defeating bullshit is the main reason I can’t support any local folks in Coney who are fighting to save Coney despite the fact that I hate what Thor has been trying to do as well.
And FWIW, does anyone in the year 2007 still believe that charities asking for cash “donations” in jars is actually legit in any way? Maybe there’s something the “polarbearchief” isn’t being 100% honest about here.
I grew up in the neighborhood and any delusions I have of community existing in Coney Island has pretty much been shot down based on behavior like this.
Folks are truly out for themselves on all levels and in the great scheme of things, getting real amusement operators who know how to run a modern amusement business and kick out asshole like this is really the only way to preserve anything resembling fun in Coney Island.