[Photo courtesy of GerritsenBeach.Net/flickr]

Thor Equities has unveiled its summer strategy for CConey Island and its 2008 summer theme: “Summer of Hope.” The developer, whose holdings include a large parcel of land between Coney’s Bowery and the Boardwalk on both sides of Stillwell Avenue was previously reported to be bringing a carnival ride operator to Coney, Reithoffer Amusements, from May 22 through June 3. It will leave a dozen rides and attractions, however, running and operating for the entire summer. Thor placed a two-page in the Bay News advertising the Summer of Hope (which is a play on last year’s Future of Coney Island images). The ads says, “Thor Equities hopes U have filled with sunny days and fun rides!” Thor cleared the land on which the rides are going in the winter of 2006-2007, saying that it needed the land for construction staging. The property was previously occupied by two go-kart tracks, a batting cage, a bumper boat ride and a miniature golf ride. One lot held a flea market that was dismantled in the winter of 2005-06. A circus operated on the property for a week last summer and sparsely-attended movie nights were held. A huge inflatable water slide that was widely considered a flop was placed on the property that had been the miniature golf course. This year the big empty lot has been used for parking at times. The developer is involved in negotiations with the city, which earlier reduced the size of its proposed amusement park from 15 acres to nine acres, in part to allow developer Joe Sitt to keep more of his amusement district land. City officials say they’re “optimistic” that an agreement with the developer can be reached involving a swap of amusement district land for public-property adjacent to KeySpan Park.