"When it came time for eulogies, lavishly dressed pallbearers carried the casket into a packed auditorium and set it down in front of Adam Rinn, Coney Island USA's artistic director and the master of ceremonies. "We are here to mock [The Coney] as they have mocked us for three years," Rinn told the crowd. "It took a group of dedicated grassroots activists to take down a multimillion dollar effort, which consisted of paid lobbyists, paid advocates. Lobbyists who pocketed thousands upon thousands of dollars to sell a pack of lies.""
"As locals filled the front room at Coney Island USA on the night of September 29, Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny fake wept over a makeshift casket filled with "The Coney" flyers and cotton candy. People snapped photos of their middle fingers outstretched toward the coffin and scribbled not-so-fond notes in the guestbook."
"Just hours earlier, the Community Advisory Council had voted The Coney down 4 to 2, officially ending its bid for a state casino license. Council Member Justin Brannan, the chair of the committee and the first member to announce that he would vote against the casino, received a hero's welcome when he arrived at the party."
A proposed Coney Island casino bid, known as The Coney, lost community support and was voted down 4-2 by the Community Advisory Council, ending its pursuit of a state license. Local activists staged a mock funeral and celebration at Coney Island USA, mocking developers and paid lobbyists while publicly condemning the project. Community leaders like Council Member Justin Brannan were celebrated for opposing the casino. The conflict exposed deep divisions in Coney Island over development, left emotional marks on residents, and involved major local and external developers including Thor Equities and partner organizations.
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