The Last Round-Up

With less than a month before the official end of the 2005 season-which also marks the end of Coney Island as we know it-the city's Economic Development Corp. made a late, useless and token attempt to look like they gave a damn.

This week, Coney's famous hand-carved Carousel, which has been at the corner of Surf and 12th for the past 73 years, will be going up for auction. Chances are likely it will be sold off bit by bit to bidders from around the country. But last Wednesday, the city submitted a $1 million bid-they claimed in an effort to not only keep the historic landmark intact, but also keep it here in New York.

Too bad a spokesman from the auction house had already made it clear that the Carousel was worth two to three times that much.

Quoted in the Daily News, EDC spokeswoman Janet Patterson issued a statement concerning the city's offer that just left us shaking our heads in dismay.

"We hope the owners will realize," she said with a straight face, "that the heritage of Coney Island is worth more than dollars and cents."

Since when is this? Since they tore down the Thunderbolt because it was considered an eyesore? Since they sold off a huge chunk of the Boardwalk to build a shopping mall? Since they decided the potential dollars and cents involved were worth razing a few landmarks that have been there for 50 years or more?

The stench of bad faith, both in that statement and in the city's pathetic "bid" is enough to make your eyes water. The current administration has never cared, except where there's a profit to be made. And there ain't much profit to be made from some old horsey ride. Not compared with the cellphone store that could fill that space so nicely.