Coney Island will close permanently at the end of 2023, and a music venue will take its place

CINCINNATI — After more than 125 years in business, Coney Island is closing.

The theme park announced Thursday that effective December 31, 2023, Coney Island will cease operations permanently.

Coney Island was first opened in 1886 with Sunlite Pool opening in 1925.

Dennis Spiegel began working there 34 years after the pool opened.

“I started working as a ticket taker at the front gate in 1959. I worked in middle school, high school and college. It was a sad moment for me to see it go, but I understand why,” he said.

Spiegel was shocked by the news, but said there are signs that this will eventually come.

“I’ve watched the Coney Island project wax and wane over the last few years. We’ve seen the rides disappear,” he said.

However, Spiegel said its closure represents a loss for Cincinnati.

“We are proud to provide a place where so many wonderful memories are created for families,” the park said in a statement. “We thank our millions of sponsors and employees from Cincinnati and the surrounding neighborhoods.”

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The park was acquired by Music & Event Management Inc. (MEMI), an affiliate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO).

MEMI is set to transform the park into a $118 million “state-of-the-art” music venue.

“Our goal is to elevate Cincinnati’s music scene and make it a must-play area for all touring musicians,” said Rosemary Moehring, MEMI’s vice president of marketing.

The music venue is slated to be “the first of its kind” in the Greater Cincinnati area, MEMI said. The venue will feature “the latest performance and entertainment technology” along with “best-in-class amenities.”

It will also feature an advanced audio system and an adaptable seating arrangement.

Submitted by Mimi

“It will be designed to maximize all components of outdoor live music events,” said Mike Smith, CEO of MEMI.

Smith and Jonathan Martin, president and CEO of the CSO, said they are shooting to create “the best amphitheater in the country.”

Submitted by Mimi

The amphitheater is intended to complement both Riverbend and PNC Pavilion, two amphitheaters located directly adjacent to Coney Island.

“The location is good in the sense that it creates a unique entertainment complex that I don’t think currently exists in the United States,” Moehring said.

Riverbend will continue to hold concerts, but that number will shrink, she said.

“It will still be there, but once the new venue opens and the target date for that now is spring of 2026, we won’t be doing regular concerts at Riverbend. But we will be using it in those instances where we’ve been doing festivals.”

Mooring said they hope to host special events and music festivals at the entertainment complex.

Martin said the new venue “will open up the future of the music industry.”

He also said he hopes the venue will expand the music, arts and entertainment industry in the area as well as boost the local economy.

Live music contributes $10 billion to the U.S. economy each year, and the larger music tourism ecosystem (tickets, lodging, transportation, etc.) generated $43 billion nationally in 2022, MEMI said.

Smith and Martin said the preliminary design of the venue is currently underway, and several key decisions have not yet been finalized.

“We are proud to lead the next step in the same way Riverbend changed the face of live music in our community 40 years ago when it opened,” Martin said.