In response to today’s news of the City of New York’s purchase of seven acres of land in Coney Island from developer Thor Equities, grassroots activist group Save Coney Island issued the following statement from its spokesman, Juan Rivero:

The City’s purchase today of seven acres of land for a permanent, open-air amusement area is a critical first step toward the revitalization of Coney Island. But it is not enough. The City’s planned outdoor amusement area remains confined to a narrow 12-acre strip of land, squeezed in by a proposed multi-story entertainment mall, and blocked off by a wall of proposed high-rise hotels rising up to 27 stories. Until the outdoor amusement area is expanded and the hotels are removed, the City’s plan would permanently compromise Coney Island’s potential to once again become a world-class amusement destination. Unless the City purchases the rest of Thor Equities’ land, a large portion of the amusement area will remain subject to the whims of real estate speculation and the future of Coney Island will remain at risk.