Coney Island, The Iconic Cincinnati Park To Permanently Close – $118m Entertainment Venue Announced

Cincinnati’s iconic Coney Island is set to cease operations by the year’s end.

Following their celebrated Nights of Lights holiday event, the park will close its doors, marking the end of a storied era dating back to its establishment in 1886. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and its subsidiary, Music & Event Management Inc. (MEMI), have announced the acquisition of all assets of Coney Island Inc.

Following the closure, plans are underway to transform the site into a cutting-edge $118 million entertainment campus, promising a one-of-a-kind experience for music enthusiasts.

Coney Island has been operating since 1886, while Sunlite Pool was added in 1925. It was set to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025.

The decision to close Coney Island was met with difficulty by its owners, who express confidence that MEMI and CSO will continue to uphold the venue’s legacy.

“We have been proud to provide a place where so many wonderful memories were created for families.” Coney Island officials said in a press release. “We thank the millions of patrons and employees from Cincinnati and surrounding neighborhoods. You made this a special place for all of us. But the time has come for this historic destination to offer new and different options for entertainment-seekers looking for fun and unique experiences”.

Coney Island has already taken steps to address patron concerns about season passes. The following was posted to the parks website:

Despite the closure, a new chapter is set to begin with the construction of a state-of-the-art Music and Entertainment Venue on the same site. The target opening date for this revolutionary venue is spring 2026.

This new venture is positioned to elevate Cincinnati’s status in the music industry, as Jonathan Martin, CSO President and CEO, and MEMI CEO Mike Smith, aim to create “the nation’s best amphitheater.”

The venue is slated to boast cutting-edge performance and entertainment technology, providing best-in-class guest amenities in an architecturally stunning facility. It will complement existing venues like Riverbend and PNC Pavilion, forming an expanded music, arts, and entertainment campus.

According to the press release, the Music and Entertainment Venue is designed to captivate all senses, featuring a state-of-the-art sound system, adaptable seating arrangements, and dynamic standing areas. The goal is to transport fans to a new dimension of live music experiences, attracting a broader array of sought-after artists and larger-scale shows. MEMI says that live music, contributing $10 billion annually to the U.S. economy, will find a new home in Cincinnati with this groundbreaking development.

MEMI, with its extensive experience hosting 17 million music fans through various venues, is spearheading the design process. While the preliminary design is in progress, key decisions are yet to be finalized. The facility promises to incorporate contemporarily appropriate and historically significant elements, acknowledging the proud history of the location.

The transformation of Coney Island into a cutting-edge entertainment campus signifies a bold step forward for the region’s cultural and economic landscape. As Cincinnati prepares for an exciting future in music, arts, and entertainment, further details about the project will be released in the coming weeks and months.

Historic Coney Island