No Circus At Coney Island This Summer

Most of us are looking forward to visiting Coney Island when it warms up, but, this year, something is going to be missing.  The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will not be joining us.

It’s a no-go for the well-known circus due to high costs and scheduling conflicts.

“We just couldn’t make it work,” Ringling Bros. spokesman Stephen Payne told the Daily News. “We have so many tours moving around the country. There are a lot of moving parts,” adding that the circus is busy planning future West Coast shows.

Payne also said that the circus is still interested in returning to Coney Island in the future, a venue capable of drawing large crowds.  The Daily News  reported that over 250,000 people attended the circus at Coney Island over the past two years.

The city’s Economic Development Corporation is looking at options to replace the circus.  So what would you like to see in its place?