Daily News
Beep sets stage for new venue
Amphitheater push in tonight's speech
BY RACHEL MONAHAN
February 1, 2007
Marty Markowitz
Creating a world-class summer amphitheater in Coney Island to rival Jones Beach will be one of Brooklyn's top priorities in 2007, Borough President Marty Markowitz said yesterday.
As he prepared to unveil his plans in his State of the Borough address tonight, Markowitz told the Daily News he wants to create a roofed venue at Asser Levy Park, on the spot where he has sponsored concerts since 1991.
"When the major, major summer tours occur ... I propose that Brooklyn - Coney Island - be an additional seasonal concert venue," Markowitz said a day ahead of his speech to be given at the Brooklyn Navy Yard's Steiner Studios.
"I'm going to be making a major investment - and working closely with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation - to make this proposal a reality."
The borough president - though often relegated to what Markowitz called being the "chief nudge" - has a capital budget of nearly $58 million for this fiscal year.
The amphitheater would fit well with other developments proposed for Coney Island after a rezoning to occur in the next year, he said.
Markowitz also has other ambitious designs for making Brooklyn a concert mecca.
By revamping Flatbush's long-shuttered Loew's Kings Theatre, Markowitz also hopes to bolster the neighborhood's economy.
"What I envision is the Beacon Theater and the Apollo Theater rolled into one," he said.
The Kings Theatre, which opened in 1929, has stood vacant for 30 years.
In its heyday, the theater hosted up to 3,000 people for movies and vaudeville acts.
Markowitz also hopes to get the ball rolling on creating a new high school dedicated to training students for well-paid careers in advertising.
In addition to new commitments, Markowitz's speech is expected to highlight his notable achievements in the last year, including the inauguration of the Brooklyn Book Festival and the docking of the borough's first cruise ships in Red Hook.