If there was ever a ride that was so ambitiously frightening, that it could scare the most avid theme park goers, that ride was Kongfrontation. This attraction featured the world’s largest theme park animatronic, and it was glorious. But much like the other Universal rides, it suffered lots of technical issues in later years. Let’s take a look at what became of this iconic King Kong ride, and what Universal did to keep King Kong alive.
At Universal Studios Florida, there is a New York City section of the park. Here there was a building that housed Kongfrontation, the 8th wonder of the ride world. Now the queue inside looked just like a New York City subway station. There was graffitti on the walls and model shops. They did not have to go through the trouble of theming the queue this much, but they did. And that’s the kind of commitment I miss in a lot of attractions today.
The guests board a suspended ride vehicle that looks like the Roosevelt Island Tram. As the ride starts we see the remnants of a broken New York City at night. Just look at the detail in these model buildings. They even added a busted fire hydrant that was leaking water.
There is a derailed train that is bursting with flames. Sparks are flying off the power lines and we approach an impressive model of the George Washington bridge. We hear the roars of the beast and we come to the first scene with King Kong. His screams are loud and he is waving is huge arms. His mouth is wide with anger as he shouts at the riders.
We narrowly escape and we think we are in the clear. A searchlight from a helicopter shines at our tram and we can hear more explosions. Then we see Kong again, this time on the other side. He grabs the vehicle up close to his face and screams as he shakes his head back and forth. We see more fire and hear gunshots. Then he drops the tram and it falls abruptly. The guests scream and the ride comes to an end. Sadly, the attraction closed forever in 2002.
Kongfrontation was so scary that I had a total meltdown on it back in 1994. I was three years old and sat on the right side of the tram. My parents didn’t know how scary the ride would be and I think they instantly regretted taking me when they saw the Kong animatronic. I remember it vividly seeing the beast scream in my face. I started crying in terror and I thought we were all gonna die. Luckily we didn’t but it took me two hours to calm down and I could not stop shaking....
Kongfrontation is one of the most important attractions in Universal Orlando’s history. Not only was it the biggest — and arguably most dependable — headliner in the park’s opening months, but its star animatronic is a big part of why Universal’s Florida park exists in the first place.
However, even with all that, the attraction closed in 2002. So, why did such a historically important attraction shutter just over a decade into its lifespan, and how does Kongfrontation’s closure — and tangential return — still impact Universal Orlando to this day? Let’s find out....
... The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) Board of Directors
received notice of several employee concerns about the RIOC workplace. The
Board has determined that it is necessary to conduct a review of these
concerns by way of an outside professional. During this review, Shelton
Haynes (RIOC CEO) and Gretchen Robinson (RIOC General Counsel) will be
placed on administrative paid leave.
During this period of review, the day-to-day operations of RIOC will be
overseen by an interim leadership team that includes Dhruvika Patel Amin
(RIOC’s Chief Financial Officer & Vice President) and Gerrald Ellis
(RIOC’s Assistant Vice President & Deputy General Counsel). In addition,
RIOC Board member and Audit Committee Chair, Howard Polivy, will serve as a
dedicated Board member liaison and will provide additional support to the
interim leadership. No further comments about this matter will be made by the
RIOC Board until the review is completed. We thank all of our RIOC staff for
your full cooperation and support during this period of time.
... Ms Amin and Mr Ellis also participated in a frank and open
discussion with Roosevelt Island residents, Board Directors and local media
during an informal meeting organized by RIOC Director Ben Fhala which took
place immediately after a
contentious RIOC Operations Committee meeting on January 17. {link added}
It was a very productive meeting and an example of positive community
engagement by RIOC, a welcome change from the previous administration under
Shelton Haynes.
Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island committee chair Paul Krikler noted after a
January 18 meeting of his committee with
residents and the new RIOC leadership:
Yesterday we had a very positive meeting with RIOC leadership. I think it's
fair to say that this marked the start of a reset of the relationship between
residents and RIOC.
It is unclear how long the new interim RIOC leadership will remain in place,
how long the review of Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson's workplace conduct will take
and if they will return to their positions as President/CEO and General
Counsel respectively.
But, Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson are attempting to stop the review of their
workplace conduct and demand to be restored to their positions at RIOC.
On January 23, Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson filed an
Order To Show Cause
in the US District Court for the Southern District Of NY seeking a Temporary
Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction:
(a) Enjoining Defendants and any persons or entities acting in concert with
or on behalf of Defendants from initiating an investigation into or
disciplinary proceedings against or taking adverse employment actions
against Haynes;
(b) Enjoining Defendants and any persons or entities acting in concert with
or on behalf of Defendants from initiating an investigation into or
disciplinary proceedings against or taking adverse employment actions
against Robinson;
(c) Directing Defendants to restore Haynes to his position as CEO and
President of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (“RIOC”); and
(d) Directing Defendants to restore Robinson to her position as Vice
President and General Counsel of RIOC,...
According to Mr Haynes' January 23
affidavit
in support of the Order To Show Cause:
... 45. On or about the morning of January 16, 2024, Ms. Visnauskas and Mr.
Polivy informed me that, effective immediately, I would be placed on paid
administrative leave.
46. During this meeting, I was told that the RIOC Board had received
complaints from at least five staff members about me and the administration,
alleging a toxic work environment. I was told the Board determined that it
was necessary to investigate these concerns and to put me on leave pending
that investigation. When I noted that Mr. Fhala and others had been
harassing and interfering with my work and the work of the RIOC
administration, Ms. Visnauskas said there was no recourse.
47. According to outside counsel for the Board, the five employee complaints
were submitted sometime after my counsel provided revisions to the proposed
Protocols, and after Ms. Robinson and I filed our amended complaint.
48. This is the first time I have ever been placed on administrative leave
as a result of an investigation. In my tenure as CEO and President of RIOC,
I have faced twelve other investigations—none of which have resulted in any
findings of wrongdoing—but I was never put on leave....
Ms Visnauskas is the Chair of the
RIOC Board of Directors
and Commissioner of NY State Division of Homes and Community Renewal. Mr
Polivy is a long time member of the RIOC Board of Directors.
28 ... Mr. Fhala, Ms. Tang, and others have continued to harass and
excessively scrutinize me and Ms. Robinson by, among other things, initiating
a new,unwarranted investigation into a procurement contract, attempting to
limit our authority, conducting pretextual reviews of our confidential payroll
records, and making critical statements about us to the already hostile media.
29. Within one week after Ms. Robinson and I initiated the Federal Lawsuit,
Mr. Fhala sought an “emergency” Board meeting to reduce my monetary approval
thresholds by nearly 50%. Specifically, Mr. Fhala wanted to reduce the
amount of funds I was authorized to spend without pre-approval by the Board
from $175,000 to $90,000—a substantial reduction that would significantly
curtail my ability to run day-to-day operations.
30. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Tang requested an accounting of my time worked,
leave requested, and salary since my appointment to the position of acting
CEO. Ms. Tang did not need my confidential time and leave records to
complete her duties as a Board member. Instead, I believe she requested
those records to try to “find” issues with my work history.
31. As another example, approximately one week after Ms. Robinson and I
initiated the Federal Lawsuit, Mr. Fhala, along with Ms. Tang, met with Mr.
Ellis, without our knowledge. I believe this meeting was conducted at the
behest of Mr. Fhala and Ms. Tang for the purpose of obtaining information
that could be used against me and Ms. Robinson.
32. Shortly after this meeting, Mr. Ellis requested access to RIOC’s email
search systems, under the pretense of needing access to obtain information
for certain legal work. In reality, Mr. Ellis used the access he was given
to search through mine and Ms. Robinson’s emails. I believe Mr. Ellis
searched through our past emails on multiple occasions, from on or about
September 26, 2023, to on or about October 20, 2023, to try to search for
information to be used against us. There was no valid reason for Mr. Ellis
to surreptitiously search through our emails.
33. On a separate occasion, Mr. Fhala emailed both the NYSIG and the COELIG
to suggest that our procurement of a contract with a digital reputation
management company was somehow improper. The contract had been entered into
approximately one year earlier—well before Mr. Fhala joined the RIOC
Board—to try to counter the negative impacts on RIOC and its staff created
by the onslaught of unfavorable press. Moreover, there was nothing improper
about the contract: it had gone through a public procurement process based
on responses to a public Request for Proposals. RIOC’s comptroller, director
of procurement, IT director, and legal staff were all aware of and/or
involved in the procurement process. Before the contract was signed, Mr.
Polivy had even encouraged Ms. Robinson and me to counterbalance the
negative press with positive stories. Ms. Christian and Mr. Kraut encouraged
us after the contract was signed. Moreover, the Battery Park City
Authority—RIOC’s sister agency for Battery Park City—had entered into a
similar contract with a similar media firm that has conducted similar work
and no questions had been raised about the propriety of that contract.
Despite this background establishing the propriety of the contract, Mr.
Fhala has attempted to raise suspicions about the contract and used it to
attempt to initiate yet another frivolous investigation into me and Ms.
Robinson. Neither the Chamber nor anyone at RIOC ever took any action to
counter Mr. Fhala’s conduct....
39. Mr. Fhala has also repeatedly “scolded” Ms. Robinson and me and spoken
to us in a condescending, derogatory manner. For example, at a Board meeting
on or about September 14, 2023, Mr. Fhala condescendingly told me and Ms.
Robinson, “May I remind you that you report to us?” He has also written
similar things in emails to us.
43. On or about January 2, 2024, I met with Ms. Christian. She informed me
that she learned that a few days prior to our meeting, Dhruvika Patel Amin
(the current CFO& Vice President) was having trouble accessing
information for the Board regarding confidential overtime records for RIOC
employees. Ms. Christian believed that Ms. Amin was attempting to see if I
received overtime pay during my time as CEO and President (such pay is not
permitted).
44. Also on or about January 2, 2024, I spoke with Mr. Ekpo. He confirmed
his belief that the allegations in the amended complaint are 100 percent
accurate. He also confirmed that Ms. Lopez had instructed Mr. Miskiewicz to
remove observations of racism that were in the first draft of the report...
... 50. I am aware of numerous RIOC staff members and employees who are
terrified about their job security and career opportunities given
Defendants’ unreasonable and targeted treatment of me and Ms. Robinson
following our complaints of discrimination and retaliation....
Though not named as defendants in the lawsuit, Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson
claim in their lawsuit that NY State Senator
Liz Krueger,
NY State Assembly Member
Rebecca Seawright
and
Roosevelt Island Daily
publisher David Stone contributed to a "racist backlash" against them.
The lawsuit also claims that Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson were excluded from
the appointment process of 3 new RIOC Board Members in an attempt to
undermine their authority and "ability to discharge their job functions."
Haynes and Robinson claim the 3 new RIOC board members are antagonistic to
them...
... proceedings held before Judge Katherine Polk Failla: Telephone Conference
held on 1/26/2024. Attorneys Milton L. Williams, Jr. and Jeffrey C. Skinner
representing Plaintiffs present. Attorneys Alan Schoenfeld and Thais R.
Ridgeway representing Executive Chamber Defendants present. Attorney Scott
Todd Baken representing Defendant RIOC. Defendants' opposition to Plaintiffs'
motion for a preliminary injunction is due by 2/5/2024; Plaintiffs' reply is
due by 2/7/2024, 12:00 p.m. Plaintiffs' Second Amended Complaint is due by
1/31/2024; Defendants' time to answer the second amended complaint is stayed
pending further order of the Court. A preliminary injunction hearing is
scheduled for 2/9/2024 at 10:30 a.m.
There will be no Roosevelt Island weekend F Train service to and from
Manhattan beginning February 10 -12 and continuing for the next two weekends of February
17-19 and 24-26....
... Project completion is still slated for Q1, 2024, subject to change....
During the January 24 NY State Joint Budget Hearing on Transportation, Roosevelt Island's NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright asked MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber:
Right now there are two elevators in service. One is out. Many of the residents are people with disabilities.They're not able to walk up and down the stairs for two levels and so I would like to know what the MTA is planning to do to bring some relief for these citizens as well as the F Train shuttle that runes every 20 minutes.
There will be no shuttle service at all in 3 weekends in February. The Tram that services the Island is the same. Residents have been telling me that the line can stretch all the way to 3rd Avenue and it is just not feasible
RIOC has stopped the Red Bus shuttle service on the Island to Manhattan
It doesn't have the capacity to run the shuttle because of the strong demands on the Island. The MTA has been very reluctant to offer adequate supplemental service for the residents. So If you could just address this, I would appreciate it.
According to Mr Lieber:
We are on schedule with completion of the track work in the 63rd Street tunnel....
At yesterday's Joint Budget Hearing on Transportation, I asked MTA Chairman & CEO Janno Lieber about urgently needed elevator, F-Train, and tram repairs, along with service improvements on Roosevelt Island. Watch: https://t.co/o0vjtnjtfdpic.twitter.com/130au8fKTY
— Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright (@SeawrightForNY) January 25, 2024
Watch the full Q&A between Ms Seawright and Mr Lieber.
On Saturday January 20th, Roosevelt Island's
Public Safety Department
(PSD), in conjunction with the
NYPD 114th Precinct, hosted its second 3 on 3 co-ed teen basketball tournament at Sportspark.
With 8 teams
all vying for the gold medal, the games were competitive, hard fought, and
most importantly, fun!
In the preliminary rounds, team “No Hablo Ingles” ran the gambit winning all 7
of their games and securing the #1 seed. The round robin tournament was a much
closer battle, where “No Hablo Ingles” met the well-coached #3 seed “Sweet
Yams” in the gold medal game. In a tightly contested, highly defensive game,
“No Hablo Ingles” squeaked out the win by a mere 2 points to secure the gold
championship medals.
We congratulate Matthew Matias, Noel Perez, and Carmelo Valentine on a job
well done and look forward to hosting more teen tournaments in the
future!
We also would like to give a special thank you to all of the RIOC
departments that made this tournament come to life, including Public Safety,
Communications, Operations, Youth Center, and Sportspark.
All photos by RIOC Director of Communications & Community Affairs Bryant
Daniels and PSD.
Mr Daniels adds:
We hope to host more starting in the Spring, open to both island and
off-island teens. These events are designed to bolster community policing
efforts on the island and help build bonds between island residents and the
corporation, particularly our dedicated PSD Officers.
Watch the action from the Roosevelt Island 3 on 3 Co-ed Teen Basketball
tournament.
We are pleased to welcome you to our annual Black History Month exhibition.
This year we are celebrating “Heroes: Real and Imagined".
The exhibition is curated by Micheline Hess, a Roosevelt Island resident. A comic creator, artist/illustrator and former RIVAA member, Micheline has reached out to artist/cartoonists for portrayals of their heroes from life or those heroes they have imagined and created. The exhibition opens on January 25 and will be on view at RIVAA Gallery, 527 Main Street, until February 11. The opening reception takes place from 5-8 PM on January 27.
A team of Cornell Tech students are developing an online peer-to peer rental
marketplace linking individuals who own underutilized products with those
seeking temporary access to those items. They are seeking Roosevelt Island
residents who would like to participate in a pilot project for testing their
rental marketplace platform.
Millions of homes are choked by idle assets - unused tools gathering dust,
forgotten sporting equipment, clothes long waiting for the next wedding,
appliances yearning for purpose. These possessions not only clutter our
lives but also fuel unnecessary production and waste, burdening the
environment. Meanwhile, many face limited access to these same items, their
occasional use not justifying hefty purchase costs.
RentEasy seeks to
bridge this gap, becoming a digital matchmaker between owners and renters
seeking temporary access. Think of it as the Airbnb for a wide range of
rentals.
Imagine borrowing a drone or a camera for a weekend trip instead of buying a
new one; renting an expensive evening gown for a one-time occasion. Owners
declutter and earn passive income on their idle assets, renters save money
and enjoy wider access, and the environment breathes easier due to reduced
production and waste, creating a win-win-win scenario. This is a chance to
reshape how we interact with resources, embracing a more sustainable future
built on sharing and responsible consumption.
Folks, rather than opting to sell their pre-owned items on platforms like
Facebook or other marketplaces, now have the opportunity to rent them out on
this platform, earning a steady passive income. This innovative approach
allows owners to generate more passive income over time through multiple
rentals, all while retaining ownership of their products. On the other side,
people just needing temporary access to these items can rent them for a
cheaper price instead of buying it.
I am currently pursuing my
Masters of Engineering in Computer Science
at Cornell Tech here
on Roosevelt Island. The online peer-to-peer rental marketplace idea
occurred to me during my quest to rent reasonably priced ice skates for
one-time use. Faced with the challenge of not finding them easily available,
I delved into extensive research and realized the need for a platform to
bridge this gap.
Eager to fulfill my entrepreneurial aspirations, this endeavor aligns
seamlessly with my ambitions, coupled with the invaluable insights gained
from my studies at Cornell Tech. Along with other like-minded friends at
Cornell Tech, including Lakshit Dua, another Indian student pursuing a
Cornell Tech Masters of Engineering in Computer Science, we are collectively
working towards bringing this vision to life, starting with our lovely
Roosevelt Island. The future goal is to establish ourselves as the largest
rental platform ever.
We have developed an initial prototype for this concept and are currently in
the midst of conducting a pilot test. Following this phase, we plan to iterate
towards the final product development, which will incorporate robust payment,
delivery, and protection systems. Notably, the platform is offered completely
free of charge for users to list their products, reflecting our commitment to
promoting resourceful and sustainable living to its utmost potential.
We ask all Roosevelt Island residents to actively participate in this
initiative by listing your products for rent. For a few days, people will only be able to list down their
products and not acquire (rent) them, until there are a good number of
products available.
The process is straightforward: if you have any underutilized asset in your
home, eg. camera, bicycle, or projector, you can easily upload it to the
platform at no cost.
Simply register,
proceed to the listing page, enter basic product details and pricing, and
you're good to go! When someone expresses interest in renting the products
you've listed, they will contact you through the WhatsApp number you
provided during registration.
A Tipster sends in this video taken yesterday morning from Roosevelt Island of a seal swimming in East River near Rainey Park in Long Island City Queens.
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
