Yesterday, the Parks Department, city and state officials, and Joe and Gavin Maloof cut the ribbon to open a new skate park at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Today and tomorrow, the skate park, which features skating elements from all over the city, will host the Maloof Money Cup with skaters competing for a $250,000 in cash and prizes.
The Maloof brothers funded the $1.15 million project through the Adopt-a-Park program and will provide $225,000 for maintenance of the skate park over three years. Joe Maloof said, "New York was first on our list of expansion markets because it’s the headquarters for skateboarding on the East Coast and is home to some of the most iconic skate spots in the world. With the Brooklyn Banks set to close for four years, the timing was perfect for us to bring the Maloof Money Cup to New York City. The skateboarding community is really phenomenal in how open and inclusive they are of everyone." Here's video of Paul Rodriguez, Shane O'Neill, Ishod Wair, Ryan Decenzo and Louie Lopez breaking in the park:
The park, which was built above the old Astral Fountain from the 1964 World's Fair, has "Original Brooklyn Banks 9-stair replica rail; Union Square rail/steps Police Plaza 7-stair rail/various stairs; Ziegfeld ledge; Chrystie Park ledge; Exchange Place street gap; JFK Banks; Con Ed Banks; Pyramid ledges; Flushing Meadows Park ledge-over-the-grate replica." The Parks Department estimates there are 1 million skaters in the five boroughs.
As for the Maloof Money Cup, tickets are free, but were distributed through certain venues around the city (there is a giveaway at the Festival Village, though). You can also watch it via webcast.
