The park is a fixture on the Coney Island boardwalk, best known for the Cyclone, its wooden roller coaster ride and the Wonder Wheel, a seaside landmark. Astroland's 22 rides and three game arcades provided jobs for up to 300 people. 

The amusement park was a family venture. In 2006, its owners, Jerome and Carol Albert, sold the land to real-estate developer Thor Equities for about $30 million. The Alberts had retained rights to operate the park, but disagreements over terms of the lease and worries about the developer's ultimate plans for the site led to Astroland's demise. 

Carol Albert said she was forced to close permanently on Sunday because the real-estate firm refused to meet to discuss her lease, which expires at the end of this year. She says an answer was imperative, since she was waiting to order equipment for repairs and also wanted to give her employees an answer about their future.

"I had indicated there would come a day that I would have to form a deadline and I did, and there was no response to the deadline. So we had to end the park and move out before the lease is up," she said.

The men and women who collect tickets and operate the rides at Astroland said they were devastated to learn it would be closing. Gloria Aviles, the chief of a fire-engine ride popular with young children, has worked there for the past eight years. 

"We are like a family. I'm going to miss this," she said.