The 2500 Seat Circus, with the Liberty State Park Development Corporation as the middleman, is causing disastrous weekend traffic jams in and around the park.  Liberty State Park may make $150,000 but the circus may make over $20 million. The circus, lasting through Sunday, June 10, is stealing the park's Spring weekends from the people!

    The circus traffic proves again that the Development Corporation, with its yacht marina, private parking lots, eyesore boat yard, and its defeated golf course and water park plans, is the park's and the people's arrogant enemy. Their relationship with the park must be terminated. It is disgusting that the shameful and outrageous weekend traffic disaster, caused by the 2500 seat Circus, is creating terrible delays and frustration for the park's regular users and for the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferry users.

    The circus overwhelms the park on weekends with a 4 PM and 8 PM show on Saturday and a 1 PM plus a 5 PM show on Sunday. The Park Development Corporation president confirmed for Friends president Sam Pesin last Fall that he had gone over the head of the Department of Environmental Protection and quietly got circus permission from Governor Whitman without a input from a single member of the public. The now-departed Governor ordered the DEP to through the approval process. The final paperwork was completed months ago.

    The Development Corporation's president has been proven totally wrong in his ludicrous promise that the circus traffic wouldn't have a negative impact on regular park users and ferry users. Except for a July 4th with fireworks or major free festivals, the circus is causing the worst weekend traffic in the park's history.

    We urge people to send letters about their weekend park experiences to LSP  Superintendent Steve Ellis and to the newspapers (see Media & Officials - menu link to your left) calling for the permanent end of the privileges that are exploited by the "public-be-damned" Development Corporation.

Consequences of the Circus

   1. The Park becomes a huge traffic jam before and after shows, lasting for hours on Sat. and Sun. People wanting to play, picnic, and relax in the park, after a long winter and chilly early Spring, and people going on the Circle Line ferry to see our national shrines are encountering a sea of cars.

    2. On Sunday April 22, Freedom Way, the central north-south road, had to be closed.

    3. The park's shuttle buses and the Central Ave. bus runs are being delayed in traffic.

    4. The loud music from the circus is heard as far away as quiet, residential Paulus Hook and other neighborhoods outside the park. 

    5. The 27th annual Jersey City Cultural Arts/Ethnic Festival which has enjoyed the shelter of CNJRR Terminal for 16 years was been forced to move to JC's Exchange Place where the plaza space was too small to accommodate all the events and exhibitors. As a result, that festival was split into two sections. Therefore, one of half of the festival, more than one-hundred yards away from the plaza itself, was poorly attended.

The Development Corporation's Relationship Must be Terminated.

    The circus must be the last time the Development Corporation interferes with  public access to our open space sanctuary. It is time that Jersey City's new Mayor, Glenn Cunningham, State Sen. Bernard Kenny, Jr., Congressman Robert Menendez, and the candidates for Governor take a stand on abolishing the Development Corp. The new Governor must do the necessary thing of evicting this commercializing and privatizing gang.

Thanks for your support of a free and green park.

Sam Pesin, president
Friends of Liberty State Park