3 new rides approved for Cocoa Beach Pier

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — The Cocoa Beach Board of Adjustment voted Wednesday to allow three new rides to be constructed at the Cocoa Beach Pier.

The move didn’t come without detractors, though, who worried that noise, lights and traffic could affect residents in the area.

“We don’t want to see our property values go down because of carnival rides,” one person said during Wednesday’s meeting.

Westgate Resorts owns the pier, which has undergone a $4 million renovation, and asked for a special exception for the rides – a carousel, a spinning ride called The Tornado, and a “Drop ‘n Twist.”

Considering the state of the pier before the renovation, other residents were fine with the addition of the rides.

“They used to smoke weed (there), now you’re worried about a few rides?” one person asked.

Westgate Resorts spokesman Brian Siegel said he was glad to see the board approve the request.

“I’m excited to see what we’re doing at the pier,” he said. “Cleaning it up and making the improvements and betterments that are needed.”

The rides could be up and running within the next few months, Siegel said.

The exception limits the hours of operation for the rides to between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. and prohibits them from playing music.

Cox Media Group