A new building housing the New York Aquarium had been constructed west of the Cyclone in 1954. New York City decided that an extension to the New York Aquarium would be a better use of the Cyclone property in 1967, and the city began procedures to claim the property by eminent domain. Its owners, East Coaster Corporation, unsuccessfully fought the city; they did minimal long-term maintenance, enough to keep the ride operating safely. The city bought the Cyclone for $1.2 million in 1969.