Goodbye Empire

[stickypop1000]

Growing up in bed stuy this was our sat recreation & now that im older its ashame that todays teens have noplace to vent ,no after school centers ,no boy's & girls clubs nothing at all

it's sad to say but new york is not the place to raise a family anymore

im stereo from kingston park & brooklyn used to be in the house

[JaayBoo100]

what is this song

[ChuloBadGuy]

I really wanted to knock that nigga the fuck out @ 3:29. The older God trying to teach the little homie about the history of the spot he kicking it at & he wanna talk side ways saying "Why should I" when he asked him if he knew about the movie that was filmed there back in the day.

[bklynchicka994]

SMFH! Bring it back!

[MrBMoreFitness]

it really sucks that i neva had the pleasure to experience this place because I understand that if you love to skate then this WAS THE PLACE and I really feel like kicking myself in the azz right about now. :(

also who know the name of this house song that be playing in this video from 0:01 - 0:43?

[LamontDaGrizzly]

I have'nt been to empire since 1989. That floor gave me alot of bruises until i got it right. One of the places i think about when i think about BK. Shame, these kids today missed out. RIP EMPIRE.

[QWILDER]

Don't Take this video Posting EVER! This is a WONDERFUL! Video!!

I STILL HAVE MY SKATES!!... Waiting to put them on! I put on my first skates at 5 years old, at the EMPIRE. (what was my parents thinking?)

[bklynchicka994]

I always had fun but never knew how to skate lol but I always went hoping to learn. People say it's not fun if u didn't know how to skate but that's BULLSHIT! Go with the right people you would have so much fun! I learned how to skate for like 5 min than forgot lol I bet I would of been a pro now if they would of kept it open =( smh, I miss it!

[Tyquan1996]

DAMN the memories in dis place.I still remember ma lil sis dancin on the last day it wuz open lolz

[musicmylove]

I'm so pissed....all these black athletes, rappers, singers hollering they love ny and can't take a little of the money they use to make it rain on strippers to save a historic landmark they wouldn't let the apollo close...not as prestigious i know but so important to history of NY. I'm pissed. My mom and dad met here in the late 70's to make me an 80's baby who spent the late 90's and 2000's here. Sooooo f-ing Mad I have soooooo many memorable experiences from this place. It just sucks.

[GoldnBrown90]

i miss empire :(

they coulda saved it..

[myles3070]

my father loved that place

[mcneilall]

aww man this vid. really hurts...i hope yall found another sk8 rink...

corporate america is a trip...its like they dont want black ppl and our children to go to a place just to have a good time...

[wwwRollerFunkcom]

This place was much, much more than a roller rink. This place was a piece of American culture so great, that it can never be replaced. This place was history and one day the greatness that it represented will be fully appreciated. Rest in peace Empire. I'm proud to say that I got the chance to grace your floors, and to the many landmarks that still stand around the country,....don't ever let them do it again.

[mcneilall]

i ran across this vid while lookin for jb vids. & i too think its sooo unfortunate for this place to go & ive never even been..if someone took my sk8 rink..me and thousands would raise cain! lol....is there any other rink around that yall can skate at?

[wwwRollerFunkcom]

Well you know skaters have to get their roll on and many of the die hard skaters from the Empire skate in New Jersey right now at Branch Brook Park, however a few places have opened in Brooklyn and Staten Island but they can never replace the "feel" of the Empire.

[nicoleayanna]

i went to empire one time from the bronx,,and liked the atmosphere there...it doesn't make sense to close it for storage though !!

[elbartoman24]

Great video, very well done, but very sad. Did you take the photos that were in it?

[laughing001]

15 yrs ago, on sundayz i lied 2 my parentz said i was going 2 church wit my frndz just 2 skate.They were strict LOL.

[inikoq89]

Wow I grew up in da rink started out on sunday afternoons in the 70s then 80s on wendsday nights. Thanks dj Bob and big Mike man when my money is right Ill open a skating rink.Soon God Bless Wayne C.

[Star4u1201]

Damn, I miss this rink.. I used to go there like EVERY weekened and just skate w/ my friends and have fun.. I loved that place

[smoothshop]

Ayo i'll keep empire wit me and we will ghost skate!!! I wasnt happy to watch this...PEACE 1-ROLL!

[kanee97]

Why did they close it??

[kanee97]

aaaw i never even been there and im feeling sory for it...why they close it?

[civitron]

I'm sorry it took me this long to see this. There was a roller skating rink in nb a while back, "Hot Wheels". And yeah. It was hot. It shut down for a while before I started high school and we all started wondering what there was for kids to do. Now, I'm not saying it was a cultural land mark, like Empire but it was something for kids to do. I'm sure there were security problems. Everyone's got those. But all in all it was a place for kids to stay out of trouble. Now what? The mall?

[traquanslova1]

damn man i when dare all the time after school mi mom went dare all the time when she waz little

[LilAloni93]

OMG! I didn't know they closed Empire down. I used to live in Brooklyn and I used to love going there. Wow...

[Dressage65]

Wow! I saw this and didn't know they actually closed this place down.

I am from the Jersey shore area and I even know this place.  I regret never trying to make it up there to skate; shame on me for thinking it will always be there when I ever did get the chance.

Well they closed up most of the very good rinks here in Jersey also. All for the almighty STORAGE SPACE! Bloomberg you are a jerk for allowing this! You're crap. Money made you a puppet once again!

What a jerk he is!

[bfbab53]

I realy feel for you guys! 4 skating rinks closed down where I live and now I got no where to go ! It's like you lost your best friend and you can not do any thing about it! Sorry

[paleoroundtable]

Yes the drive in's are mostly gone too along with cowboys and pretty much everything else that was once Americana. Now just gangsters and rap artists are left for the most part controlling the march of endless immigration.

[Superbizzee]

I truly missed out...never been to Empire or Skate Key...anybody know of any other skate spots in NYC that spins R&B, funk, soul, and house?

[Bdiva21]

Damn I'm sad...empire holds so many memories for me...got me thinking about my childhood...i remember it before they renovated it...damn

[ajandjj4lyfe]

i remember when i was little mt friend had a bday party and at that ticket games thing i won like 1000

[lizakaempire]

omg..i miss empire

[lizakaempire]

I LOVE EMPIRE .I HATE TO SEE IT GO

[jimmyjam2270]

im 38 yrs old im crying my eyes out im from buffalo n.y. we had u,s,a, here it was the best times of my life i worked at 2 rinks this is america 100% we need to bring it back

[mickeycocoa]

I WAS SUPPOSED 2 B there THAT NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!! but i couldn't make it.... RIP EMPIRE

[prettydymeray]

yo datz real fuckked dis is history..

[roxychild]

thanks for doing this. so sad. wheres the family at now?

[alilpiggy4u]

so sad 2 c it go..... BK Allday

[jokernalyd]

Ruined my day.

[Mysterwright]

Bloomberg is ashamed of his last name. That's how shit like this happens. :'(

[poppykook]

I thought Mayor Bloomberg was a mayor of the people in the Big Apple...and now he's closing a roller rink! How will the inner city kids stay safe now that the rink's closed? Shame on you, Bloomberg!

[jfizz313]

i hate skatin in new york muthafikas stop in the middle of the floor and stand der

[michelewellington]

Thanks for sharing this with me. A sad but important story to share. Well done.

[chaimsl]

And the original one at that. The last one in New York City.... Goodbye Empire....

[johnfarnel]

:( Sadness.

[cannotcook]

So sad to see yet another skating rink close.