New York, New York
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This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on October 22, 2046.
“New York” and “New York City” redirects here. For other uses, see Old New York.
New York, New York is the largest amusement park of its kind in the world. The park is located on a fifty-acre man-made island off the coast of Old Manhattan. Owned and operated by Zephyr Creations, the park complex first opened in 2026 under the direction of creator and tech entrepreneur Malovis Zephyr. It is the largest theme park in the world and the most visited North American park since its opening.
History [ edit ]
Twenty years ago, Malovis Zephyr had the unfortunate experience of standing on a corner around Washington Square Park after giving a talk about entrepreneurship at NYU called “From Loft to Launch,” referring to the Tribeca loft where he started his first company. He had just sold said company and was overwhelmed by the surplus of time and lack of obligations that encapsulated the life of an unemployed, recently minted billionaire. He spent a few months hopping around tropical islands, rubbing shoulders with his fellow billionaires on yachts in the Mediterranean, and just living the life of a wealthy playboy, which he learned was not the life for him. He was also discovering, during this circuit around elite higher education institutions, that academia was also not his calling.
Feeling driftless on that corner as he waited for his driver, a disheveled man approached him, asking for spare change. Zephyr, who suffered from mysophobia and found physical money revolting, explained he had no cash. As he spoke, he acknowledged the man with genuine interest, his hyperactive mind playing out all of the scenarios that would lead a person to this outcome, presumably poor and homeless. Scenarios that looked like scenes from The Wire, which was one of Zephyr’s favorite shows of all time. It was genuinely fascinating to him, all of the ways a person could fuck up their life to end up in these dire circumstances, begging for a pittance that would not have even registered as a rounding error in comparison to Zephyr’s amassed wealth.
Lost in these thoughts, Zephyr was shocked when the man interrupted him by coughing up and catapulting an impressive amount of mucus and spit right onto his face. He shuddered with disgust, wiping the slime off with the cuff of his dress shirt as the man shuffled away. Looking around, pedestrians avoided his gaze and a group of college students sitting on a nearby bench continued their animated conversation without pause. A fat filthy rat scuttled across the sidewalk past his feet and into a nearby bush. In that moment, Zephyr wished for a sanitized version of New York, one without beggars and rodents, one that represented the luxury and power evoked by massive skyscrapers and prestige establishments that charged hundreds of dollars for a plate. And in that wish, he discovered his next project, a utopia that could replicate all of the right elements that made up this city he once loved and called home.
This incident was the germ that created New York, New York.
Zephyr turned his limitless attention to conceptualizing this idea. He needed a location with a blank slate to erect this world, a new New York. He assembled a roster of scouters tasked with discovering the right real estate, unsullied land that would fit the park’s needs, and as he would later surmise, a government that would say yes. Greenland was pitched as a potential location, but the weather was too cold and the barren region was too inaccessible, plus the liberal government had stomped out any hope of a deal. He became determined to create his world from scratch, but the logistics continued to present an obstacle. For a while, he entertained the idea of a space park, but the cost-benefit analysis didn’t add up.
Then, at a fundraising event for cleaner oceans, listening to a biological oceanographer present grim projections of the loss of clean water in the next fifty years, Zephyr saw it: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, floating effortlessly in the middle of nowhere, sucking up everything in its path. As Zephyr stared at the aerial video of the trash vortex he envisioned the imposing New York City skyline on top of it: his New York, New York.
This vision led him to the idea of a man-made island off the coast of Manhattan where, in proximity to the real thing, his cleaner, superior version of New York could turn its nose to its dilapidated predecessor. He sought out an acquaintance, Robert Bragg, a foremost expert in mining Rare Earth Elements (REE), to learn about fabricating land mass from nothing. With this knowledge he employed a fleet of pitmen to source the bedrock and materials that would shape the fifty-acre island.[1] Once the plans and resources were in place, the island was constructed in a remote, confidential location in just over a year.
Getting the project officially greenlit still posed another challenge. He was subjected to countless evenings schmoozing with city politicians and their cronies, forced to wade through the seedy underbelly of local politics, feeling like a character in a video game going through the motions until the real showdown with the Final Boss. This meeting finally came during the tail end of a disastrous mayoral campaign when New York City’s sitting Mayor, running for a second term, was discovered to be collaborating with a foreign government in return for fully-paid lavish vacations in Dubai.
Upon this news, Zephyr only needed to wait for the call. They arranged to meet at a discreet location in New Jersey where the disgraced Mayor tucked his tail between his legs and listened to Zephyr’s grand plan, less a pitch and more a ramble. Zephyr knew, from the moment the New York Post broke the Mayor’s bribery story, he had it in the bag.
Zephyr, pacing around the room, spoke freely, “I mean, if you ask me, New York should have been charging an admission fee from the very beginning. All those folks arriving at Ellis Island for free? Missed opportunity.”
The Mayor nodded, thinking about his much-needed vacation after this election was over. He asked some logistical questions but kept it brief. He knew how to strike a bargain, this is what made him a successful politician after all. Before taking his leave, the Mayor assured Zephyr the official paperwork would follow once his second term was announced. Now all Zephyr had to do was ensure his re-election.
Later, community organizers who opposed the project accused the Mayor of accepting campaign donations from Zephyr and several City Council members resigned in disgrace. There was leaked information to the press about suspected bribery and corruption. However, the Attorney General determined there was no probable cause for an indictment and New York, New York was given full approval by the city. Touted as an amusement park and homage to the Empire State that would bring in even more tourism and create jobs, the news was even welcomed by NYC residents depleted from recession after recession, trapped in the ever-growing gap of the city’s income inequality.
On October 3, 2024, Zephyr watched from the Intrepid, along with thousands of protesters and climate activists gathered at Pier 1, as the fifty-acre island arrived at its location off the coast of Manhattan. The island was shipped in ten different parts and re-assembled on the spot. The giant pieces looked like mythical sea monsters in the bay, and like an artificial Pangaea were clicked into place like an enormous puzzle. Official photos to commemorate the event showed Zephyr smoking a cigar, which was for show; he detested smoking but understood the power of the image, and shaking hands with the corrupt officials who had helped him engineer his masterpiece.
During the demonstrations, an altercation broke out between protesters and police, resulting in 1 fatality and 63 injured. As protestors rioted, Zephyr’s bodyguards ushered him to shelter inside the Intrepid. Paparazzi photographed Zephyr before he descended into the aircraft carrier’s pit looking back at Pier 1 and smiling as the NYPD began deploying tear gas to break up the crowd. Zephyr later sued the cameraman for false light and issued a statement in which he expressed his regret regarding any loss of life his theme park may have caused.
Construction of the park’s facilities was completed in just over a year and the amusement park held its grand opening on New Year’s Eve 2026. The exclusive event marked the occasion of Zephyr becoming the world’s first trillionaire and was attended by world leaders, including the 47th President of the United States, A-list celebrities, and more than half of the world’s billionaires.
During the festivities, Zephyr escaped to the park’s replica of Washington Square Park and stood under the reconstructed arch, thinking back to that encounter years ago which had sparked the very idea of New York, New York. He looked around at the cleaner, more pristine version of this landmark he had created, one that visitors would pay nearly three hundred dollars a ticket to access while the original park languished in Old Manhattan. He hawked up a wad of phlegm and spit that hurtled to the recently concreted ground, leaving a dark stain, and then returned to the party.
In a 2034 New York Times interview, Zephyr stated he had recouped the $1 billion invested into building the theme park within two years of operation.
Park layout and attractions [ edit ]
Visitors are ferried from Old Manhattan’s Pier 1 to the island on technologically advanced boats outfitted to mimic the steamships that descended on Ellis Island in the 20th century. Similarly, the island’s visitor center is styled like Ellis Island’s old immigrant inspection and processing station. The real Statue of Liberty is less than 2 miles to the west of the island’s ferry terminal.
Zephyr previously described his desire to replicate New York City “without all the garbage.”[2] The island’s mice are farm-raised, and the industrial garbage bags heaped together on the city streets are stuffed with tissue paper, “just for show.” In a GQ Magazine interview, the entrepreneur proclaimed:
Tourists no longer need to brave the rat-infested, garbage-strewn streets to experience the ‘real’ New York City. Why waste time commuting on the decrepit subway, forced to endure train delays, track fires, sick passengers, and the drug-addled, to see Times Square or Central Park? Now you can just hop on a trolley ride and see both at the same time. Want to see the World Trade Center, both renditions? There they are side by side, the Twin Towers and One World Trade Center. [3]
The island has an intricate trolley system that takes passengers across all five “boroughs” of the park, representing the five boroughs of New York City. Visitors may cross the New Brooklyn Bridge into New Brooklyn, where they can experience all the best parts of trendy neighborhoods like Dumbo, Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and Park Slope in a twenty block radius. In New Queens, visitors may enjoy the best Indian cuisine in Jackson Heights or see a replica of the Unisphere. See also: List of New York, New York’s replicas.
In a recent survey [4], visitors stated the layout was “convenient” and the replicas were “realer than the real thing” because they were not inundated with the inconveniences of real people or real problems.
Approximately 300 actors live and work on the island, impersonating Wall Street bros [5], Brooklyn hipsters [6], historical figures, and celebrities. Literary enthusiasts may spend a night in Greenwich Village with the Beatniks or dine with Edgar Allan Poe. American entertainer Jennifer Lopez (the real one) has an artist residency in New Bronx replete with nightly shows at New Yankee Stadium.
Visitors can also purchase exclusive packages to rent the island out for celebrations and nuptials. Packages include lodging at one of the park’s five star hotels, a lavish party space at the trendy club Avant-Garden, actors to party with, and entertainment provided by DJ Void, the internationally recognized A.I. artist responsible for platinum songs like the artificially manufactured EDM track of a Biggie Smalls and Frank Sinatra duet, “Come Smoke With Me,” commissioned by an e-cigarette company.
Many of Old New York’s iconic establishments decamped to New York, New York in the early years of operation, rebranding themselves with the “New” moniker or a similar variation: New Plaza Hotel, Nu Momofuku Ko, Nouveau Tiffany’s. The migration of businesses has posed financial challenges for Old New York, with the city filing for bankruptcy in 2032.
The island’s properties and infrastructure are operated and maintained efficiently by a fleet of well-paid engineers and tradesmen. In 2038, Zephyr incited criticism when he posted on Rizz [7] that the park “ran better than a Scandinavian city.”
There has never been a credible report of crime on the island. [8]
Petition to become 53rd state [ edit ]
In 2039, Zephyr petitioned for New York, New York to become the 53rd state of the United States. Zephyr submitted the bylaws of New York, New York’s Board of Directors as its proposed state constitution.
The bylaws were rejected by the Senate, and Zephyr subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, who determined a Board of Directors’ bylaws could not serve as the basis of a republican form of government, which requires elected officials to exercise that power.
Zephyr subsequently promised to fund the election campaigns for every member of the Board.
As of 2046, no board members are qualified to appear on a general election ballot.
Zephyr’s ouster [ edit ]
In October 2046, Zephyr Creations issued a press release announcing Malovis Zephyr would be stepping down from his role as CEO. The news came after a bizarre string of public accusations Zephyr made against a security robotics firm called Android Cops on the social media site Rizz.
Zephyr accused the firm of trying to extort his company and protecting an employee who was blackmailing him directly. The company was responsible for a fleet of robots the park had piloted over a year ago to monitor the park grounds. The androids’ A.I. system was trained by the NYPD and marketed as the next big thing in personal security, even better than humans as their metal exteriors could deflect bullets. The five-foot androids looked like a robot waiter you would find serving restaurant patrons, except they came equipped with guns.
The evening before the announcement, Zephyr stood in his penthouse overlooking Old New York Bay and the park’s ferry terminal, the Statue of Liberty winking in the further distance. If he squinted his eyes, he could even make out the visitors queueing for the ferry at Pier 1, a string of dots across the horizon like an army of ants marching to their colony.
Zephyr turned away to look around the penthouse one final time, getting a near 360-degree view of New York, New York through the condo’s double-plated floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside, the magic hour was approaching and guests would be lining up on the pier to snap shots of the Manhattanhenge visible from the park’s entrance. It was his idea to design the street grid leading to and from the ferry so that when the sun aligned with the buildings at sunset, it would create that picturesque moment.
He still did not know where it all went wrong. The backlash from the public, the stakeholders seizing power, the fucking trigger-happy robot that had started it all. If he had never brokered that contract with Android Cops, he would have never been dethroned.
Progress and innovation is a double-headed hungry beast. After twenty years of Zephyr feeding it, initiating groundbreaking infrastructure that made countries envy an amusement park, the beast was now devouring him. He stood in his minimalist $300-million-dollar condo surrounded by floating dust particles exposed by a beam of light and for the first time in his fifty-odd years of life, felt defeated.
He took the elevator fifty-two flights down and exited the building, immediately flanked by an entourage of bodyguards on either side who escorted him to a private boat on the pier. As he was about to cross the boarding step onto the vessel, he heard a child cry out and looked up. A little boy had dropped his half-eaten hot dog on the ground and was on the verge of throwing a fit. The mother quickly scooped him up and the boy pounded her shoulders as she carried him away. Zephyr stared at the food waste now littering the park, thinking about how irresponsible the parents were to not even pick it up and discard it in one of the proper garbage cans strategically placed around the pier.
He was reminded, once again, that he had created this beautiful world to share with people, and in return they took it for granted, treated it like a playground when it was a work of art, a testament to mankind’s boundless ingenuity and resourcefulness. His ingenuity and resourcefulness. And now he was being pushed out, his throne usurped by a board of greedy men who could never share his foresight or imagination, but would reap the rewards nonetheless.
He was filled with a renewed sense of hatred as he finally stepped onto the boat. A hatred, with his genius, that could rival that progressive beast. He could feel the thing forming, the inkling of an idea that would become tangible and massive–just beyond the horizon–He could sense the power, could feel the idea wrestling to come out. He wasn’t a one trick pony. He’d already made a billion before New York, New York was even a thought. He was a titan of the future. He would rise again like a phoenix, and when he returned, he wouldn’t cede any power to board members or the public or even the government. He would be his own sovereign.
The engine roared and they departed the dock, the cold bay water spraying in their wake. On the boat’s deck, he stood between the two New Yorks, back to the old city, staring at the moneyed city he had erected from nothing. The imposing skyline was silhouetted by the setting sun; replicas of the nation’s man-made feats resembling tentacles reaching up to expunge the clouds. At that moment, the city looked breathtaking, and grotesque, all at once.
References [ edit ]
[1] Where these materials actually came from, no one knows.
[2] “Not Just an Amusement: ‘New York, New York’ is the real New York” New York Times, 2026.
[3] “Brave New World: Trillionaire Zephyr Malovis talks about his new theme park and a new reality” GQ Magazine, 2026.
[4] Visitor Survey, 2038.
[5] slang term for a man who works in the financial industry.
[6] subculture of people known for their independent thinking, counterculture values, and affinity for vintage clothing and beanie hats.
[7] Social media site.
[8] In June 2045, an eighteen-year-old named Ignacio Morales was discovered drowned in the New Gowanus Canal after attending an exclusive birthday party on the island. The investigation determined Ignacio, who had drugs in his system, accidentally drowned. Footage of an altercation gone wrong involving the teen and one of the park’s security robots captured on an iPhone 314 was shared widely but determined to be fabricated. Zephyr Creations covered the funeral expenses and worked with the teen’s school to create a scholarship in their name.
Subrina Moorley is an Indo-Caribbean fiction writer born and raised in NYC. Her work explores first-generation experiences and themes like late capitalism, colonial legacies, and displacement/arrival. She will be joining the MFA program for Poets & Writers at UMass Amherst in fall 2026. You can find her online at @subrinamoorley (Instagram) or subrinamoorley.substack.com.
Image: Planet Volumes, unsplash.com
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