By: Jordan Baker

A long-running and much-loved Brooklyn summer tradition has come to an abrupt halt, leaving roller disco fans across the city dismayed. Dreamland Roller Disco, a vibrant weekly event known for its music, costumes, and inclusive atmosphere, has been removed from the calendar at Prospect Park’s Le Frak Center at Lakeside – where it had rolled on every summer Friday night for more than a decade.

The event’s founder, Lola Star, said she was forced to pull out after refusing to accept a proposed 50% pay cut from the venue’s new operator, Ekstein Development Group. According to a Change.org petition to save the disco – which has already gained over 1,200 signatures – the disagreement with the new management has left the beloved tradition in limbo.

“It was like a three-ring circus – it was a vibe and energy that I honestly have not seen anywhere else,” longtime attendee and skate guard Billy Tyler Smith told the New York Post. “They were my other family.”

The $74 million renovation of the Le Frak Center was unveiled this past weekend, but the roller disco was notably absent from the facility’s summer programming – to the dismay of many longtime participants.

Scott Lindeman, who has attended with his wife since 2015, told the Post, “It blows my mind that they would throw something away like that. People are going to lose out on one of the greatest social events that occurred every Friday night.”

Lola Star claimed to the Post that the pay dispute may have been retaliation. She said she previously raised concerns about safety at the rink, including understaffing, poor security, and dangerous debris. “When it would rain, they wouldn’t want to cancel the event because they didn’t want to lose money,” she said. “But water from the rain would blow onto the rink and be slippery.”

The Prospect Park Alliance, a nonprofit that co-manages the park, confirmed to the Post that it intends to rotate roller disco producers in the future. “We attempted to engage in good faith with Lola Star to bring back the Dreamland Disco, but at every step she has made this untenable,” the Alliance stated.

Star fired back, saying she was dismissed after a July meeting with the new operators, who “demanded to see our financial history – despite our proven success – and said their accounting department would decide if and how Dreamland would be allowed to return.”

Now, Star says she is actively scouting new venues to revive Dreamland elsewhere. Meanwhile, supporters are voicing strong opposition to what they see as a major cultural loss.

“It’s classic ‘penny wise, pound foolish’ business practices,” said Smith. “New York City cannot lose Lola. She’s majorly responsible for the popularity of roller skating and its slow resurgence.”

The future of Dreamland Roller Disco remains uncertain, but the community’s outpouring of support may help keep the wheels turning.