The Excelsior Amusement Park was built partly on former private land belonging to James I. Wyer, replacing a lawn, tennis courts, and large vegetable gardens. Fred Pearce, known as Mr. Roller Coaster, proposed the amusement park to the Village Council, which approved it in 1924, and he opened it on Decoration Day in 1925. Pearce spent $250,000 to open the park to a crowd of 250,000 people. Its attractions included the Roller Coaster, Merry Go Round, Electric Scooters, Dodge'm Cars, a Ferris Wheel, the Pretzel, speedboat rides, a miniature train, a penny arcade, food, and more. The park covered about 5.5 acres, hosted many school picnics, and often offered free rides for good grades. Across Excelsior Boulevard stood Big Reggie's Danceland, where the Rolling Stones played in 1964. The park closed in 1973, and by 2017 much of its former land was occupied by the Excelsior Bay Gables, its tennis courts, Maynard's Restaurant, and the BayView Event Center, while an office building stood across Excelsior Boulevard where Danceland had once entertained thousands.