HispanicBusiness

Aug. 31--SEASIDE HEIGHTS -- The party has finally ended for the "Jersey Shore" crew.

MTV announced Thursday that the show is being canceled and its final season will premiere Oct. 4, according to a network news release. The show was taped in Seaside Heights for four of its six seasons. No reason was given by the network for the showing being canceled.

During the past couple of years, members of the reality show's cast have branched out into different projects, including Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi's and Jennifer "Jwoww" Farley's "JWoww & Snooki" MTV show, which is taping now in nearby Manchester.

Local business and borough coffers have benefited from the show taping in Seaside.

Brett Kinstler of Toms River is the manager of Beach Paradise on the borough boardwalk.

"Jersey Shore not coming back will be a positive thing as a homeowner in Toms River but from a business standpoint it will affect us and impact our business in a big way. A lot of the slogans we sell are directly from the show," he said.

Kinstler's store carries T-shirts with slogans such as "Daddy's Lil Situation" and many items with the slogan "Jersey Shore."

"The impact that they have had on the area is amazing," said John Saaddy, owner of the Karma and Bamboo night clubs in Seaside Heights. The two clubs where popular night spots for the cast.

"When they would be here to film, they have a crew of between a 140 and a 150 people with them," Saaddy said. "Everyone has benefited from the cast being here."

During its six seasons from 2009 to 2012, the reality show detailed the lives, and partying, of eight people living in the same house in Seaside Heights. The group wrapped up taping for this upcoming season's show in early July.

"After the show aired (each season), then they would contact us if they were planning on taping again," said John Camera, borough business administrator. "If it's over, it's been a nice run."

The borough garnered $1.97 million in parking and beach revenue in 2008 before the first season was aired and about $2.96 million in 2010 and 2011, borough records show.

"The show has provided the borough with free advertising that the borough could never afford," Camera said. "Overall its been a positive, after the first season of taping, we saw a 20 percent increase in beach and parking revenue. It has helped out tourism business."

Michael Graichen, borough public affairs director, was sporting a yellow shirt Thursday with the words "Jersey Shore" when he gave his reaction to the show's cancellation.

"Whether you liked them or not, they helped put Seaside Heights on the map. We will miss them. I'm sure if the ratings come out in October fairly high, some other station will pick them up," he said. "One of my jobs for the borough is to review the special applications for shoot locations that come in town. Since Jersey Shore has been here we've had a major film filmed in town."

Cast members have had their share of issues during their time in Seaside Heights. In June, Deena Nicole Cortese, 25, was arrested on disorderly conduct charge. Cortese was later fined $33.

Polizzi, 24, was arrested in July 2010 and faced charges of disorderly conduct and public nuisance, and annoying others on a public beach. She was sentenced to community service and fined $500.

Cast member Ronald "Ronnie" Ortiz-Magro, 26, also faced criminal charges in Seaside Heights. During the filming of the first season in 2009, Ortiz-Magro was charged with assaulting a Berkeley man outside a Seaside Heights nightclub and was later admitted into a pretrial intervention program.

On Thursday, Steven Poole of Point Pleasant joined his cousin Dominic Toresco of Flemington and his sons Dominic Jr., 15 and Frankie, 14, in stopping by the beach house used for the show.

Poole, who owns property in the borough, said he was not a fan of the Jersey Shore show, but it provides a good lesson for Dominic Jr. and Frankie.

"When they see the show, they know they don't want to grow up like that," he said.

Maritza Rodriguez and Marinelly Adames, both of Jersey City, also were planning a stop at the Jersey Shore beach house Thursday afternoon.

"We came to take a picture of the house," Rodriguez said. "We are sad that we won't see Snooki on the show with the baby. We love the show."

___

(c)2012 the Asbury Park Press (Neptune, N.J.)

Visit the Asbury Park Press (Neptune, N.J.) at www.app.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services