Just two months after Westchester County scrapped an agreement to hand over day-to-day management of Playland to a nonprofit, one lawmaker is proposing to lease the county-owned park to two amusement park operators.
Sustainable Playland Inc., a Rye-based nonprofit, had formed for the sole purpose of bidding on managing the park. It entered a management agreement with Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, who sought private management of the park after years of what the executive characterized as declining attendance and increasing deficits.
SPI and the county nixed the deal after an extended review process that saw scrutiny on SPI”™s improvement plans for the park, which included the construction of an 82,500-square-foot field house as part of an effort to transform the seasonal park into a year-round destination. Residents questioned SPI”™s financials and whether it had the ability and capital to manage the Playland enterprise.
Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat, announced Friday he had withdrawn a lawsuit that contested the deal between the county and SPI. Jenkins had said the agreement with SPI needed approval of the county Board of Legislators because it exceeded five years. With SPI having voluntarily terminated the contract, Jenkins said on Friday he had withdrawn his lawsuit.
Jenkins is now proposing that the county board vote to sign a lease with the two runners-up to SPI: Central Amusements Inc. and Standard Amusements L.L.C. Both companies bid in 2010 to manage the park but were passed over in favor of SPI. Jenkins said he hoped the proposal would be referred to legislative subcommittees at the board”™s Sept. 8 meeting.
The legislator said the two companies would invest $25 million into the park and pay $3 million total per year in rent. “I am hopeful that this legislation can be considered and adopted in time to positively impact the 2015 County Budget,” he said in a statement.
