The Westchester County Board of Legislators isn”™t waiting for an outside consultant”™s report before reigniting the debate over hiring an outside company to manage county-owned Playland Park in Rye.
Two months ago, a deal fell apart that would have handed over day-to-day operations of the park to nonprofit Sustainable Playland Inc., which was chosen in 2012 by County Executive Rob Astorino out of several companies that bid to “reimagine” Playland. When SPI and Astorino cut ties, the county executive announced the hiring of consultant Dan Biederman to analyze the business operations of the park and offer recommendations this fall.
The commissioning of a report meant that Astorino, a Republican who is running for governor in November, would not float a new management deal until after the election. He said he was still committed to the goal of turning Playland, a 280-acre seasonal park, into a year-round destination.
“The math is simple,” he said. “More days and more activities mean more dollars to defray costs to taxpayers and invest in preserving the traditions of Playland.” The administration has said Playland is facing declining attendance, deteriorating art deco infrastructure and yearly operating losses. Astorino”™s office said Playland lost $4.3 million in 2013.
County lawmakers are now looking to meet Sept. 4 with the two runners-up to SPI, with the potential of a new deal signed in time for the 2015 Playland season. Those runners-up are Central Amusements Inc. and Standard Amusements L.L.C., both of which have amusement park experience. The meeting means legislators and the company will meet before Biederman”™s report is finalized.
Deirdre Curran, a Port Chester resident and member of the anti-SPI group Save Playland, said the group was moving forward with an “open mind and optimistic attitude.” SPI was formed by a group of Rye residents for the sole purpose of taking over management of the park and the opposition questioned its level of experience and access to the needed capital. SPI”™s plan to build a year-round, 82,500-square-foot field became a rallying cry for Save Playland”™s members. Curran said the group had always maintained the runners-up were preferable due to their experience, access to capital and commitment to the amusement park function of the park.
“They both endeavor to bring the park back to success without any permanent behemoth construction projects such as SPI”™s now-defunct Field Zone,” she said. “So if the county has indeed reached the point that they no longer feel it”™s practicable for the county to run the park itself, we would welcome a good management contract if that”™s what will help Playland.”
Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat and rival of the county executive, has proposed skipping the review process altogether and signing a joint lease with Central and Standard. Jenkins had previously sued the county executive and looked to void the management deal with SPI. He withdrew that suit early this month after SPI backed out of the management deal officially in July.
Although it was unclear how the two companies”™ plans would be merged into one, or even if they would be receptive to a joint venture, Jenkins said in a news release he expected they could 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. An email to Jenkins seeking further clarification of his proposal was not immediately answered.
As the county takes up the process again, on the horizon may be a continued standoff with the city of Rye government. Although Playland is county owned, the city in a strongly worded letter from an environmental attorney, asserted its authority over any proposed construction at the park. The city said it, not the county, should be lead agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, known as SEQRA. That would mean any proposal the county accepts could eventually be reviewed by Rye officials.
City Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, was asked by the Business Journal about Rye”™s involvement in the process moving forward. “I would withhold comment on any proposals at this time,” he said. “However, the city will as necessary continue to assert its rights under SEQRA.”
