Westchester County approves two Playland contracts

A Westchester County board approved two Playland-related contracts Thursday, including an agreement to pay a consultant up to $100,000 to analyze the park”™s operations and offer recommendations for its future.

Dan Biederman and his Manhattan-based firm, Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corp., had previously been involved with Playland discussions as a consultant to Sustainable Playland Inc., the nonprofit that was chosen to take over day-to-day management of the park. Sustainable walked away from the deal in June amid criticism of its improvement plan and questions about its access to capital.

The county Board of Acquisition and Contract is made up of County Executive Rob Astorino, Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz and Jay Pisco, the commissioner of county public works. That board approved the consulting contract, 2-1, on Aug. 21, with Kaplowitz, a Democrat, voting against the deal, which will conclude with a formal report no later than Nov. 30.

“I feel the cost is too high and I also believe that this additional review of Playland will jeopardize our chances of finding an operating partner for the 2015 season,” Kaplowitz said.

The county executive came into office in 2010, soliciting proposals to “reimagine” Playland, a county-owned park that the administration says runs at annual deficits while it contends with declining attendance and deteriorating infrastructure. In 2012, Astorino, a Republican, chose Sustainable out of a number of bidders that included runners-up Central Amusements International and Standard Amusements Inc., both of which have amusement park management experience. (Central is part of the company that runs Coney Island”™s Luna Park.)

With Sustainable out of the picture, the Board of Legislators wants to enter an agreement with either Central or Standard rather than begin the process anew. Lawmakers are set to meet with representatives from both companies on Sept. 4 to hear their ideas for the park.

Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat, released a statement criticizing the contract with Biederman after previously proposing entering into a joint agreement with both runners-up. He questioned how the new report would differ from the consulting work Biederman undertook as a member of the Sustainable Playland team.

“Westchester doesn”™t need to spend a dime to know that money needs to be invested in updated rides and advertisement,” he said.

The consultant addressed members of the county Board of Legislators”™ Labor, Parks, Planning and Housing Committee last month, saying his work would include suggestions on how to turn Playland into a year-round destination. At that meeting, county parks Commissioner Kathleen O”™Connor said the new contracts were “a great move forward.”

“As we all know, this has been a very difficult conversation and it”™s been going on for years and years and years and not just this summer,” she said.

The Board of Acquisition and Contract also approved a 10-year deal with American Skating Centers L.L.C. to run the Playland Ice Casino. American, which is based in Elmsford, is set to pay $300,000 in its first year, $250,000 the second year and see 2 percent increases each following year. It will also spend $640,000 in capital improvements.

County law says any lease longer than five years needs approval of the full Board of Legislators, but the administration said the deal with American is an asset management agreement and not a lease.