After a fight that had been taking place in public and in court, Westchester County and Standard Amusements have agreed to end their contract dispute over the operation of the Playland Amusement Park and enter into a new management agreement under which Standard Amusements will manage and operate Playland beginning with the 2022 season.
The county will continue to operate Playland in the interim, although it is not yet known the extent to which operations might continue to be curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The amusement park did not open for the 2020 season.
Standard Amusements had been selected during the administration of former County Executive Rob Astorino to take over the operation of the amusement park.
Under the administration of his successor, current County Executive George Latimer, the county notified Standard that it was terminating the contract. That led to Standard Amusements LLC filing a lawsuit on June 2, 2019, in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, in connection with its Chapter 11 filing in that court. Judge Robert D. Drain has been handling the case at the federal courthouse in White Plains.
The lawsuit, known as an “adversary complaint,” asked the court to reinstate the contract that was terminated May 28 by the county.
Named in the lawsuit in their official capacities were Latimer, Commissioner of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation Kathleen O”™Connor and Commissioner of the Department of Public Works and Transportation Hugh J. Greechan.
Latimer”™s office advised the Business Journal on Saturday that the new agreement includes a number of significant changes that it said “are the result of months of productive discussions between the county and Standard Amusements.”
The new agreement calls for an increased overall commitment from Standard Amusements with a new investment of $35 million for new rides, games and other improvements to enhance the guest experience.
The county says it would benefit from a revenue-sharing arrangement that replaces the former “delayed profit participation” under which the county would have received some of the money generated by the park.
There would be additional county control over the park including performance tests that hold Standard Amusements accountable and extensive review and oversight to preserve Playland”™s special historical status as a public asset.
The new agreement is subject to approval by the County Board of Legislators, the Board of Acquisition and Contract, as well as the Bankruptcy Court.
Latimer said, “The true beneficiaries of the new agreement will be the thousands of children in this county who hold Playland as a place of joy and freedom in their hearts. Playland is a gem of this county, and this region, and with a greatly improved agreement in place, the park will be standing for decades to come for future children to enjoy.”
Westchester County Government Director of Operations Joan McDonald said, “This new agreement offers significant improvements and commitments to Playland. The additional investment that Standard Amusements is making, combined with the significant capital projects the County is undertaking, are together the most important investments in Playland in many years. We are ready to move forward and look ahead to a productive partnership with Standard Amusements.”
Nicholas Singer, founder and principal of Standard Amusements, was quoted by the county executive”™s office as saying, “We are thrilled to have reached an agreement with Westchester County and look forward to working closely together in the coming years to ensure that Playland thrives.
“Playland was a magical part of my childhood while growing up in Westchester, and I”™m committed to ensuring that the iconic park continues to benefit County residents and visitors of all ages over the long term.”
The Business Council of Westchester (BCW), which had been advocating for privatization of Playland, welcomed news of the agreement. It also called for creation of a workforce incubator at Playland that would offer the development of job skills and other opportunities for what it described as Westchester’s most vulnerable residents.
Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of the BCW, said, “We look forward to working with Standard Amusements and the county to see Playland emerge as a unique showplace for family fun in the iconic setting that it truly can and should be.”
