Westchester County says that Playland Amusement Park will open for the 2025 season on Memorial Day Weekend and there will be free admission. In addition, the count says that the parking fee will be $10 per car, less than what Standard Amusements was charging when it was managing the park.
The county isn’t certain just how many of the rides will be in operation. It has hired the amusement ride company Zamperla, Inc., to inspect, repair, replace and maintain the rides. The county previously announced that the Playland beach, pool and boardwalk would be open for the season.
The county has scheduled a series of job fairs for people interested in jobs at the amusement park. They’re scheduled for May 10 and June 7 at the County Center in White Plains. A job fair on May 17 is scheduled to be held at Playland. Available positions include: park management (operations); ride operators; ride attendants; lifeguards; cashiers; custodial jobs; and painters. Salaries start at $16.60 per hour.
All job fairs will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees will need to bring a valid photo I.D. Applicants ages 16 and 17 who plan to complete their application at the fair must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Additional job fairs may be added.
County Executive Ken Jenkins said, “Summer in Westchester means a summer spent at Playland – and this summer will be no different. The condition Standard Amusements left Playland in is deeply disappointing, and reflects the consequences of a poorly structured agreement made during a prior administration. As a member of the Board of Legislators in 2016, I voted against this agreement because I believed it did not serve the best interests of Westchester County’s taxpayers or families.”
The county says it is working closely with the New York State Department of Labor, which must inspect and certify the rides before they can open for public use. Jenkins said that the state will have final say about opening of the rides.
“We all love Playland — it’s a part of all of us — and we need it to be a part of our summer,” Jenkins said.
Meanwhile, Standard Amusements is claiming it inherited the amusement park in poor condition and invested more than $35 million to revitalize the park. It also said that its food and beverage vendor invested more than $6 million in new foodservice equipment as part of the development of three new eatery options and the refurbishment of six existing locations.
Standard also said that it provided ample time for a smooth transition from its management to the county but the county squandered much of the time. Standard said it significantly improved the amusement park and prioritized maintenance of rides consistent with industry standards and went well beyond what the county had done before Standard began managing the park.
