Standard Amusements, the company set to take over Playland in Rye, has revealed plans for the amusement park, which includes building a new steel rollercoaster and a second marquee ride, according to The Journal News.
A plan is in place to hand over management of the park to Standard, pending approval by the county Board of Legislators. As of now, Standard is set to invest $30 million, while Westchester County will invest $58 million as the park’s landlord. Playland has been in a state of disrepair and neglect for years, and Standard hopes to make the park a top family destination in the area.
“This place is going to be a gem, it’s going to be an absolute gem and a huge asset to Westchester County for generations to come,” Nicholas Singer, the investor behind Standard.
The County’s contribution of $58 million represents 11 different projects, including redoing the parking lot and removing the miniature golf course from a refurbished fountain plaza, where Standard plans to open a boardwalk-fronted new restaurant. Two additional projects totaling nearly $20 million would repair the colonnades and towers in the park, but that might be delayed as a cost-cutting measure. There is also debate over a proposal to replace the public pool with a waterfront vista. And while Standard is open to keeping the pool and repairing it, the pool has low attendance and leaks tens of thousands of gallons of water a day, which could cost the county north of $10 million rather than the $4 million needed to make the area a vista.
Standard has an opt-out clause in the deal that expires at the end of this month, after it was extended from last fall. Although the legislature is reviewing the amended deal and associated construction projects it remains a possibility that the deadline might need to be extended again. But Singer said his company has “never been more excited” and would like to take over as sole operator of the park by October 2017.
“We just can’t wait to get going,” he said. “We need to get through this last hurdle and we’re off and running to make this place great.”
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