Poll: Which Playland Proposal Do You Prefer?

Playland’s future has become a point of contention around Westchester County. County legislators are considering four different proposals to take over the management of the 85-year-old park, but County Executive Rob Astorino announced he selected Sustainable Playland Inc. to do the job last fall.

Last week, about 200 people heard from the four groups hoping to take the reigns at the county’s amusement park. Many of them were SPI supporters and others Patch talked to did not favor a plan.

Several Patch users got into a debate about what Playland should be and who should take control on Rye Patch last week. Users sited concerns over long-term financial viability of the proposals, lights and noise associated with the playfields and who will use the playfields. However, the comments mostly centered around SPI’s plan and stakeholders. You can read the comments here.  

Take a look at a brief summary of the plans below and vote in our poll. Which Playland proposal do you like best? 

Paidia Company/Legoland

Legoland would be geared exclusively towards two to 12 year old children and is the company proposing to spend the most money on the park, around $150 to 200 million. Lego themed parks are focused on fun and education for the children.

View their presentation here.  

Sustainable Playland Inc. (SPI)

SPI’s plan is to create a “seaside public park to provide clean wholesome recreation for the public.” They are focused on a large park plan with an amusement park in it, rather than a plan to run an amusement park. They would operate with a “portfolio model,” where different operators for various park zones would bring their own capitol and be responsible for their own success. With $34 million from investors, the group would pay the county $4 million up front, a base minimum of $1.2 million each year (beginning in 2014), and eventually more depending on profitability. The various “zones” in the park would include four playing fields in the back parking lot, a beach and water park, a great lawn (open space), the Ice Casino, the amusement zone, and event and restaurant space.

View their presentation here.  

Standard Amusements

Standard Amusements emphasized they have cash on hand to fund their proposal, which is a $25 million investment, and that they are “not looking to radically alter the park.”

“It needs to be cleaned up so it is a place people actually want to go,” said Nick Singer, president of Standard General firm in New York City, which would pay for the project.  “We want to restore it to its former grandeur,” Singer said. Standard would offer traditional games, three new rides, a water park, an enhanced focus on safety and security and high quality food. They would also add four play fields in the back parking lot and keep all current employees, Singer said.  Standard would develop seasonally themed shows geared towards children for the off season holidays like Thanksgiving and winter.

View their presentation here. 

Central Amusements International

Central Amusements International wants to “Keep Playland Fun.” Their plan would offer free admission, interactive rides, balloon rides, a water playground, adventure golf, a children’s’ entertainment center in the south bathhouse and food service by CulinArts that has healthy offerings. They would spend $26,418,000 over the first five years and designate five percent of revenue to historic preservation of the park .

Visit keepitplayland.com  for more and view their presentation here.