DizzyDeeds66

I am a local Rye, NY resident and a lifelong resident of Westchester County, NY. There has been a lot in the local news about the future of historic Rye Playland. Currently the Westchester County Board of Legislators are weighing proposals from four entities for taking over the stewardship and running of this park on behalf of the County. There is a small group of well heeled local home owners in Rye who have banded together to form a group calling themselves 'Sustainable Playland". Their primary motivation is to CUT BACK the usage of the park, dismantle a majority of the rides and reduce the foot print of the Amusement Park area by 50%, also eliminating several historic sections of the Park in order to put in grassy areas and playing fields (which this town already has MORE than enough of, believe me). They also want to eliminate 50% of the parking lot. One local real estate agent who is on board with them told me frankly that it *IS* about these homeowners' "property values". We cannot let this group dictate the future of this gem that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Sadly right now, because they have high visibility, they are in the front running. Please get online and do some research about this. There is a FB group called "Save Rye Playland" with almost 800 members (please feel free to join!) and the local movement to Save Playland from Sustainable Rye's clutches is mobilizing. There are two other very good options on the table, only one of which actually has the funding to do this enormously expensive restoration and revitalization project, and which is helmed by a local guy who loves Playland and also grew up going there (Standard Amusements/Nick Singer). We are urging the Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and the Westchester County Board of Legislators to REJECT Sustainable Playland's proposal, as it most definitely is NOT in the best interests of Playland or its future. Please sign this online petition so that we can show support both near and far for Rye Playland to remain an historic AMUSEMENT PARK. Rye Playland needs you! Sustainable Playland will be its Death Knell if they get awarded this contract. https://www.change.org/petitions/save-playland-amusment-park

The Boardwalk was NOT destroyed by Sandy. The BACK BOARDWALK, a portion of the whole thing it that ran BEHIND the rides and along up to the lake (which Lego Land ALSO doesn't want any part of) was decimated and no longer exists. The FRONT BOARDWALK is intact and just in need of some repairs, believe me it's still there I look at it every day. I will see if I can post pics for you. The Pier suffered extensive damage but all the repairs are going to go ahead, it was announced a week or two ago that the money is now in place to do this (there was of course a lot of arguing over FEMA money etc. - everyone in the NY/NJ area is dealing with that crap after that hurricane). Here is a link to a recent article on this issue from our local Westchester paper: http://www.lohud.com/article/20130130/NEWS02/301300055/Ice-Casino-Playland-boardwalk-repairs-get-bonds-start-soon

I forgot to mention that the other really serious problem with Lego Land's proposal as presented live was that it's my understanding there are substantial portions of the park that they do NOT want to oversee, such as the pool, beach, bathhouse, and the Children's Museum they have been trying to complete in unused buildings on the boardwalk for years - oh and include the Ice Casino in that list. It they aren't willing to take on the whole enchilada (and it's a COMPLICATED enchilada that *does* indeed involve a lot MORE than just the amusement rides), they shouldn't have even submitted a proposal. Westchester County would still have had to worry about running all the rest of it, which completely defeats the purpose of hiring another company to outsource the management of the WHOLE PARK to.

Thanks Dirk for posting that and pointing out the lack of attention to detail in the Lego Land proposal. That's pretty much what the live presentation was like. The woman sent to give it clearly knew absolutely NOTHING about Rye Playland or it's unique past and history. It was a very generic presentation, poorly done and disorganized. She was not able to answer any questions without the answers coming from a template. I cannot recall specifics now, but as I listened I realized their idea is to take this majestic Art Deco museum and turn it into a Lego Land. Which is absolute blasphemy and obscene. Lego Lands may be great parks for kids for what they are, and I'm sure they can be a lot of fun but there is no way their model is appropriate for Rye Playland. It's just not. There was also too much talk of making drastic changes to structures etc. and no talk of restoration, preservation or appreciation for the historic nature of the Park. She was almost laughed out of the room. All she could keep coming back to was to keep throwing out the words "FAMILY" and "FAMILIES" as if they were buzz words that were going to catch everyone. And she just kept saying over and over again how it would be geared towards children ages 2 to 12 because "Children deserve it". It really was a joke. Whatever they've done in Cypress Gardens may or may not be great, but it ain't gonna work at Rye Playland, I can tell you that. The other two Amusement Park companies had much more thorough presentations about the plan for upkeep, maintaining the knowledgeable staff already there (very important to me personally as I know many of them and understand that because these people have been caring for the park their whole careers as "Lifers" sort of, they KNOW THIS PARK and how it works and they KNOW THESE CLASSIC RIDES and how to take care of them). Playland is so old, it isn't just your average amusement park. And that's part of the problem. It needs a lot of special TLC and it needs to be run by people who GET THAT. It's a very unique animal. Lego Land's presentation just came across as if they didn't have a clue. It was just so far off the mark in every way from what everyone else in the room was talking about that people were either looking horrified or laughing. Here are the notes I took while listening to her: Lego Land Padia Company ("Pay-dee-uh") WTF????!!!?? SERIOUSLY????!!!! A lesson on how to play with LEGOS ???? We all KNOW how to play with Legos! Awful presentation Useless Bad joke History of Legos whoo hoo how about a history of PLAYLAND? MIND NUMBING While this was going on I was texting friends located elsewhere in the room to ask "What is this company even DOING here wasting our time with this???" And they agreed with me. In contrast, here are the notes I took for Standard Amusements as they were giving THEIR presentation: (often noting points they were making) Who has cash on hand NOW for these projects? (they do) Who will work with existing workers and appreciate their experience It's a standard investment firm with $500,000,000 in capital focusing on amusement industry interests Nick Singer - local guy Harrison resident loves Playland, knows it well, grew up going there (he was the presenter) They believe there is nothing fundamentally wrong with Playland (Sustainable Playland and Lego Land sure do!) Want to RESTORE Playland with no radical alterations $25,000,000 commitment to the venture and they HAVE the financing Want to EXTEND season Current employees and workers will keep their jobs Playland is the largest summer youth employer in Westchester County they GET THIS, Lego Land wants to DECREASE operating hours and season SAFETY focus Increase marketing to $2 million a year (from its current paltry $600,000 with Westchester County) They also propose soccer and playing fields (I don't see why this is necessary, we don't need it or have room for it, I think this portion is pandering to those who support Sustainable Playland, but these guys suggest being able to do that without eliminating any of the parking lot or rides - Sustainable wants to eliminate HALF the parking lot and pretty much all the rides BUT the historic ones like the Dragon Coaster, the Carousel and the Derby and a small handful of others). My notes on Central Amusements presentation were not as copious but included things like: Re-do mini golf RESTORE the Bathhouse Renovate the Pool KEEP AS IS/Just refresh the park 22 NEW ATTRACTIONS (no talk here of eliminating 50% of the rides) Historic PRESERVATION More $ for MARKETING 5% of revenue earmarked for preservation Their web site is http://www.keepitplayland.com I hope this helps you understand better what was brought to the public for review the other night. Seriously, Lego Land was an absolute joke.

I live in Rye, NY and grew up in Westchester County, NY. I have been going to Playland all my life. As a teen in the 1980's I worked there for five summers doing just about everything from starting out in the food concession stands to running rides. I was a manager on the Old Mill for a summer (first FEMALE!), worked the Scrambler and Spider for a private ride owner, worked as a ticket taker on the Muzik Express for another private ride owner and ran a number of other rides in the Park as a Westchester County employee, including the Carousel and the Derby. I know this park like the back of my hand. I think it's safe to say about the only ride at that park I *didn't* run was the Dragon Coaster, because back then the Park Managers wouldn't let girls run it (remember, it was the '80's and the majority of the ride operators were teenagers). I spent two winters working in the Ice Rink food concession stand while I was in High School. At the end of the summer season I scrubbed down and closed up the food stands in the Park, and in the Spring I got them ready to open. Until Hurricane Sandy decimated the back boardwalk in Oct. 2012 I walked my dog down the Boardwalk and around the entire perimeter of the Park on an almost daily basis. We are still down there on a weekly basis even in the cold weather walking the limited access areas that are again available post-storm. The Ice Rink is currently closed for repairs due to storm damage (it was announced today that the NY Rangers who used to practice there and Chase Bank are donating a substantial amount of money to pay for repairs to the Ice Casino). I am still friendly with people working there now who I worked with there 30 + years ago (I started there at age 16 in 1992 - the last of a two year contract Marriott Hotels had in which they ran it into the ground by putting a fence around it and charging admission prices). So, to say I know this Park well is a drastic understatement. And to say I LOVE this park is totally inadequate. This Park is a lifelong friend of mine and it needs our help. Playland, as a County owned entity, is constantly in the cross hairs of various political interests. When the Democrats are in charge it tends to be treated much more kindly. I am VERY concerned about this Sustainable Playland group and the influence they have with current Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and local Rye Mayor Doug French (both Republicans, just sayin'). I personally believe they would both very much like to see Playland completely disappear as an amusement park because it is considered to be too expensive to run and a local nuisance to have in its current incarnation for Rye residents. (You have to understand this is a tiny town, and it is right smack in the middle of a completely residential neighborhood.) It is also my belief, being a local resident and watching the way some of the members of this "Sustainable Playland" group operate in other local matters regarding parks, that their plan has far more to do with their own personal agendas as local home/property owners than any long term vision for Playland as an historical landmark and Amusement Park. There is an element of "social climbing" going on here. Understand that Rye is a VERY expensive place to live, homeowners here pay INSANE property and school taxes in addition to the exorbitant housing prices. The problems with a number of our Sound Shore communities here in Westchester now is that there is an element of residents who purchase expensive homes here in "good" school districts, stay long enough to get their kids the education they want them to have in order to get into "good" colleges, get involved in local politics for limited amounts of time, make long term decisions for the community based on what's best for THEM..NOW, tend to ratchet up school budgets like there's no tomorrow and don't really need to care about the long term future of the community because they know their life plan is to sell that house for as much of a profit as they can when their kids are done with the local school systems and go live somewhere less expensive. Leaving the life long local residents - the folks with ROOTS here - holding the bag. They didn't grow up here and they have no intention of growing old here. It's an opportunistic attitude and it affects the life long local residents negatively in many ways across the board. There is a very strong element of that going on here with this local group who has come up with this 'Sustainable Playland" idea, believe me. And if you think this town needs any more sports recreational facilities or playing fields, think again. WE DON'T. They have a loud voice and a lot of money and the support of too many local politicians. But the fight is not over, despite what many newspaper articles would have you believe, it's really only just begun. The problem is that few Westchester County Residents seem to know about this issue. I hear a lot about it because I am local to Rye. Outside of tiny Rye, it's not well publicized. If it were, I'm sure there would be more outcry about Sustainable Playland's ideas. I am trying to work on that. I was at a meeting at Westchester County Center last night hosted by the Westchester County Board of Legislators. There are FOUR proposals on the table, Sustainable Playland's being only one of them. Somehow "LEGO LAND" managed to get themselves a seat at the table and I have to tell you the presentation they gave bordered on the ridiculous (at one point my head was in my lap to muffle my guffaws) so I cannot fathom that anyone is going to give them any serious consideration. As of right now, no matter WHAT County Executive Rob Astorino wants (and there are many locals who are convinced that he and his cronies have their sites set on eventually razing the entire thing and selling it off for development - waterfront property comes at a premium around here, it's worth so many millions I can't tell you), Sustainable Playland DOES NOT HAVE THE CONTRACT. It is still being discussed by the County Board of Legislators and may very well go in another direction. There are two other entities that have much experience in running actual AMUSEMENT PARKS - I suspect you folks on this site would know more about them than I do. I am completely averse to any ideas of eliminating any part of this park or knocking any structures down or reducing the size of the parking lot. The two amusement park companies spent a lot of time last night using words like, 'repair', 'restore" "restoration" "there's nothing fundamentally wrong with Playland" "Preserving" and basically showed a lot more respect and appreciation for the history of the Park AS AN AMUSEMENT PARK. That was completely absent from the Sustainable Playland presentation. The amount of rides that will have to be removed to do what Sustainable Playland wants will decimate this place as an Amusement Park and it will cause irrevocable damage. I believe it will be the Death Knell for Playland if it's allowed to go through. If you want to keep apprised of what is going on with this, here's your best source, the Westchester County Board of Legislators. They are the ones making the decision and may actually end up suing County Executive Rob Astorino in court if he tries to go ahead with Sustainable Playland without their agreement. http://westchesterlegislators.com/media-center/2257-westchester-legislators-public-information-session-on-playland-revitalization-a-big-success.html The other two groups interested are: Central Amusements/Zamperla (http://westchesterlegislators.com/pdf/PlaylandPresentationCAI.pdf) and Standard Amusments (http://westchesterlegislators.com/pdf/PlaylandPresentationStandardAmusements.pdf) I tend to lean towards the Central Amusements proposal because it doesn't call for any "fields" or anything (there isn't anywhere to PUT any "fields" without taking away something else, so I just don't get this whole concept unless they remove the Picnic Grove, which is traditionally always seriously under utilized and right on the waterfront, about the only wasted space I can think of there). With that said, I have to really look at all this more closely and do more of my own research. I'm interested in any input anyone from this forum may have to offer.