RyeCity REVIEW THE
May 3, 2019 | Vol. 7, Number 18 | www.ryecityreview.com
Latimer nixes Playland deal with Standard Amusements
Read all about it! “Newsies, The Broadway Musical” now playing at Westchester Broadway Theatre chronicles the real-life story about the newsboys’ strike through a live action musical released by Walt Disney Studios in 1992. For more, see page 6. Photo/John Vecchiolla
Westchester announces extra week of MetroCard sales Westchester County’s MetroCard Mobile Sales Van, provided by the county’s Smart Commute Program, in conjunction with the MTA New York City Transit Authority, will be making rounds throughout the county to assist riders with all of their MetroCard business. Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced that in celebration of Older American’s Month, the Van will be serving Westchester for two weeks in May. The Van will also make a special appearance at the annual Salute to Seniors event at the County Center on May 1, where seniors can sign up for or refill their Reduced Fare MetroCard at the Van. See below for full schedule. “MetroCard offers Westchester residents the convenience and same discounts that are being enjoyed by millions of com-
muters in the New York metropolitan area,” Latimer said. “MetroCards can be used on the County’s Bee-Line bus system as well as New York City’s transit system.” The MetroCard Mobile Sales Van provides transit riders with assistance for a variety of MetroCard services. Visit the Van for help on any of the following items: • Reduced-Fare application assistance for seniors and the disabled. • Purchase and refill of MetroCards (Full Fare and Reduced-Fare). • Submission of damaged educed-Fare MetroCards in exchange for a temporary replacement. • Report of a lost/stolen Reduced-Fare MetroCard. • Any other MetroCard-related inquiries or support. MetroCard is the automated regional fare collection system
managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. For more information on the MetroCard Mobile Sales Van and
other MetroCard locations, visit westchestergov.com/beelinebus or call the Bee-Line Information Center at 813-7777. (Submitted)
Westchester’s Mobile Sales Van Schedule for May 2019 White Plains Special Event-Salute to Seniors Westchester County Center May 1 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Trans Center May 15 & 22 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Galleria Mall May 16, 23 & 25 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mount Vernon Petrillo Plaza May 13 & 20 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. New Rochelle Hugenot St./North Ave. May 13 & 20 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Peekskill Peekskill Library May 14 & 21 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tarrytown Wildey St. /Cortland St. May 14 & 21 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Yonkers City Hall May 15, 16, 22, 23 & 25 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. May 25 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Will Library May 17 & 24 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Westchester County has notified Standard Amusements’ legal counsel that the county has decided to terminate their agreement. This decision comes after an extended review and discussion of the provisions of the agreement made by the prior administration of Rob Astorino, a Republican, three years ago, and more recently, after extended negotiations between counsel for the county and Standard Amusements. “We are unhappy with the way this has all turned out; we never wanted this kind of conflict,” Democratic County Executive George Latimer said. “However, we are simply not satisfied with what we have been seeing. We wanted to see the energy, excitement and drive in Standard Amusements’ vision for Playland—we didn’t want just a real estate deal. This Administration believes in Playland and its future; we are not looking to liquidate the park as a liability, as some feel. We want what is best for Playland—to see it succeed and thrive. At the heart of that assessment is whether this arrangement developed three years ago, under different decision makers and that ends County management of the park, will somehow deliver that energy and excitement. After 16 months, we believe this arrangement will not deliver a better tomorrow for Playland. “The County has been negotiating with Standard Amusements in good faith, seeking to recast our arrangement into a different focus, one where Standard’s professed commitment to the park’s future would be manifest by its ability to help shape a management and marketing commitment, not primarily a capital commitment, followed by management of the park. “We are unhappy that instead,
we have seen leaks of false information to the press; the hiring of a high-priced public relations firm and the hiring of a legal firm committed to defending the company’s corporate interests rather than spending those resources delivering a detailed marketing plan. The energy spent by Standard to influence lawmakers to defend their original agreement could have been better spent in a more wide ranging effort to win over those in the community that did not want to see a corporate entity take over a public park facility. “But, at the core of the County’s election to terminate isn’t emotion – it is the fact that Standard Amusements is in material breach of our contract. Standard Amusements has improperly claimed that it invested money in Playland, when in reality that money was not spent on purposes allowed under the agreement. Standard Amusements is wasting taxpayer dollars at the end of the day.” While the County has been negotiating in good faith to restructure the agreement, Standard Amusements has been operating with an agenda that led the county to conclude Standard Amusements was not interested in renegotiating the terms of their relationship in a way that makes sense for the county. The decision to terminate is based on Standard Amusements’ failure to cure its various material defaults under the contract that were laid out in the county’s letter to Standard Amusements on Dec. 7, 2018. Those defaults included: Manager’s Investment Standard Amusements has improperly claimed millions of dollars as part of its contractually defined Manager’s Investment obligation, which is supposed to represent capital improvements at Playland. PLAYLAND continued on page 14