Long Beach City Council Approves Increase in Beach Pass Prices

LONG BEACH, NY - Visiting the beach in Long Beach this summer is now going to cost visitors a little bit more.

The Long Beach City Council officially decided to approve a proposal to increase the price of certain beach passes at a special meeting on Monday night.

The council voted 4-1 with Councilwoman Eileen Goggin choosing not to raise the prices, Newsday reports.

Under the new ordinance, the price of the daily single admission for residents 13 and older will remain the same at $12, but nonresident admission from would be increased from $12 to $15.

The passes for children under the age of 12 would stay free.

The other changes include raising the price of the annual family pass for two adults and two children from $60 to $70 and the price of season passes for adults between 18 and 61 from $40 to $50.

Season passes for children between 13 and 17, will stay the same at $25 for residents and $50 for nonresidents and senior passes for those over 62 will also stay the same at $15 for residents and $30 for nonresidents.

The changes in price have already taken place, with the new passes available for sale as of Tuesday morning at the Long Beach Recreation Center.

The reason for the increase in price is to cover the annual loss of $1 million for operating the beach, according to Newsday.

“For so much this beach offers, I think this beach is worth $15,” Councilman Anthony Eramo told Newsday. “I think it’s such a beautiful beach that visitors will still come."

However, Goggin disagreed with the price hike and expressed concern that visitors would now go to Jones Beach or Rockaway Beach, Newsday reports.

“We will scare people away who would otherwise shop in stores and restaurants. It amounts to gambling with taxpayer money,” she told Newsday. “It will send a message that Long Beach is exclusive, and unless you have money, you cannot enjoy our beach.”