New Management OK'd for Rye Playland

RYE, NY - Standard Amusements will be the new management company of Rye Playland.

Westchester County Legislators, in a 13-4 vote Monday evening, approved a 30-year agreement with the company.

According to a statement released by the county, Westchester will still own the park and will be spending $32 million of taxpayer money on 11 capital projects to rehabilitate the park’s infrastructure, including rides, gaming and concession improvements, as well as shoreline rehabilitation.

Standard Amusements will make a $30 million private investment in the park that will help upgrade food choices, picnic areas and restaurants and renovate grounds and buildings.

There will be a $2,250,000 payment from the management company up front, the county said, and an additional $27,750,000 invested within five years.

READ MORE: Hey Westchester! Meet Your New Playland Management Team! Part 1 and Part 2.

Standard will make annual payments of $300,000 at the beginning and going up 2 percent a year.

The agreement calls for sliding-scale profit sharing after Standard Amusements had recouped its initial investment.

County Executive Robert Astorino called it a historic step forward.

“The capital, the operator and the vision are in place to protect both taxpayers and the Dragon Coaster for years to come,” he said.

Nicholas J. Singer of Harrison, who is a partner with Standard Amusements, said in a prepared statement that he was thankful to the county for its vote of confidence and partnership throughout the process.

“To have the opportunity to take a place that meant so much to me throughout my childhood and help restore it to a condition that ensures generations of children to come will be able to enjoy it as I did, is really a dream come true,” he said.

Legislator Catherine Parker, D-Rye, who represents Sound Shore communities including Playland, voted against the agreement with Standard Amusements but voted for the bond acts that will fund the improvements.

“I believe turning over the keys to one of our county’s most valuable assets without any avenue of accountability is a mistake that will cost us in the long run,” Parker said in a prepared statement.

Playland opens for the season at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 7, 2016.