County Says Playland Will Open in 2025 Regardless of Legal Woes

(PHOTO: A troubled public - private partnership. Officials at the ribbon cutting for the 2024 Playland opening. Among the officials: Founder and Executive Director of Standard Amusements Nick Singer (far left) and Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins (center, in green shirt)).
(PHOTO: A troubled public – private partnership. Officials at the ribbon cutting for the 2024 Playland opening. Among the officials: Founder and Executive Director of Standard Amusements Nick Singer (far left) and Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins (center, in green shirt)).

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said on Monday that the County intends to open Playland for the 2025 season, despite ongoing legal challenges with Standard Amusements. Last Tuesday, Standard said they want out of the management contract with the County.

“We have long said that Playland is the crown jewel of this County,” said Jenkins. “Since 2018, the County has made every effort to ensure this beloved park thrives for future generations and today that commitment continues. The bottom line is this: Standard Amusements was losing money. They couldn’t make Playland work, and now they are trying to place the blame on the County for their failure – after the County has spent close to $150 million pursuant to the PMA.”

(PHOTO: Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins with Congressman George Latimer at Latimer's ceremonial swearing in on Sunday, January 26, 2025 at the Rye High School auditorium.)
(PHOTO: Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins with Congressman George Latimer at Latimer’s ceremonial swearing in on Sunday, January 26, 2025 at the Rye High School auditorium.)

While the original contract was flawed, we managed to renegotiate it to implement a cap on reimbursements, protecting taxpayers from an even greater financial burden. Despite our efforts, we were ultimately blocked from fully walking away from the deal due to a bankruptcy court ruling that sided with Standard Amusements.”

The County is in the early stages of what  it describes as “a complex legal battle” with Standard. Jenkins also said that it is untrue that the County had prior knowledge of the termination in November, noting that the County had a conversation with Standard Amusements where they expressed an interest in potentially negotiating a settlement, but nothing came from that conversation.

The agreement between the County and Standard Amusements was originally established during the Astorino administration, under a public-private partnership model. This arrangement required the County to reimburse Standard for their investments into Playland and related expenses.

The County maintains Standard Amusements “has repeatedly neglected its responsibilities and mismanaged the Park”. The County cites as evidence: “Inadequate Ride Operation: Numerous rides were closed throughout the seasons, a violation of industry standards; Insufficient Maintenance Staff: The lack of adequate staffing affected both daily operations and preventative maintenance; Unresolved Maintenance Issues: Several repairs identified in the October 2024 safety audit remain unfinished; Withholding Money from County: Standard Amusements is withholding money from the County citing delays in project completion. Despite the County providing proof that all projects, including the Switchgear, were completed.”

(PHOTO: A present-day photo of the Dragon Coaster in its 95th year in operation. Credit: Justin Gray.)
(PHOTO: A present-day photo of the Dragon Coaster in its 95th year in operation. Credit: Justin Gray.)

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