The NYC Parks Department is seeking new operators for Wollman Rink and the Central (Friedsam Memorial) Carousel, and has submitted proposal requests for both.
After the January 6 capitol riot, NYC terminated all of its contracts with the Trump Organization, which included the two attractions above in addition to Lasker Rink, also located in Central Park, and the Ferry Point Golf Course in the Bronx. The Trump Organization’s contracts with the city brought the company an estimated $17 million per year.
NEW JOINT VENTURE SELECTED TO TAKE OVER WOLLMAN RINK
At the time of the termination, Mayor de Blasio indicated that Trump’s actions went against the contract, stating that his “legal team has done an assessment, and the contracts make very clear if a company and the leadership of that company is engaged in criminal activity, we have the right to sever the contract.”
For both Wollman Rink and the Carousel, the city is seeking a new operator for terms of 1 to 5 years.
The requests for these new proposals was first reported by the NY Post, which notes that “Companies must submit their proposals by March 12.”
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer recently sent a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, requesting that the city award both the Wollman Rink and Lasker Rink contract to the Central Park Conservancy, Patch reports. Her letter concluded by saying that “The City made the right decision in terminating the agreements with the Trump Organization, but it is critical for the residents of New York City that there is no disruption in the operations of the rinks and that the rinks are managed with a community-first ethos.”
Her letter continued to “strongly urge the City to enter into an agreement with the Central Park Conservancy to operate the Wollman and Lasker facilities.”
I am not voicing a political side but it appears that Trump was condemned before a trail. I would feel the same, whomever was running these two attractions.
That said, I hope they find someone who will run them as well as they have been.