Both ice skating rinks in Central Park – Wollman Rink and Lasker Rink – are closing for the season on Sunday, February 21, instead of remaining open until April, which typically marks the end of the skating season, the NY Post first reported.
Following the January 6 capitol riots, New York City recently announced it would be ending its contracts with the Trump Organization and seeking new operators to manage them. These contracts had given the company operating control of the two skating rinks as well as Central Park’s carousel and the Ferry Point Golf Course in the Bronx. The contracts were reportedly worth about $17 million per year to the Trump Organization.
Advertisement
It’s now been announced that the contracts will be terminated early.
JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN RELATED, EQUINOX, HARRIS BLITZER SPORTS TO TAKE OVER WOLLMAN RINK
According to the Post, the Trump Organization is appealing the early termination. In a statement to the publication, a spokesperson for the company said that “Despite [their] appeals to the City to allow [them] to continue operations through the duration of the skating season — which would not only save the jobs of nearly 250 individuals who work or otherwise provide services [at] Wollman and Lasker Rinks, but also allow [them] to continue to provide the numerous public skating sessions and skating and hockey programs that we host on a daily basis — the City rejected [their] efforts.”
In addition, a petition on change.org has been launched to keep the rinks open. As of writing, it has received close 4,450 signatures. “This is not at all a political matter. As a Trump property, Wollman and Lasker provided little to no financial benefit to Donald Trump, and now as he has been removed it will provide none,” the petition reads.
The city is continuing to seek new contracts for both skating rinks.
That’ll teach Trump! No better way to punish him than to deprive NYC’s kids of one of the few fun activities they have left in the city. Putting the 250 people whom are employed by the rinks out of their jobs during a pandemic will show him a thing or two, too. Great work, Mr. Mayor!
I am no supporter of Trump but are we not cutting off our noses to spite our faces?