7/27/2019 Noam Bramson open letter on Playland

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Mayor Noam Bramson201 Pinebrook Boulevard

New Rochelle, NY 10804

July 29, 2013

The Honorable Rob Astorino900 Michaelian Building

148 Martine AvenueWhite Plains, NY 10601

Dear Mr. Astorino,

I am writing to advance a constructive discussion about the future of Playland Park, one

of our regions most valuable public assets. Considering the historic and practicalimportance of Playland to people throughout Westchester, it is essential for the County to

demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism in its review of proposals and toarticulate clear goals for the Parks future.

The active involvement of community groups, volunteers, amusement park operators, and

investors is a healthy and positive indicator of public interest in Playland, and the recentpartnership announced by your office may yet prove to be a promising road forward.

Unfortunately, neither decision-makers in County Government nor the general public

have been provided with the information and analysis necessary to make intelligentchoices or to safeguard County residents and taxpayers. Rather than organizing photo ops

in an election year, I believe it is incumbent upon your office to answer questions aboutthe agreements you have announced. Three such questions are especially important and

deserving of a public response:

1) When will the County conduct and complete an expert analysis of the financialand operational assumptions within the Playland proposals? Such an analysis must

be conducted by experienced professionals who are independent of the teams that havesubmitted proposals and should include, at a minimum, a detailed examination of

business terms, financing sources, attendance assumptions, capital costs, and other factorsthat impacts public expenses, benefits and risks. It is remarkable that no such analysis has

occurred to date, a failure that compromises the integrity of the review process andcreates needless and unfair delay for applicants. Such independent analysis should also

evaluate, for comparative purposes, enhanced administration of the Park under continuedpublic management. When considering major development in New Rochelle, we have

generally required developers to place funds in escrow, so that the City can retainconsulting assistance. The County should consider a similar model for Playland, so that

outside, professional, expert assistance can be secured at no cost to taxpayers.

2) By what date do you project that Playland will become financially self-sustainingand no longer dependent upon assistance from taxpayers? You have repeatedly stated

7/27/2019 Noam Bramson open letter on Playland

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that ending public subsidies for Playland is among your primary goals in theredevelopment process, and you and your administration have consistently included debt

service in your calculations of Playlands annual losses; indeed, debt service representsthe overwhelming share of such losses. If an end to public subsidies is no longer your

goal and standard, then you should say so forthrightly. If it is, then you should indicate

how and when the goal will be achieved under the terms of the agreement announced lastweek.

3) What is the optimal number of annual visits to Playland Park that the Countyaims to achieve? The County has yet to establish a clear attendance target for Playland.

It is vital to define this fundamental standard of success in order to evaluate the merit ofany proposal, judge the adequacy of parking facilities during both average and peak

attendance periods, and test financial projections and marketing plans. Attendance goalsshould have been among the first items defined by your administration at the outset of

this process, and it is past time for a target to be set.

I applaud the teams that have invested time, energy, creativity and financial resources inadvancing concepts for Playlands future. They have done their jobs, but the County has

yet to perform its own due diligence. If your Administration addresses these questionswith professionalism, competence and transparency, then Playland can become a model

of cooperative action. If, however, your Administration does not, then Playlands future,the interests of Westchester residents, and the efforts of the groups that have submitted

proposals will all be placed at great risk.

I look forward to your public response.

Sincerely,

Noam BramsonMayor, New Rochelle