The candidates for the county’s Sound Shore legislative district, which encompasses Playland, have dramatically different takes on the amusement park’s tumultuous season and how Westchester officials should handle the waterfront property going forward.
The county-owned park, which closed on Sept. 14 following a two-week extension, suffered through a weak season under the administration of Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, a Democrat, as most of its thrill rides remained shuttered for the duration of the summer.
It started in January when for-profit management company Standard Amusements pulled out of its 30-year contract with Westchester to run the park. The move, which landed the two sides in arbitration for months, sent county officials scrambling to get the park operational for its annual opening in May. A panel recently ruled that Standard was entitled to far less in damages then it sought when walking away from the contract.
The park did open on time, but it was a shell of itself. Fourteen rides were still shut down when the park closed its gates for the final time this year.
With concerns over the future the historic amusement park, Democratic candidate Anant Nambiar, 55, strongly opposes the idea that county government should get out of the business of operating Playland, which has been in municipal hands since 1928. But he did indicate that he could be comfortable with another public-private partnership despite the ugly divorce with Standard.
Recent problems are the fault of “a badly negotiated contract,” not the inherent value of Playland to the county, Nambiar, who sits on the Mamaroneck Town Council, said.
His opponent, 70-year-old Kurt van Kuller, told The Record that if Playland’s operations are not stabilized by 2026 “new capable management should be sought to restore public confidence and fiscal stability.”
He suggested the creation of a nonpartisan control board — like the state ones that saved New York City from its severe fiscal crisis in the 1970s — to oversee Playland, instead of a return to county control or that of a private management company.
Photo courtesy Westchester County
Van Kuller, who lives in Rye, was also critical of the Jenkins administration for what he calls a lack of financial transparency and characterized this season at Playland as a “disaster” based on available records. The county has not released attendance and revenue figures for this season at the park.
“With rides shuttered, attendance plunged … net operating losses may exceed $25 million” excluding unreimbursed services from Rye, said Van Kuller, whose background is in municipal finance. “The County has also invested $150 [million] in capital and plans at least $131 [million] more.
“Rye families like mine love Playland, but fear it is out of control,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nambiar, a Larchmont resident, said he saw 2025 as a “year of transition” following the dissolution of a partnership that just didn’t work out.
Nambiar also felt the season was “very productive” since the county was able to end its contract with Standard, while opening the pool, beach, and Tiki Bar restaurant on schedule.
“The agreement with Standard Amusements was too one-sided to the external partner, including insufficient commitments to ensure the quality of the rides would be maintained,” he said.
One thing both candidates seemed to agree on was that the crown jewel of the county’s public parks system does not need to be profitable. But Van Kuller added that the goal should always be to at least break even.
Nambiar disagreed, countering that Playland was being held to higher standards than the rest of the public parks within the county and he didn’t understand why.
“No other county-owned and operated park run at a profit so why should Playland be held to a different standard,” he asked.
For more of The Record’s election coverage, click here.
