This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The rocky relationship between Standard Amusements and Westchester County over management of Playland seems headed for an ugly split.
The private operator brought on to manage the county-owned amusement park, notified county officials in a Jan. 21 letter of its intent to terminate their 30-year contract to operate the park. Standard is prepared to pull out of the deal, effective Feb. 20, after just three years, citing a breach of contract.
The park, which sits in the city of Rye, is scheduled to open for the season on May 17.
“As we have made the County Executive and his team aware over the last two months, if Playland is to open during the 2025 season it will be operated by the County,” Nicholas Singer, Standard’s co-founder, wrote in the letter. “[Standard Amusements] is committed to continuing to cooperate with the County to unwind the [contract] and the parties’ relationship in an orderly and responsible way.
Singer claims that the county has failed to complete 70 percent of capital work outlined in the contract by an April 24, 2024, deadline.
As a result, Standard is seeking $57 million in damages.
The management company was handpicked in 2015 by Rob Astorino, the former Republican county executive, to privatize the park. The contract was then renegotiated in 2022 during the administration of Democrat George Latimer, who resigned this month after being elected to Congress. Ken Jenkins, his deputy, took over as county executive.
Jenkins, a Democrat, said the county is prepared to move on from the deal with Standard, The Journal News reported.
“The marriage is going to get dissolved,” he told the outlet.
The county Board of Legislators is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Friday to discuss the developments.
