PLEASE COME OUT THIS WEDS. NIGHT, 12/5/18 (7pm), TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF AN INCREASE IN PLAYLAND'S 2019 MARKETING BUDGET!

OK, I know an update on what's going on at Playland is long overdue. It's coming. There really isn't much to tell. Some GOOD news is that the rebuild of the North Boardwalk was finally completed and it re-opened in July.

Nothing is moving publicly regarding the deal with Standard Amusements, although County Executive Latimer has expressed publicly that he is not happy with the terms of the agreement and is seeking to re-negotiate a better deal for taxpayers or possibly get out of it if that cannot be done. I will send a more detailed update on that in the next week or so as a sort of year-end wrap up. Standard Amusements has still not taken over any management aspects of running the Park, and the County will be solely responsible for operating the Park throughout the upcoming 2019 season. 

But for THIS WEEK - It's Budget Season. The County Executive's office and the Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) are in the process of pinning down a 2019 operating budget for the County, which needs to be approved sometime in the next week or so.

THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING on this proposed budget is THIS WEDS. NIGHT, 12/5/18, at 7pm in White Plains on the 8th floor of the County Office Building.

Anyone from the Public can come speak for three minutes, you have to go thru security downstairs at the door first (bring photo ID!) and then go upstairs and sign in at the front desk on the 8th floor and make sure to tell them you want to fill out a card to speak.

Chambers can get quite crowded and quite hot, dress in layers appropriately for comfort. Expect to have to wait quite a while to talk. They start signing people in at 6:15pm. It will likely be crowded.

If any of you can make it, speakers publicly advocating for Playland are needed. It does not look like there is any funding CUT from the Park's 2019 operating budget from last year's amount, but one area that the Park REALLY needs more money is in the MARKETING BUDGET which is currently at $850k.

The Bullock-Smith Master Plan of 2006 called for a marketing budget amount of $1.2M. 13 years later we're still not even close to closing that gap, although there have been a couple of increases since 2013 which were brought on BY PUBLIC ADVOCACY and thanks to Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker from District 7 (Playland's district). Any marketing budget increase would help the Park enormously. We've seen an uptick in attendance and revenue when it was raised that has more than covered the additional costs and been well worth the investment. 

It's possible (I'm hoping!) that, as in recent years past, Legislator Parker may attempt to get more money for the Park's marketing budget via something call "adds day" (which is TODAY, 12/3/18) wherein Legislators can request consideration for adjustments to the budget and "add" on to certain areas. Specifically voicing support on Weds. for any request she - or other Legislators - may make today for additional marketing funds could very well help boost its chances for being approved by the rest of the BOL and the CE's office. 

Given that we know the County will again be fully responsible for operating Playland during and throughout the 2019 season, any help we can give the Park in succeeding is vital. An adequate marketing budget is necessary to accomplish this. 

We all know money is very tight for the County right now, but this is one area where additional funds in the budget will come back to the County and then some. It will more than pay for itself, and that's been proven in recent years. 

Here are some links to info regarding the proposed 2019 County Budget. If you go to the operating budget, the section regarding Playland starts around page C-510. You'll have to scroll down a lot to get there.

Please come out to speak in support of raising the marketing budget for Playland if you can, thanks.

2019 Proposed Operating Budget: https://www3.westchestergov.com/images/stories/budget/2019/2019proposedoperating.pdf

BOL statement on proposed 2019 operating budget deliberation process: https://www.westchesterlegislators.com/newsroom/2992-board-deliberations-set-to-begin-on-county-executive-s-proposed-2019-operating-budget

County Executive's statement on proposed 2019 County Budget: https://www3.westchestergov.com/home/all-press-releases/7797-county-executive-latimer-announces-proposed-2019-county-capital-budget