Firestorm Over Playland Lost Summer Heats Up With Traded Accusations

RYE, NY — Playland in Rye has been a place where dream summers become treasured, but for Westchester County political leaders, the iconic seaside amusement park has become a nightmare of recriminations.

After an agreement between Standard Amusements and Westchester County fell apart, county officials have been scrambling to come up with a plan for the upcoming season at the iconic park.

And as the temperatures rise with the season, the rhetoric over the potential for a lost summer at Playland also increases.

Taking to social media to comment on a New York Post article about the financial consequences of the possibility of Playland not opening this year, the expected challenger to County Executive Ken Jenkins in this year's election, Christine Sculti, questioned the administration's handling of the situation.

"Imagine making taxpayers pay $36 million to NOT open Playland!" Sculti wrote. "What the heck is Ken Jenkins doing to our county?!"

Westchester County Communications Director Catherine Cioffi, however, released an official statement blaming Sculti herself in part for the current crisis.

"We all agree — the state Standard Amusements left Playland in is absolutely heartbreaking, and it’s the direct result of the sweetheart deal Christine Sculti struck with Standard Amusements when she and then-County Executive Rob Astorino were desperately trying to unload public treasures at the expense of our County’s most cherished residents — our children," Cioffi said. "We all grew up going to Playland. Instead of protecting it, Christine Sculti handed us a disastrous, one-sided deal that sold out taxpayers and left the County holding the bag — having to return 100 percent of Standard Amusements' investment. That's why County Executive Ken Jenkins voted against this agreement in 2016 when he was on the Board of Legislators."

Cioffi said that if the Astorino administration had heeded the current county executive's concerns at the time, the county wouldn't be in the position it finds itself in today.

"We fought to get out of this deal after determining the real cost to Westchester taxpayers was not $30 million but $125 million — and yes, now we're all paying the price," the county spokesperson said. "This is exactly what happens when someone with a radical ideology, no real experience, no financial skill, and no understanding of how budgets and contracts are built seeks an executive position."

Meanwhile, Standard Amusements said that county officials are misrepresenting the company's actions, insisting that it has taken pains to make sure that ending the relationship was handled responsibly and with duty of care.

"As managers of Playland, Standard Amusements prioritized both the improvement and maintenance of rides to the highest standard, including the winterization of rides after the end of the 2024 season consistent with both previous years and industry standards," the Rye-based company said in a statement provided to Patch. "This is yet another baseless claim from the County to try to distract from its own failures to prioritize Playland. Standard Amusements has made every effort to work with Westchester County to unwind our relationship in a responsible manner because we sincerely want the Park to have a successful season in 2025 and beyond."

It isn't clear if Playland will open its doors this summer, and it isn't clear if the crisis will become a political liability in November, but it is clear that families cheated out of a summer tradition are the ultimate losers in this fight.

This article was updated to include comments from Standard Amusements officials.