Business & Tech
Central Park Boathouse Will Reopen This Summer With New Operator
The city announced Thursday it has selected a new operator for the iconic, but currently shuttered Loeb Boathouse in Central Park.
CENTRAL PARK, NY — The iconic Loeb Boathouse in Central Park will reopen this summer with a new operator after a extended closure that began last year, Mayor Eric Adams and parks officials announced Thursday.
The city has selected Legends Hospitality for a 10-year term as the Central Park landmark's new proposed operator.
“The Central Park Boathouse has been a landmark for generations of New Yorkers,” Adams said in a news release.
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“When it closed last year, many worried about its future, but our administration moved quickly to keep this piece of New York City history alive."
Legends Hospitality, which is a division within the global premium experiences company Legends that operates at One World Observatory, Yankee Stadium and the Intrepid, has committed to a $3.25 million capital investment into the boathouse, along with $250,000 for structural maintenance improvements, officials said.
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The new operator is planning to revitalize the Boathouse's menus, overhaul the boat rental program, expand public bathroom access, connect the upper and lower outdoor dining patios, and improve the outdoor bar area.
As first reported by Gothamist and seen in the proposed contract from Legacy, that new menu would include a $23 omelette and a $25 hamburger.
Located on the eastern shore of the 72nd Street lake in Central Park, the original Loeb Boathouse was first opened in 1872. It was rebuilt in 1952 to its current structure.
The Loeb Boathouse closed in the fall after its previous operator, restaurateur Dean Poll, announced that he would shutter the venue — citing rising costs of labor and goods.
“We are thrilled that the Boathouse will soon reopen under the expert management of Legends Hospitality, and we look forward to working with them as they steward this beloved park treasure," Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said in a news release.
The Franchise and Concession Review Committee still needs to approve Legends Hospitality's 10-year term before it is finalized.
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