Rye Playland Will Feature New Steel Roller Coaster

Standard Amusements, the company set to take over Playland in Rye, has revealed plans for the amusement park, which includes building a new steel rollercoaster and a second marquee ride, according to The Journal News.

A plan is in place to hand over management of the park to Standard, pending approval by the county Board of Legislators. As of now, Standard is set to invest $30 million, while Westchester County will invest $58 million as the park’s landlord. Playland has been in a state of disrepair and neglect for years, and Standard hopes to make the park a top family destination in the area.

“This place is going to be a gem, it’s going to be an absolute gem and a huge asset to Westchester County for generations to come,” Nicholas Singer, the investor behind Standard.

The County’s contribution of $58 million represents 11 different projects, including redoing the parking lot and removing the miniature golf course from a refurbished fountain plaza, where Standard plans to open a boardwalk-fronted new restaurant. Two additional projects totaling nearly $20 million would repair the colonnades and towers in the park, but that might be delayed as a cost-cutting measure. There is also debate over a proposal to replace the public pool with a waterfront vista. And while Standard is open to keeping the pool and repairing it, the pool has low attendance and leaks tens of thousands of gallons of water a day, which could cost the county north of $10 million rather than the $4 million needed to make the area a vista.