Wollman Rink in Central Park in New York, NY, January 25, 2016. (Photo by Anthony Behar) *** Please Use Credit from Credit Field ***
NY: New York City Trump Properties
CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK CITY (77WABC) – In a last minute reprieve, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office said on Sunday evening that Trump ice skating rinks in Central Park would stay open until the end of the season.
“New York City kids deserve all the time on the ice they can get this year,” the mayor’s press secretary, Bill Neidhardt, said in a statement. “The Wollman and Lasker rinks will stay open under current management for the few weeks left in this season. But make no mistake, we will not be doing business with the Trump Organization going forward. Inciting an insurrection will never be forgotten or forgiven.”
Central Park’s ice rinks were set to close at the end of Sunday after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced several weeks ago that he was cancelling the city’s contracts with the Trump Organization due to the Capitol Riot on January 6th.
Wollman Rink and Lasker Rink, operated by the Trump Organization will now close when their contracts formerly expire in April. Mayor de Blasio announced in January that the city was cancelling all four New York City concessions contracts with the Trump Organization.
“Trump has been impeached from operating the ice rink,” a de Blasio spokesman had said Jan. 31 in announcing the concession terminations for Wollman Rink, along with Lasker Rink, the Central Park Carousel and Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx.
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, called the move to cancel the contracts “purely a political stunt that only hurts New Yorkers.”
https://twitter.com/EricTrump/status/1363637701719846912
“Instead of focusing on a dying city which everyone is leaving because of rising crime, high taxes, closed businesses and totally incompetent leadership, the Mayor is painting signs in front of Trump Tower and trying to destroy the only outdoor activity available to children during a pandemic,” Eric Trump said in a statement.
After numerous complaints upon hearing that the Trump rinks would close at the end of the day Sunday, the Mayor’s Office could not immediately explain why the rinks were being closed without replacement concessionaires in place when asked late Friday. Many youth programs use the outdoor concession stands for a variety of activities.
Kids and parents who use the rink for ice skating, hockey, and figure skating were disappointed. One parent told NBC4, “We’ve been here for five years and we count on this program, not only does she love the sport, but also for emotional health and well being.” An 18-year-old figure skater told the Post the closures were another blow to her senior year, telling the newspaper, “I was so upset. I’ve literally skated here since I was 3 years old.”
Companies have a March 19 deadline to submit their proposals.
“We are working diligently through our competitive RFP process to secure new operators for these great amenities so as not to impact the respective seasons,” Parks spokeswoman Crystal Howard said.
On January 13th, de Blasio tweeted that he was cancelling the contracts because former President Trump was an “insurrectionist.” Trump has since been acquitted by Congress of inciting an insurrection.
New York City doesn’t do business with insurrectionists.
We’re taking steps to TERMINATE agreements with the Trump Organization to operate the Central Park Carousel, Wollman and Lasker skating rinks, and the Ferry Point Golf Course.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 13, 2021
