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In a statement issued Tuesday, April 29, Westchester County Communications Director Catherine Cioffi called the state Playland was left in under Standard Amusements' operation “absolutely heartbreaking” and directly blamed it on a "sweetheart deal" that former County Executive candidate Christine Sculti helped broker when she worked for former County Executive Rob Astorino.
"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% of Standard Amusements’ investment," Cioffi wrote.
She also said that current County Executive Ken Jenkins opposed the agreement when he was a legislator in 2016 and defended the County’s efforts to unwind the partnership, which, according to Cioffi, turned out to cost taxpayers far more than originally expected—$125 million instead of $30 million.
Cioffi's comments came after Sculti criticized the Jenkins administration on social media Monday, April 28, for Playland’s current challenges, amid an ongoing legal dispute with Standard Amusements.
"Imagine making taxpayers pay $36 million to NOT open Playland! What the heck is Ken Jenkins doing to our county?!" Sculti wrote on social media.
In response, Cioffi added: "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."
As previously reported by Daily Voice, despite the legal turmoil, Jenkins has vowed to open Playland for the 2025 season, calling the park the "crown jewel of the County."
The dispute centers on Standard Amusements' termination as Playland’s operator in November 2024. While Standard claims it revitalized the park and that the County violated contractual obligations, Jenkins has said Standard failed financially, neglected maintenance, and kept rides closed, contributing to the partnership’s collapse.
Standard Amusements has argued the County missed critical construction deadlines, overspent its $125 million budget, and fabricated defaults to cover up its own failures.
"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," a spokesperson told Daily Voice on Wednesday, April 30.
They added that the company "prioritized both the improvement and maintenance of rides to the highest standard," including winterizing rides after the end of the 2024 season "consistent with both previous years and industry standards."
The legal battle has left taxpayers footing massive costs, and some question whether the County will meet its promise to have Playland fully operational this summer. Standard recently expressed doubt, saying it is “not apparent” how the County will be ready for the 2025 opening.
Meanwhile, Cioffi’s latest comments make clear that Westchester officials view the problems at Playland as the result of decisions made nearly a decade ago, and they are working to move forward without the private partnership that initially promised to save the park.
Court Voids $3.6M Tax Bill Over Park’s Status
The tensions come just weeks after a major court victory for the County. On Thursday, April 17, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Playland Park is tax-exempt, rejecting an attempt by the City of Rye to impose a $3.6 million tax bill on Standard Amusements during the period it operated the park.
The City had argued in 2022 that because Playland was operated under a private contract and not directly by the County, it no longer qualified for tax exemption. However, the court disagreed, stating that since ownership of Playland was never officially transferred and it remained in public use, the exemption stood.
County Executive Ken Jenkins called the decision a validation of the County’s position and criticized the City of Rye for what he described as a self-inflicted financial error.
“The unnecessary legal expenses and consequences of the self-inflicted negative financial impact to both the City of Rye and the Rye School District on this ill-advised change of tax status cannot be understated,” Jenkins said.
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