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Rockaway's Playland Motel To Close At The End Of October
By
David Colon
Published Oct 15, 2016
Modified Oct 16, 2016
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By
David Colon
Published Oct 15, 2016
Modified Oct 16, 2016
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Playland Motel, the boutique hotel in Rockaway Beach that was going to flood your Instagram with expertly curated good times for generations to come, will be shutting its doors after three years in operation.
As first reported by DNAinfo, Playland's operator, Dan Cirpriani, posted a Facebook message that said he would be closing the motel due to the loss of the space's backyard:
I am closing the Playland Grill, mainly, due to loss of the backyard..I feel now is the time to make a graceful exit from the property with my bank account and good name intact. I will be around for the next couple of months transitioning out of the space. Oct 31 will be our last day open.
Cayuga Capital, which owns the property that Playland Motel and Whit's End pizza sits on, released a statement confirming that Playland had taken some DHS bookings, but denied it was going to become a homeless shelter:
Playland is not "going to be turned into a homeless shelter." Playland is shutting down and we are looking to rent out all the parts besides the Chinese restaurant that is already leased. We are reviewing and discussing several recent offers to take over the former tavern and Whit's.
It is true that we have booked some rooms to the NYC DHS just like any other guest on a short term basis while we finalize what we are doing long term with the property. It is of course a legal hotel and there were a variety of folks coming and going every day so this isn't really any different from any other short term group booking.
Also, it would be inappropriate and possibly illegal to discriminate against the group bookings being made by the DOH.
Playland's end has come after the party motel was featured in the New York Times as a summer destination comparable to Ibiza, a reputation that didn't exactly endear it to Rockaway Beach locals. New management took over promising a more family-friendly atmosphere, but apparently trying to win over both dance party enthusiasts and families with children was a bit of a stretch, especially without a backyard.
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