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City finalizes deal to reopen Central Park's Loeb Boathouse
By
Sophia Chang
Published Apr 18, 2023
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By
Sophia Chang
Published Apr 18, 2023
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The Loeb Boathouse in Central Park is officially slated to reopen this summer after the city finalized a contract on Monday with a new operator for the historic space.
The boathouse laid off all its employees during the early months of the pandemic in 2020. It briefly reopened in the spring of 2021, but its former operator Dean Poll announced last year he would permanently close the location.
The new 10-year contract with Legends Hospitality gives the group a license to run the boathouse’s restaurant, snack bar and rowboat rentals. The company is required by the deal to spent at least $3.2 million in upgrades for the space, including renovating its restrooms and connecting its two outdoor dining patios.
Parks department officials said the boathouse will reopen this summer but did not specify a date. Legends Hospitality must complete renovations on the boathouse and have it ready for public use by June 1 — but that deadline can be extended at the discretion of parks officials, according to the contract.
The contract requires the company to pay the city an annual fee of $750,000 on top of a percentage of the boathouse’s sales.
Legends Hospitality plans to revamp the restaurant’s food menus with offerings like a $23 mushroom toast dish and a $25 hamburger. The restaurant will also hold collaborations with a slate of “iconic chefs,” the parks department announced earlier this year.
Legends Hospitality already runs concessions at Yankee Stadium, One World Observatory and the Oculus Beer Garden. The company also has an eye on plans for a new casino in the city, partnering with Thor Equities, Saratoga Casino Holdings and the Chickasaw Nation to propose a gambling complex in Coney Island.
The current Loeb Boathouse opened in 1954, replacing several earlier boathouses that had occupied the same location since the 1860s.
“Central Park’s Loeb Boathouse is a landmark venue that has delighted New Yorkers and visitors to our city for more than 70 years," Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said in a statement.
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Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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