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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 010-08
January 11, 2008

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND COMPTROLLER THOMPSON ANNOUNCE NEW RFP FOR GOLF COURSE AT FERRY POINT PARK IN THE BRONX

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today announced that the City has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the design and management of construction services of a golf course at Ferry Point Park in the Bronx. The golf course, to be a world-class 18-hole links-style layout for use as a public course, will be built as a City-funded capital project. Once a designer has been selected and construction work is underway, the City will release a separate RFP for an operator to run the course as a concession. If an acceptable proposal is selected, the City estimates that the course could be built by the fall of 2010.

"The City needs more facilities for recreation and Ferry Point Park - one of the largest pieces of vacant parkland in New York City - is a terrific piece of property well suited for a golf course," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Leaving this land fallow doesn't serve anyone. Instead, the City will hire a team to design and construct the course on top of the foundation already in place. This will cost less than other alternatives, and once the course is built, the City will collect revenue from the operator, over time recouping our investment."

"I commend Mayor Bloomberg for taking this action to bring this world-class facility to the Bronx," said Comptroller Thompson. "Our collective hope is that this land will become a recreational destination for not just residents of the Bronx, but for all New Yorkers. As my office has done over the last several years, we will continue to monitor the progress of any work at this site."

"This plan for a world class golf course at Ferry Point Park has been a priority for the Bronx community for nearly 30 years," said Council Member James Vacca, whose district includes Ferry Point Park. "I am thrilled to see the City remains committed to this vital project, and I am looking forward to working with the Mayor and the Parks Department to ensure the golf course opens as soon as possible with the best amenities possible."

The process announced today, awarding separate RFPs for a designer and an operator of a golf course, has been successfully used by the City in the past for projects that involve large capital expenditures. Once the designer has been selected and construction is underway, the course operator will be selected and asked to make a capital investment, such as the construction of a clubhouse and restaurant. Most of the City's golf courses operate on this model, and City courses and driving ranges generated $8.4 million in revenue last fiscal year, an amount that has nearly doubled compared to six years ago.

Ferry Point Park, built upon a discontinued landfill, is near the Whitestone Bridge and bounded by the Hutchison River Parkway, the East River, Schley Avenue, Emerson Avenue and Balcon Avenue.  The City will continue remediation efforts in accordance with its existing permit from the State Department of Environmental Conservation. The site features impressive views of the East River, Manhattan skyline, and of the Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridges. In addition to the golf course, Ferry Point will include two parks currently being designed with community input. A new 7-acre community park will include a little league and a junior baseball field, basketball courts, a play area for children and a pedestrian trail. Construction on the community park is expected to begin in the Summer of 2008 and be completed in the Summer of 2009. A separate 20-acre waterfront promenade will convert undeveloped parkland into a waterfront park with views of the Long Island Sound, paths with seating, educational signage and access to the water.

For more information or a copy of the RFP, visit www.nyc.gov.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser / Jason Post   (212) 788-2958

Jeff Simmons (Comptroller Thompson)   (212) 669-3747

Jeff Lynch (CM Vacca)   (718) 931-1721




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