More Arcade Games Sought for Grand Prix New York

The Mount Kisco Planning Board is considering a proposal from Grand Prix New York to add 50 arcade games inside the premises.

Diamond Properties CEO James Diamond asked the board last week to allow him to increase the number of games from 25 to 75. As a condition of approval more than two years ago for Spins Bowl, which is located within the Grand Prix go-kart facility at 333. N. Bedford Rd., the board allowed up to 25 arcade games. The bowling alley opened in late 2011.

Diamond said the additional arcade games are needed to ensure economic viability.

“We’re in a challenged economy,” he said.

A reason the planning board gave for limiting the number of games was a concern that the site could become a hangout for unruly youths.

Last week Diamond told board members his building has adhered to the traffic generation limits that had been previously set. He said there are no physical changes being sought for the building, only a special permit to allow the additional games.

Complicating the matter is that the board and Diamond have different counts regarding the number of games that are currently in operation at Grand Prix New York. Diamond contended that there are 25 games, but planning board member Ralph Vigliotti said the village building department found 47 games.

“We need to clarify that,” Vigliotti said.

Diamond said the game count given by the building department includes driving simulators, which he did not consider to be arcade games, as well as games that have more than one player for a single device.

Vigliotti told Diamond the 10 racing car simulators should be counted as arcade games.

However, Diamond said even with the addition of the bowling alley and current games, excessive traffic has not been generated at 333 N. Bedford Rd.

“We’re still 20 percent below our maximum cap,” he said. Approval conditions limited vehicle generation to 450 trips into and out of the property during morning and evening peak driving periods. The building is 96.8 percent occupied.

“The cake is baked,” he said.

Vigliotti said he was concerned that if the board approved 75 games the arcade would become a destination rather than an accessory use for the bowling alley and go-karts.

“Any number you pick is sort of an arbitrary number,” Diamond replied.

While Vigliotti expressed concerns, his colleagues were more sympathetic to the request. Vice Chairman Anthony Sturniolo said he had no objection to 75 games. Traffic generated by the North Bedford Road building “appears well within the guidelines” set by the planning board, he said.

Planning board member Stanley Bernstein also supported additional games. The mix of businesses in the building has created excessive traffic in the area, he said.

The board voted unanimously to set a public hearing on the issue for June 11.

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