Town of Greenburgh Awaits Vote on Bubble
When it comes to voting on what to do with Frank’s Nursery, the Town of Greenburgh is playing the waiting game.
The town was expected to vote on leasing Frank’s Nursery on Dobbs Ferry Road to Tarrytown-based Game On 365 so it can build the Westchester Fieldhouse, a 94,000 square foot dome bubble that would include numerous recreational fields Tuesday morning.
The vote was supposed to take place Friday afternoon but was rescheduled because Councilman Ken Jones could not attend, citing illness. This follows on a meeting that took place on Wednesday about the Westchester Fieldhouse.
Town officials say that leasing to Game on 365 would create revenue, help lower taxes and allow for much needed field space, while opponents have questioned the speed in which the town is entering the deal and how much traffic would be created.
Critics, led by Simon Cohen of www.helpburstthebubble.com, have come out in full force against the project, sending out numerous mailings to Greenburgh residents. Critics charge that the rent is too low and there is no cap on what the town must spend on cleaning up the site, among other grievances.
In the first year, Game On 365 is expected to pay $260,000 and in year 15 will pay $335,000. The property taxes on the property are part of Game On’s lease. As the town continues to work on the lease, those terms could change.
According to the town, Game On 365 has also committed to paying $250,000 in cleanup costs, including $125,000 upfront, though Feiner said the town is continuing to make modifications to the lease.
“My feeling is that all the members of the town board are in favor of it,” Feiner said. “We are making modifications so we get more revenue.”
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.