One of two submissions to operate a restaurant at Rye Town Park has withdrawn its proposal to manage the park’s restaurant, snack and concession stands.
Angelo Liberatore told the Rye Town Park Commission that he is foregoing his plan to revamp the park’s restaurant area after giving some additional thought. The news was announced at the the commission’s meeting on Aug. 16.
Following a request for proposals, RFP, that was sent out in late June, the commission, which sets policy at the park, received two proposals, one from Liberatore, an operating partner of the Fort Pond Bay Company—which operates Half Moon and Harvest on Hudson in Westchester County—and a proposal from Sam Chernin and John Ambrose of Seaside Johnnies, Rye Town Park’s current restaurant tenant.
According to Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, a Democrat and member of the commission, Liberatore reached out to the supervisor over the weekend and decided to withdraw his proposal on Aug. 15.
Zuckerman said that the restaurateur cited issues with the time frame of the proposal not being long enough to prepare for the 2017 season. Liberatore said it would be difficult to align the management of the park’s restaurant with several other restaurants he co-owns, according to the Zuckerman.
The park commission, which will meet again on Sept. 20, will have until Oct. 7 to make a decision on whether or not to accept Ambrose’s proposal. According to Zuckerman, the commission has the jurisdiction to reopen the RFP if it does not reach a decision with Ambrose.
