"The Opportunity to Boost Funding for NYC’s Parks Through New Concessions"
A Center for an Urban Future Policy Symposium
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 
8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. 
The Greene Space 
44 Charlton Street

To attend in-person, RSVP via this link.
To watch the livestream, RSVP via this link. 

There are surprisingly few restaurants, cafes, and other destination-worthy concessions in parks across the five boroughs. Where these concessions do exist, they invariably enhance the experience of parkgoers. A modest expansion of parks concessions could make New York’s parks even more appealing while providing a much-needed source of dedicated revenue for parks citywide at a time when city funding for parks has failed to keep pace with their growing maintenance and infrastructure needs.

This forum will delve into the opportunity for a thoughtful expansion of concessions in parks across the five boroughs—including food and beverage, recreation, and wellness. It will explore the experience of parks that have added new concessions in recent years—from McCarren Park and Fort Tryon Park to Brooklyn Bridge Park and Central Park—and examine whether there are untapped opportunities to lease concessions in other city parks. Panelists will also discuss what city and state policy changes and investments are needed to unlock these opportunities, how to ensure that revenues generated from new concessions remain in parks, and whether a portion of new revenues generated by concessions can benefit parks in less affluent communities.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Commissioner Sue Donoghue, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
• Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Chair, Committee on Parks & Recreation
• David Cerron, Assistant Commissioner for Business Development, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
• Arthi Krishnamoorthy, Senior Principal, TenBerke; Board Member, Queens Museum
• Eric Landau, President, Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation
• Clare Newman, President and CEO, Trust for Governors Island
• John Surico, Senior Fellow for Climate & Opportunity, Center for an Urban Future
• Alan van Capelle, Executive Director, Friends of the High Line

Details
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. (doors open at 8; program begins at 8:45)
@The Greene Space 
44 Charlton Street (between 6th Avenue and Varick Street)

To attend in-person, please RSVP via this link. 

To watch the livestream, please RSVP via this link. 

We are committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations in our programs. For questions or requests regarding access and accommodation, please contact Stephanie Arevalo at [email protected] at least 72 hours in advance of the program.

This symposium is made possible through generous support from the NYC Green Fund. We are also grateful for general support from The Clark Foundation, the Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation, the Altman Foundation, and ongoing support from a number of other philanthropic funders.