City RFP with tennis club on hold

A concessionaire’s agreement between a private tennis club operating at the Queensboro Oval and the city’s and Department of Parks & Recreation is for now on hold at the request of elected officials, department officials said.

The long-contentious agreement, which is projected to bring in $2.6 million to city coffers this year, has been the subject of several hearings at Community Board 8 in recent months. Residents, board members and other elected officials have complained that the agreement with the upscale Sutton East Tennis Club prohibits the public from using the oval, an otherwise public park on Sutton Place between 59th Street and 60th Street, for all but about two months of the year.

“NYC Parks is continuing our open dialogue with community stakeholders including local elected officials and the Community Board to determine the best way to activate this space for sports and recreational purposes,” Parks Department Commissioner Mitchell Silver said in a statement.

The community board, with support from elected officials, wants to completely change the makeup of the park and open it for public use year-round. The tennis club wants to expand the bubble’s time frame to the entire year.

The club’s current 10-year agreement expires in August of 2017.

CB8’s Parks Committee is scheduled to discuss the issue at its Thursday evening meeting.

— Richard Khavkine. editor.dt@strausnews.com