City Recommends Related–City Pickle Partnership to Run Wollman Rink, Trump Organization Loses Bid

The New York City Parks Department recommended Wollman Park Partners — a not-for-profit joint venture between Related Companies and City Pickle LLC — be awarded the 20-year franchise to operate Wollman Ice Skating Rink in Central Park, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The recommendation means the Trump Organization, which long managed the rink and submitted a bid to regain control, was passed over.

City officials said the recommendation will be reviewed by the city Department of Investigation and the franchise and concession review committee before the selection is finalized. A City Hall spokesperson said the Adams administration "follows a well-established, New York City charter-mandated process for negotiating and awarding concessions" and that officials "will always prioritize the needs of New Yorkers and make the best use of taxpayers dollars. We will share our selection officially once it has been finalized."

The Parks Department issued a request for proposals last fall for a 20-year term to begin when the current contract expires on Oct. 31, 2026. The rink has been run in recent years by a consortium that includes Related Companies, Equinox and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns the New Jersey Devils hockey team. During warmer months, the facility has been repurposed for pickleball and other uses.

The Trump Organization renovated Wollman Rink in the 1980s and operated it for decades thereafter; it was removed from the franchise after then-Mayor Bill de Blasio forced the company out following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Team Trump had argued the company should never have been ousted and submitted a bid to win back the franchise. The Trump Organization did not immediately comment on Wednesday.

The rink’s reconstruction in the mid-1980s was a high-profile episode in New York City politics. After a troubled and overbudget municipal effort, Donald Trump offered in 1986 to rebuild Wollman Rink on a tighter timeline and under budget; contractors finished below the roughly $3 million price tag then cited by city officials. The reopening became a major public relations boost for Trump, and the subsequent operating contract lasted more than three decades.

The Trump Organization still highlights that work on its website, saying, "The Wollman Rink would be later known as one of the greatest comeback stories in Manhattan," and noting that the rink, Lasker Rink and the Central Park Carousel "will remain a wonderful part of the history of the Trump Organization."

Sources had speculated that awarding the franchise to the Trump Organization could prompt scrutiny from the Department of Investigation because of a civil fraud ruling against the company, but city officials said the legal matter was not a factor in the Parks Department’s recommendation. The recommendation is subject to standard vetting and approval steps that have been used for other city concessions.

If the recommendation is approved through the remaining city review steps, Wollman Park Partners would assume management responsibilities under the new franchise when the current agreement ends. The Parks Department and other city officials will finalize and publicize the award after completing the required oversight reviews.