Sunday, December 20, 2009

"Free" Bryant Park Ice Rink -VIP's Skip Line For Fee

















The Pond - Bryan Park. Skaters taking advantage of the historically free entrance fee have some stiff competition this year under a new plan quietly hatched by the Bryant Park Restoration Corp. The Pond, which includes the Holiday Market which is inaccessible to people with disabilities, is sponsored by numerous companies including Citi




MANHATTAN


Danny  Biederman comes up with some pretty interesting logic when he tries to justify Bryant Park charging $ 19 for VIP's passes which allow people to skip the line at the popular skating rink in the NY Post. The entire activity is supposed to be free - if you have your own skates - but if you have the money you can buy access to the rink before those who are either unable or unwilling to shell out the funds. Furthermore in his attempt at justifying this scheme he says that the $ 19 includes skate rentals (what if you bring own skates, do they still charge that amount? More on that later) What's not mentioned is that the $12 they charge for skate rentals is twice the amount of say Wollman Rink in Central Park for instance.  The Pond at Bryant Park, is made possible by Citi.   


Bryant Park Rink Pulls A Fast One 


This will leave skaters cold -- the Bryant Park ice rink, which boasts it is the city's only free skating venue, now sells "VIP fast passes" for $19, allowing skaters to bypass the masses waiting an hour or more on busy weekends, according to the NY Post.


Dan Biederman, head of the Bryant Park Corp., insisted the price was "not out of the reach of everyday people," since it includes a $12 skate rental.



New York Post - December 20, 2009 - By Melissa Klein





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