NEW YORK The deadline to submit proposals to take over the contract for Tavern on the Green came and went Monday, and the field of prospective bidders was winnowed from the original 150 to only a few serious contenders, including the LeRoy family, current operators of the renowned New York City restaurant.
High-profile New York restaurateurs, including Union Square Hospitality Group’s Danny Meyer, the Ciprianis and Alan Stillman as well as the New Orleans-based Brennan family all dropped out of the running for the restaurant, whose contract expires Dec. 31, according to reports. In addition to the LeRoy family, Central Park Boathouse operator Dean Poll and Capitale owner Seth Greenberg are among those that remain as contenders for the contract, reports said.
“If there are only these very few bids, maybe [the Parks Department] can really be ready [to announce the winning bid] by July,” said Shelley Clark, spokeswoman for Tavern on the Green. “There are big numbers and big plans to digest. We think we’ve put together a creative, interesting and well-thought-through proposal, and based on that, we certainly are looking forward to the possibility of a renewal.”
Despite his initial interest, USHG’s Meyer said he ultimately decided to drop out of the bidding after reviewing the city’s request for proposal on the property.
“After careful consideration, we elected not to submit a bid for the restaurant to succeed Tavern on the Green,” he said. “As passionate New Yorkers, we were excited and tempted by the opportunity to envision how to transform such a magnificent place into a new institution for our city to cherish.” But, he continued, “after a thorough review of the RFP, we ultimately concluded that the overall business opportunity unfortunately did not make sense for us at this time.”
Some of the requirements in the RFP include a complete renovation of the restaurant, a plan to make the establishment more environmentally and an increase in the amount of revenue the city would garner annually.
Tavern’s Clark said that the LeRoy family is committed to maintaining the contract for Tavern on the Green.
“At this point we’ve addressed everything we’ve been asked to and we’ve come up with what we think are some good solutions to problems we think already exist, including the physical structure as it exists right now and, obviously, the financial portion,” Clark said.
Under the current contract, the LeRoy family is obligated to pay the city just 3.5 percent of Tavern’s gross revenues.
Tavern on the Green originally opened in 1934, and the LeRoys have run the operation since 1973. The restaurant, which is visited by as many as 650,000 diners annually, reported sales last year of more than $36 million.
If the LeRoy family loses its bid to operate the restaurant, it would still own the Tavern on the Green name, which has been appraised at around $19 million. The right to use the Tavern name or the restaurant’s ornate design elements, including the numerous lights and mirrors decorating the space, would not be transferred to the new operator.
The parks department is expected to select the winning bid in July.
Contact Elissa Elan at [email protected].