Box# 32

Folder# 624

Word's Fair: Post-Fair Development

1964

MEMORANDUM

NEW YORK WORLD.S FAIR 1964-1965 CORPO

To: MR. ROBERT MOSES

Fr!OM; JOHN v. THORNTON

SUBJECT· USE OF FAIR SURPLUS

Under Article 15 of the existing lease between the Fair Corporation and the City, the Fair Corporation is obliged "within four months after the close of the Fair" to demolish and remove all buildings, structures, pavement and other facilities not useful for park purposes as certified by the Park Commissioner, and either "restore the premises to a condition satisfactory to" the Park Commissioner or, if directed by the Park Commissioner, to "restore the demised premises to the condition in which they were upon the date of execution of" the lease, such date being May 27, 1960.

Article 16 of the lease, entitled, "Remaining Net Revenues", provides that "All net revenue" remaining to the credit of the Fair Corporation after the discharge of all of its obligations under the lease "shall be paid to the City and shall be used for the restoration and improvement of Flushing Meadow Park, and the balance of such revenue remaining thereafter shall be used by the City of New York for educational purposes" (emphasis supplied).

This lease was authorized by State legislation and thereafter confirmed by State legislation.

It is apparent, therefore, that, under the lease as it now exists, there is an obligation to use the net revenue from the Fair for "improvement of Flushing Meadow Park". While no set amount of net revenue is specified to be used for "improvement" of the Park, the reasonable interpretation is that the bulk of the net revenues were to be so used since the lease refers only to "the balance, • , remain­ing thereafter" as usable for educational purposes.

Thus, pursuant to the lease and the legislation action authorizinCJ and confirming it, the bulk of the net revenues from the Fair is intendea to constitute capital funds for improvement of Flushing Meadow Park and only "the balance" can be used by- the City in its discretion as capital funds or expense monies. Even this ''balance", of course, has to go for educational purposes either as capital projects or expense items in the educational budget.

. '·I .. I/; 11 .,.-, 1-''" ~ '-'-- -·' '(.. ; '- (

CIQ61

• NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1964-1965 CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION AT FLUSHING MEADOW PARK

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PlAC£ THROUGH UNDERSTANDING

WORLD'S FAIR, N.Y. 11380 AREA CODE 212- WF 4-1964

March 5, 1964

BY HAND

Hon. Paul R. Screvane President of the City Council Council Chambers City Hall New York, New York 10007

Dear Paul:

CABLE WORLDSFAIR

ROBERT MOSES PRESID[NT

I understand that among other objections to the post-Fair pro­gram made by Abe Beame at a recent meeting of the Board of Estimate was the statement that the benefits to the City, especially in the form of sales tax additions due to the Fair, should be discounted because of the fact that they would not go on forever. This is certainly the most grotesque objection I have ever heard. The fact is that the Fair may bring to the City during the two years of its operation an amount estimated at $200, 000, 000 in the form of sales tax additions. This is something the City could not normally have counted on and which could only, in any event, be the result of superior planning and management in the Fair and an enormous public attendance.

Let me point out also that Beame does not seem to acknowledge that the $24, 000, 000 advanced by the City for permanent improvements is all coming back and is available for whatever purpose the City may have in mind. I gather that Beame wants to translate this into expense budget money which seems to me to be extremely bad policy, but that is up to the City ad­ministration.

Beame never seems to have understood that under the existing agreement the first obligation of the Fair ahead of the $24, 000,000 advanced by the City, is the restoration of the Park area, and that the Fair is primarily responsible for interpreting this part of the agreement, which brings us straight into the problem not only of demolition, salvage, restoration, etc., but of com­pletion of the Park.

No money can possibly be available for education until the res­toration matter is fully disposed of. Beame has stated that the City will be obligated to have the Fair complete the Park by the pending legisla­tion. This is not a fact. This legislation is simply permissive, and in

48 0 A Y S T 0 0 PEN I N G DAY

Hon. Paul R. Screvane - 2 - March 5, 1964

the end the details of Park completion will require step by step the approval of the City. It is of course conceivable - although I hope this would not prove to be the case- that the City might not at the time wish to proceed with any park development east of Main Street, that is beyond the Zoological and Botanical Garden.

Finally, if the advance sale of tickets proves to be a reliable picture of attendance, there might be a continuation of prudent management by a considerable sum left over beyond anything required for the completion of the Park.

The alternative, as I have indicated, based on my own experience after World's Fair One and other experience, indicates that there will be a mess for years in the Flushing Meadow area unless a constructive program is agreed upon promptly.

Cordially,

President

RM:MR:gs

UNI&PHI:RC

:. /·-. -~ NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1964·1965 CORPORATION

INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION AT F'L.USHING MEADOW PARK

F'LUSHING 52,N.V. • TtLEPHONE·ARtACOD£ ZI2·WF' 4·1964 • CAEILEADORtss"WORLOSFAIR"

-"lAC C TttHOUOH

UN0(...,:01A,.d)INQ

March 5, 1964

Mr. Bradford N. Clark Commissioner Department of Public Works· City of New York ... 1800 ~ur.dci~al Building New York 7,-N. Y.

Dear Brad:

/ ~l

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/

ROBtRT MOStS l'l'ltSIDtNT

Thanks for your letter of February 5th on the Flushing River dredging.

Our post-Fair plan does not contemplate the filling in o{the river south of Roosevelt Avenue. It would require very expensive storm sewer construction.

Some dredging south of Roosevelt Avenue will be necessary. If the mud flat is dug to 2 feet below mean low water, with the material placed on the adjacent bank and covered over with one foot of good material, it can be done for about $125, 000. I believe the Budget Director would approve this.

May I urge that a quick report be made on this basis with a request to the Board of Estimate for authority to award the work without formal advertising.·

.Cor~~ ,/ ~

// / President

48 CAYS TO OPENING DAY

THE

DEPARTMENT OF MUNICIPAL. SUIL.OING

COMMISGIONER

BAAD,ORO N, CLARK 1 p .Eo DEPUTY COMMI&SION&:R9

MEViiR F. WU .. Eli, P. E. JO!if:PH M, GIBLIN

l·!r. Robert Noses, Preaident Now York \~orld t e Fair 1964-1965 Flushing ~~eadow Palk Flll3hing 52, N. Y.

Doar Eob:

PUBLIC WORKS ~I?§I<S~· 1'96\

ADDRUe ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE Dll,.AATMCNT

IN REI'I..V ""'"' TO

P:·r 193 - Flu!jhi.ng I'J. ·rer -Dredging Outoidc of Chnr...nol

Corporation

Ro!eronco is made to your letter or December 20, 1963 which urged tho reinstatement of tho above proj~ct.

The A~aistunt Director ot the BudGet, by letter of Novrunber 81 1963, rccooJnr.mdad that tho Department l>Jithdrm.,. ito requeat for approval ot th~ projeot for the reason thst the area of tho River south of Roosevelt Avenue Bridge will be tilled in at some future date.

Thio area is referred to in a report of the Budget Director (Calendar 27, September 26, 1963 Board of Est:izate l·~cotine) on a coml<tunica.tion dated Hay 23, 1963 £rom the Presidc."lt, Boroueh ot Quacns, raquesting

approval ot Hap No. 4236 which r;hol..r;3 a chance in the street system i.ncludi!\~ the lnyaut of three (3) p.:.t.rk additions to Flu~hine Hcadow Park. Tho report refers to t.~e portion of the River (Parcel 2) • south ot tho Roosevelt Avenue Bridge in thG following terms:

"It is noted that the futu1•e acquisition of this parcel wlll consolidate the City's ownership of a.ll tb upland adjacent· to tha portion ot tho Fluclli~ Hivcr involved and thus provide !or t.he .fil.l.ing in of this accti on or tm stream since thio por'.:.ion ~.rill not 'bo needed tor navigatl.on."

FEB 1 0 196~

. . . Mr. Robert llisas, Preaidont ~•193 - Flwhing Rivor -Drod{:ing Outsido of Channel Fobru!U7 51 1964

Under tho o.bovo cirCUl:l:ltcncoo wo could not obt:Un appl•oval of the drodgin~ cont1•a.ct in its original form. HoYovor, b;r d9lot:1ne ths Wol•k south of Roosevelt Avonuo Brideo, tho oan·~ra.ct aa· co arJ.Cndod 'Will bo a.pprovod by tho Budget D.lrcctor. '.t'ho Dopo.rtm¢-l;t; ho.o aooordinelY amended the or1gi."'lol contract Elnd we expect to ailvort1se for bida 1n the imedia.te futuro. '

Mr. J.P. Groenendyke, Jr. New lork World's Fair F1us~~ 52, New York

., Vory tru;t.y yours 1

BRADFOR:O U. CLARK Cor.::mias:l.cmor

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I;' !• I. I I. f, f'\ I ,

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., ....

• ABRAHAM D.BEAME COMPTROLLER

THE CITY OF NEW YORK

OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER

MUNICIPAL BUILDING

NEW YORt< 7, N.Y.

Honorable Paul R. Screvane, President The City Council City Hall New York, 7, N. Y. Re. A.I. 5229

Dear Mr. President:

I am taking this means of registering my strong objections to legislation to amend the law covering the City's agreement for the World's Fair of 196~-1965, which would affect the use of the surplus funds remaining upon the termination of the world 1s fair exposition.

The present law provides that any surplus remaining, after payment of obligations to bondholders, shall be turned over to the City and used for the restoration and improve­ment of Flushing Meadow Park, and that the balance shall be used for educational purposes. The term 'surplus', as under­stood by the City and the World's Fair Corporation, has always meant the money remaining after the City is reimbursed for the $24 million spent for construction work at the Fair.

The proposed amendment would permit the City to grant a two-year extension to the World's Fair Corporation and further extension if deemed advisable, and would permit the City to contract with the World's Fair Corporation to improve Flushing Meadow Park, as well as a chain of other parks, before any of the surplus can be used for education purposes.

My opposition is based upon the following points:

1. This legislation carries the clear implication that we would be considering parks more urgent than school needs. This is a most unrealistic approach at a time when schools are a focal point of the greatest social unrest in the history of the City, State and Nation -- an upheaval which is taking on the weight of a social revolution.

As a matter of fact, the legislation would give the World's Fair Corporation a blank check for using any surplus for parks. It does not limit the amount of surplus which can be spent for parks, and it is possible that nothing at all could be left for schools.

~onorable Paul H. Screvane, President The City Council

-page two-

March 12, 1964

2. The proposed measure also implies that the City would consider transferring the responsibility ror park development from municipal officials, who must answer to the people for their actions, to the executives of a non-public corporation. There is no valid reason for this transfer, nor for the fact that it would create a costly duplication of administrative effort.

The World's Fair Corporation would be given the author­ity to develop parks, without the control and supervision we exercise over our own Park Department. This seems to be a strange way of by-passing our Park Commissioner and turning over the proposed development to a sort of super-Park Department, or a quasi-authority.

3. Under this legislation, contracts could be awarded without public letting by the World's Fair Corporation, without approval of the Board of Estimate, and without a public hearing as now required. It thus circumvents the requirement of approv­al by elected officials, who are directly resronsible to the people.

4. As further evidence that the World's Fair Corpor­ation wants no interference or supervision, there is no require­ment that the Corporation should be subject to audit by the City Comptroller's office.

I want to make it clear that I do not, in any way, object to any logical plan for park improvements. During my 18 years as Assistant Director and Director of the Budget, and Comptroller, I recommended to the Board of Estimate, and supported, the development of hundreds of parks and recreation areas.

My present objection is to the method suggested for carrying out these park improvements. There can be no question of the value of a zoo, museums and park improvements in Queens, but I question very seriously the wisdom of using funds which could be used for our most pressing problem -- schools.

The park, zoo and museum projects can certainly be carried out in the usual way, with capital funds, when approved by the City, instead of diverting money which is sorely needed in many areas for the improvement of our school system.

.Honorable Paul R.Screvane,President ;.lfhe City Council -page three- March 12, 1964-

I can certainly see the purpose of extending the life of the Wonld's Fair Corporation to complete the restor­ation of Flushing Meadow Park. But I have heard no cogent reasons for permitting the Corporation to carry out a purpose which was not even remotely contemplated when it was formed.

Therefore, I urge you to take all possible steps to defeat this proposal as an impractical unjustified attempt by the World's Fair dorporation to continue itself after its real purpose is ended, at the expense of ~ritically-needed educational improvements.

Sincerely yours, //

' J 1 7:?--(L/ / I ' / ' : ( ~/(, ~.:...--L.-1?'1.-' I i / . ~ Comptroller.

UN16PHEAt8

-.. PE:ACE THROUGH UNDERSTANDING

01961

NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1964-1965 CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION AT FLUSHING MEADOW PARK

WORLD'S rAIR, N.Y. 11380 AREA CODE 212- Wr 4-1964

July 13, 1964

Honoratle Paul R. Screvane President of the City Cmmcil Council Chambers City Hall New York, New York 10007

Dear Paul:

CABLE WORLDSFAIR

ROBERT MOSES PRESIDENT

Attached is Post-Fair progress report. You will note that I have labelled the corridor east of Main Street as an alternate not immediate objective. We will make some preliminary plans especially as to crossings, but not consider this a Fair obligation to be paid for out of possible balances.

RM:amh Attachment

Cordially,

President

FLUSHING MEADOW AND BEYOND

POST WORLD'S FAIR PROGRAM

PROGRESS REPORT

JULY 14, 1964

··.'

<·.·.····· .. FLUSHING MEADow·····

.AND B.EYOND

· POST WORLD'S FAIR PROGRAM.

PROGRESS REPORT

PREPARED BY -- .. " ~ .

NEW YORK \VORLD'S FAIR 1964-1965 CORPORATION

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INTRODUCfORY STATEMENT

The Fair is a two-year universicy, a place of Olympic competition, a .c~nter of religion, culture; science and amusement, and an avenue to world peace. Such ·

an enterprise requires elaborateforethousht and sound financing to pay its billst but . . beyond paying all debts ·and meeting all obligations, the Fair ·should end with. a

surplus large enough not merely to remove temporary structures, fill up hqles and .. make surface restorations, all that was done after the 1939·1940 Fair, but to pro­vide. in the process the finest park corridor in the very heart of the City. We are

·bending every effort to insure a balance sufficient to accomplish this ultimate objective

which bas been generally described before in a previous report issued on January 20;

1964 and is illustrated in greater detail in the following pages.

An enabling act was adopted by the State Legislature and signed by the .

Governor at the instance of Mayor Wagner to enable the City to take advantage of

the Fair personnel, to insure complete restoration and improvement of the Fair area

and the Corridor beyond .. There is no other way to do this work logically, econom- .

. ically, speedily, and satisfactorily except through the staff which built the Fair ~d

·is responsible for restoration.

I have ~id before and repeat here;'Converting a pageant htto a park is nOt

like composing bars of music, one following another. The stanzaS of demolition, sai- .. · · vage, dirt moving, restoration, and construction overlap.''

ROBERT MOSES Pfe.ritlent

FLUSHING MEADOW PARK NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR I964-1965

KISSENA PARK ADJACENT TO KISSENA

GOLF COURSE

KISSENA CO: WITH QUEEI BOTANICAL IN THE FOR

KISSENA CORRIDOR PARK WITH QUEENS ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS SITE IN THE FOREGROUND

7

SITE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF FLUSHING MEADOW PARK ADDITION

0 2000

SCALE IN F"EET

FLUS

CENTRAL

DEMOLITI(

UTILITIES,

ARENA M<

CITY BUlL

ENTRANCI

HAU OF~

NEW PARt

PLANTING

MEADO~

DEMOLITI<

UTILITIES,

AMPHITHI

NEW PARl

PLANTING

PARK AI

UTILITIES, PLANTING

ARBORE1

UTILITIES,

ZOO BUlL:

PLANTINC

FL~U:SHlNG MEADOW PARK

DESIGN ··-----------' PROGRESS

1964

UTILITIES, PAVING, ETC.

·ARENA MODIFICATION

CITY BUILDING MODIFICATION

. ENTRANCE BLDG. MODIFICATION

HAU OF SCIENCE EXHIBITS

NEW PARK BUILDINGS

PLANTING

MEADOW & WILLOW LAKE AREAS 1964 1965 1966 1967

DEMOUTION I 1/ /~ 1/ ·.

UTILITIES, PAVING, ETC. • -v 17/ 7 "7 1// 1//

AMPHITHEATRE MODIFICATION I 1/ / // 1// / '/

NEW PARK BUILDINGS - I I/ ~ /

PLANTING • I / '// 1// / / i// .

ESTIMATED COST $4,880,000

PARK ADDITION 1964 1965 1966 1967

UTILlTIES, PAVING, GRADING, I - IT // /7 ] "/ // A PLANTING, ETC. I

ESTIMATED COST Sl,l75,000

ARBORETUM AND ZOO 1964 1965 1966 1967

UTILITIES, PAVING, ETC. • v /7 // / / // lA

': ZOO BUILDINGS • r..; // / // // / 'I

PLANTING • v 77 // / / // LA

ESTIMATED COST $1,67S,OOO

BEYC

!l't'ltle .Nee It KISS ENA

UTILITIES,

NEW PAR

BRIDGES

PLANTING

KISSENA

UTILITIES,

~ NEW PAR

BRIDGES

PLANTINC 2000

SCALE IN FHT

BICYCLE KISSENAC< CUNNING!:-ALLEY PAR

UTILITIES,

NEW PAR

BRIDGES

PLANTINC

I

··.·:BEYOND -A LOOK INTO nrn FUTURE

DESIGN PROGRBSS

IOSSEN.r\ CORRIDOR PARK 1964 1965

UTJUTIES, GRADING, PAVING, ETC.

NEW PARK BUILDINGS

BRIDGES

PLANTING

KISSENA PARK 1964

UTILITIES, GRADING, PAVING, ETC.

.NEW PARK BUILDINGS

BRIDGES

PLANTING

BICYCLE PATH KISSBNA CORRIDOR PARK 1964 1965 1966 1967 CUNNINGHAM PARK ALLBYPARK .

I' UTILITIES, GRADING, PAVING, ETC. r II/ "'

.,., r1

NEW PARK BUILDINGS I 1/ / / / IJ

BRIDGES v // // 1// rl

PLANTING 1/ / / // 1// /

ESTIMATED COST $2,680,000

TOTAL COST $30,000,000

Pram: e<:aUTROLLBR ABRAHAM D. BBAME Room530 566-SS67

POR IAMBDIATB RELEASE ~ Uarcb 13. 1964 if

/~t~ ~-31 '.\ '. \ \' '.;

Robert Moeea, who hu accuaed me of makifta "an iD&ccurete aulyeil

ot aurplua ftmda" from tbe World'• Fair, hu evkieDdy •ttled for a hJably-IDaccurate

readtng t1 the State law whlcll clearly deftnea tbe atatua ot then aurplu1 lunda.

Tbe law atatea, unequivocally, that all aurplua fUDda remabdaa after ( ( .J .,, ,. ' I 4- I . /. ~

repayment of bond holden and reatoratJon of Fluahmg Meadow Park, ••ahall he t.IHd ............. .,4,_..----

a., the Clty ot New York for educadoaal purposes. " Upon a re-readtas of the law,

Mr. M011ea muat concede that:

1. He Ia wroas tn atatlal that "the money wlll be earned by the World• a

Patr and t.a not City money." It :la City money, according to State Law.

2 2. By urging a chaup in tbat law to enable the use of aut.tatally all ol

thla money for park development, rather than for educatloaal purpoeea, he takea the

position that parka are more important to the people of the City than achool8.

Mr. Moea aJao etatea tbat the II.D'plua money, which tbe State law deer ..

llhould be used for ~ehool purpo808, Ia a .. one ·shot operadoa. " 'I'hat, u be ... It,

mak88 It aomewhat the leu useful to our schools.

That Is a specious argument. I need cmly polllt out a few of die cntleallf·

aeedad "cme-smt" expenditUl'es which could be applied to scbDola with n.uka wldch

wnl be appreciated for many yean by our children, their teachen ad dHdr ,.,....

Such "me-abot" money could be uaed to repair a leaky root, ad ...-11:

weatber·ttpt for many years.

It could be uaed tor replacing old md worn-out text.booka; ad tor purdll ..

10rely needed new books, helping many cluaes for many yeara.

k could be UMd fell' weatheratrlpplng. repairiDI wladrnr1, repa!rb1c

ltprtns or plumbtaa. or ay cxber ct a boat of "one-allot" ttem. tbat are unJmponam

oalf at tbe mmfon, helltb. allety and educatioa of our chlldra are uaimpol'tlllt.

Furthermore. the arr.un-nt/ that a one -&hot income Ia DOt a &OCJd tacome

Ia fallac-... It falll before the fact that all the IDcreued tu revenues wblc:h the

City expects u a reauh ot tbe World's Fair-*and which Mr. Molea atreale8-·are,

lD eaaeoce. "one-lhot" revenues. After the Fair, we wlU have them ao Joapr.

Doee dll8 mean that we sbouJd not wwe the revenuea from tbe World' a Pair for vital

ctcy HrYlcea?

Mr. Moaee alao takes laaue with my atatemellt tbat the amadmlnt would

triD8fer "reapoaalb.Ulty for park developrre Dt from lll\IDJclpal offidall, wbo m•

auwer to the people for their acdonl, to the execw:tvea of a DOD-pub.Uc corpor.-.

Tbere Ill no valid reuon for thta transfer, nor for the fact that it would create a

coady duplicadon of admlniatrative effort. "

I must str•• the fact that the proposed park development would he

aupervilled by tbe World'• Pair Corporation, In wblch aome hl.gbly-patd ldmlalatrlldre

help recebe aalariea areater than tbat of ot.ar o• Commteabler ot Parka.

Mr. Moaes a1ao objects to th1a statement I made: "Tbe Worlcl'a Pair

Corporadoll would be given the astb.ortty to develop parka, widlotlt tbe f»>ltNlaad

aupervilltOil we exerclae over our own Park Department. Th1a aeema to a. a •••

way ot by-p••ms our .Part Commlaatoner am tum.tng CRer tbe pi'CIJ'<*d ... ..,_.

to a aort rt auper -park Department. "

Mr. Moaea lnailta that In the park prop-am be naualt1811, "lOt ..

nickel • • • could be apent without the approval d. the pentna bodJ CJI die aay ...

tbe City Part Department. • • • ~ "

,. ........ qu&W.... 11ae .. , ..,. .. a~......,... ............... . ~e..'-. •••-•"ftllld welD a. pvea by die ..... fit Bldmar. lid Putt Ctu•••••

,..... a. tor ...,..._al et ,._lllfon die~ •tara~. Alter a pt1 ..... war. -. weul4 be ao City coatrol.

TIWI the.pt eccunm me; If Mr. Moles were Part ea. ........ I -.. coacetve of Ide ICC.tlpdrla IUdJ a propoglae he now allen.

3/64-RlB "' UNISPHERE 01061

NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1964-1965 CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION AT FLUSHING MEADOW PARK FLUSHING 52, N.Y. • TELEPHONE· AREA CODE 212.WF 4·1964 • CABLE ADDRESS "WORLOSFAIR"

~EACI: 1'H"0UOH UHDE:ASTANDIHO __ .. @--....

NEWS: REPER INQUIRIES TO:

Peter McDonnell - WF Jerome Edelberg - WF Joyce Martin - WF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROBERT MOSES PRESIDENT

March 12, 1964

STATEMENT OF ROBERT MOSES IN ANSWER TO A LETTER

RELEASED BY COMPTROLLER BEAME

I have read Comptroller Beamers statement regarding the

Post-Fair Flushing Meadow and related park improvements. I don•t

want to quibble. But the Comptroller begins by making an inaccurate

analysis of surplus funds. The facts are perfectly simple. Under

the present agreement bank loans must be repaid first. We have

just made such a repayment far in advance of any expectation. Next

come our obligations to our noteholders. Then comes restoration.

Then comes the $24,000,000 advanced by the City for construction.

Then comes the balance for the comEletion or the park, and finally --;: C: .r T'o!-~~F,n ,;?

education. -The legislation proposed is merely permissive. It would

enable the Fair, if there is sufficient surplus, to combine demo•

lition, salvage, cutting and filling and many other engineering

obJectives with park completion. If these objectives are not

pursued together, an enormous amount of confusion will result.

In fact it would be almost impossible to pursue this work econom­

ically and in a reasonable time otherwise than under the auspices

of those who built the Fair and are in close touch with the ex­

hibitors, foreign and domestic. I speak in this instance as a

City Park Commissioner who prepared the grounds and had charge or the basic improvements for the 1939-1940 World's Fair and then

FROM: Wm. J. Donoghue Corporation 10 Columbus Circle, N.Y.C.

(more)

r • • 3/64·Rl8 .. 2 -

inherited the Fair grounds afterward. There was never enough money

left to complete the park and the result was that we left an area

which was a reproach to the City and of little use for recreation purposes.

The Comptroller says that it is proposed to give the World's

Fair Corporation a blank check. There is not a nickel of surplus

beyond the obligations above-mentioned which could be used by the

Fair excepting with the full approval of the appropriate City

authorities.

The Comptroller's statement that this legislation implies that

parks are more important than schools is sheer nonsense. What he

proposes is to use as much of the surplus as he oan get for current

expense budget school needs. This is a one-shot operation. Once

spent the money is gone~ and it is good for only a year.

The Comptroller says responsibility for park development is

being given the executives of a non-profit corporation. The fact

is that there is no other conceivable way of getting the work done~

and the executives in question are all people of reputation upon

whom the Comptroller seems to depend to earn the surplus which will

not exist unless they earn it. When he speaks of a costly duplica­

tion of administrative effort he is again talking nonsense. The

purpose of this arrangement is to avoid duplication. The

Comptroller's statement that parks would be developed without the

supervision of the City Park Department is false. Not one nickel

beyond restoration could be spent without the approval of the

governing body of the City and the City Park Department, City

Planning Commission, etc. The Comptroller refers to the letting

of contracts without public bidding, not mentioning the fact that

the money will be earned by the World's Fair and is not City money.

He says there would be no audit by the City Comptroller's

office. The simplest thing in the world is to require audit as

part of the agreement between the Fair and the City and to write

this into the agreement. There would be no objection to this,

The Compt~oller•s implication that there would be other funds

(more)

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available to finish Flushing Meadow Park is sheer nonsense. This

is not the tact. That was the story in 1940 and nothing came of it.

The Comptroller does not mention the tact that the City will,

not only receive enormous benefits from those attending the Fair

and from the Fair itself and the goodwill of visitors, but will

also receive a very large and unexpected sum in taxes, notably in

the case or the sales tax. It has been estimated that the City

Will receive close to $200,0001 000 additional money through sales

tax collections due to purchases by visitors to the Fair.

What intrigues me the most is the Comptroller's avoidance of

the one thing whioh I would think he would be glad as a matter of

simple justice to mention - namely, that this Fair, which he and

a number or others in the financial world prophesied would never

get off the ground, has already made advance sales of tickets

aggregating over $35~000,000, that no such record has ever been

made in the case of any other Fair or any other similar show or

entertainment and that the only way or earning a huge surplus is

by the most prudent and able management. I think it would be

smart for the Comptroller to give some attention to these factors

rather than to spend time dividing up surpluses which do not as

yet exist.

I would hardly go so far as to expect Comptroller Beame to

devote very much time to congratulating the Fair on the progress

which has been made or to express gratitude on this score, but I

think he might refrain from attacking the Fair as though it were

some alien, unofficial promotion incapable of serving the best

interests of the City.

ROBERT MOSES

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