Thomas-Henry proposes event-driven ferry model for Willets Point
Thomas-Henry asks why EDC uses a commuter lens instead of an event-driven public-private partnership; Wong says the vision study will explore event activation and private operators.
Another question is,
Your recent transit reports continue to dismiss a Willits Point ferry landing due to the high capital cost of dredging and low traditional commuting speeds compared to the 7 train.
However, with Etihad Park opening next year and Willits Point becoming the city's largest affordable housing project in decades, the entire economic landscape has changed.
Given that sports fans are highly receptive to leisure travel and premium pricing, why is EDC still evaluating Willits Point through a standard Monday through Friday commuter lens
rather than exploring an event-driven public-private partnership model that utilizes localized corporate branding and private capital to offset the subsidies?
Thank you, Councilmember.
That's exactly the kind of thing we want to be looking at through this vision study.
Exactly what you're talking about, which is how do we find ways to connect people to waterfronts?
outside of the exact traditional way we've done through NYC Ferry.
Not to say that we can't expand in the future, but looking at the ideas that you're talking about are just what we're trying to focus on.
Are there ways that we could activate it for events?
Are there private operators who would be willing to spend money on things like that?
So that's going to be part of how we consider that in the vision study.