Fans of the now shuttered landmark restaurant, Tavern on the Green, may have found their savior.
Donald Trump and the head of the union that represented the 400 workers at Tavern on the Green said they've reached an agreement that could revive the storied restaurant, which is now a Central Park visitors' center.
From Diner's Journal:
Mr. Trump, never reticent about his ambitions, said that if New York City granted him the license to run Tavern he would spend $20 million of his own money to rebuild it so it would be "the highest-grossing restaurant on the planet.'' Neither he nor the union's leader, Peter Ward, president of the Hotel and Motel Trades Council, would reveal specifics of the agreement. But Mr. Trump said "the contract allows me to offer the highest level of service and quality."
The city owns the restaurant in Central Park and, in order to get the city to grant him the operating license, Trump needs an agreement between himself and the union. The last Tavern on the Green operator, Dean Poll, lost his right to operate the restaurant after he was unable to come to terms with the union.
Poll took over the restaurant after its original owners, the Leroy family, declared bankruptcy and closed Tavern on New Years Day, 2010.
Even with an apparent agreement worked out between Trump and Ward, Mayor Bloomberg's spokesperson, Jason Post, said the city has not signed off on the deal.
"The city is not ready to announce any future plans for Tavern on the Green and has not had any discussions with possible restaurant operators."
Trump remained confident the deal would go through.
"Everyone wants this to happen,'' Trump said. "And nobody else but me can do it, because I'm the only one who has the money."
Ward said he and Trump had reached a "fair" agreement that "gives him everything he needs to create a great new restaurant."