Enacting a Ticket Surcharge to Help Fund NYC Parks

*If you have trouble accessing the replay of the event, please contact Stephanie at sarevalo@nycfuture.org. To view the replay of this forum, you can use the link in the same email you used to access the forum virtually, or request a new link be sent above.

There’s never been a more pressing need to develop new dedicated revenue streams to fund parks across the five boroughs. New Yorkers have been flocking to parks in record numbers since the pandemic, putting new strain on park infrastructure. But city investment in parks maintenance and operations has failed to keep pace. While there is a strong case for city leaders to reverse the chronic underfunding of parks in New York, winning this case may become more challenging in the coming years as federal support for New York shrinks and budget pressures grow.

This forum explored one new revenue option worth considering: a modest surcharge on tickets sold at the city’s major stadiums, arenas, and concert venues, with the revenue dedicated exclusively to park maintenance. It discussed how a ticket surcharge would work, how much revenue it would generate, why New Yorkers would benefit, and what steps are needed at City Hall and in Albany to enact a surcharge and ensure that the revenue supports parks. The conversation also helped shed light on how other cities have enacted similar ticket surcharges to help maintain vital infrastructure.

Speakers included:

• Brad Hoylman-Sigal, New York State Senator
• Lynn Bodnar Kelly, Executive Director, New York Restoration Project; Co-Chair, NYC Parks and Open Space Partners (POSP)
• Adam Ganser, Executive Director, New Yorkers for Parks
• Heather Lubov, Executive Director, City Parks Foundation
• Morgan Monaco, President, Prospect Park Alliance; Prospect Park Administrator; Co-Chair, NYC Parks and Open Space Partners (POSP)

This forum was made possible through generous support from the NYC Green Fund. We are also grateful for general support from The Clark Foundation, the Altman Foundation, and ongoing support from a number of other philanthropic funders.