By Nick Buglione
Speaking last Wednesday inside the center's new gym, overlooking the Olympic-size pool, Suozzi highlighted what he called a dramatic turnaround at the pool since the county changed management in 2003. "We tried to make some dramatic changes two years ago," Suozzi said. "We tried to do a better job managing things internally, and we did."
Built on the grounds of Eisenhower Park in 1998 to host that year's Goodwill Games, the 81,000-square-foot pool cost $30 million to erect and has lost approximately $2 million a year since it opened. In an effort to make the pool profitable, the county Legislature began holding hearings on the issue in 2002. After Suozzi's attempt to privatize the facility was voted down, former facility manager David Ferris was fired in favor of Deidra Clark-Towers in October 2003.
"At one time, this was being used as an exclusive club for one team," said Suozzi, referring to how Ferris's Long Island Aquatic Club used to have its pick of the pool's choice time slots.
When Clark-Towers was brought in, the county sought to open the facility to the wider public, marketing swimming lessons, programs and its fitness center in the hopes of attracting new members and families. So far, the results have been encouraging, according to Suozzi. "We have more membership here at the Aquatic Center than we've ever had," he said.
The pool now has 1,500 regular members and attracts 250,000 visitors a year, Suozzi said. About 900 kids are enrolled in swimming lessons -- 180 of which are offered each week, compared with just 12 under the old management, the county executive said.
In addition to boasting a revamped gym, the center is also cleaner than it's ever been, Suozzi said. Each August the pool is drained and cleaned.
"I don't think any of us expected the changeover that would happen in just one short year," said county Legislature Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury).
Still, the Aquatic Center's money woes linger. Though the county executive claimed that there has been a 400 percent increase in revenue from the gym and swimming programs, the Aquatic Center is pulling in only some $200,000 more annually. That means it is still costing the county around $1.8 million a year. "It's still a money-loser," Suozzi admitted. "I don't think we'll ever break even."
YMCA Long Island, the organization that was almost brought in to manage the Aquatic Center before the Legislature turned down the plan, projected that it could have the facility breaking even by 2006 and turning a profit by 2007.
"We're not going to privatize this facility," Suozzi said. "We've had a tremendous success here and we're going to build on that success." The county executive argued that the money the pool loses is made up by the business it generates for local merchants. "We [are attracting] more major events here than ever before," Suozzi said.
The Aquatic Center plays host to a number of major swimming, diving and water polo competitions throughout the year. The FINA World Cup meet was held there in February, followed by the Big East Swimming and Diving Championship in March.
In 2004, The Marriott in Uniondale reported that it made $800,000 in room sales and $200,000 in food and beverage retail from swim teams that visited to compete at the Aquatic Center.
Frank Borrelli, owner of Borrelli's restaurant in East Meadow, said business from the pool helped significantly to make up for money he lost when the NHL lockout led to the cancellation of the Islanders' season. The Islanders play home games at the Nassau Coliseum, just west of Borrelli's.
"This has been a godsend to us," Borrelli said. "February and March was tremendous. We're getting a lot of repeat business."
Comments about this story? NBuglione@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
