By Jennifer Marino and Nick Buglione
An informal hearing of the Nassau County Legislature on Oct. 1, convened by Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury), attempted to investigate why the Aquatic Center, opened in 1998 for the Goodwill Games, was losing more than $2 million a year.
Since then, several parties have been studying ways to boost the facility's revenue, including the User Advisory Group, chaired by Rockville Centre resident Harold Peterson.
Peterson is an active member of the facility who regularly makes use of the pool and exercise equipment. Peterson and fellow users, Blaine Land of Merrick, Cathy Onufrey of Wantagh and Jack O'Connor of Lynbrook, got together and held three "We're Listening" sessions at the center with the permission of Parks Commissioner Doreen Banks.
Attended by about 150 Aquatic Center regulars, the sessions helped the User Advisory Group produce a report with suggestions to alleviate the center's financial woes.
The detailed report was submitted to Banks and included suggestions to help with marketing, advertising and management. Besides these suggestions, the report also investigated the large losses. It found that while the center does lose money, the figures mentioned at the Oct. 1 hearing "do not correctly attest to the financial viability of the center."
The User Advisory Group recommended that a "task force be established to further examine and implement the operational changes needed to direct the future of the Aquatic Center." The recommendation was submitted in the form of a petition with over 900 signatures. They also requested that "the office of the county comptroller set up accounting procedures that will properly reflect all revenues and costs associated with the operation of the Aquatic Center."
"I thought it was a good report," said Banks, of the User Advisory Group's work. She noted that the Nassau County Sports Commission was asked to do similar research, and both reports have helped the Parks Department see what it has been doing wrong at the Aquatic Center.
According to Banks, privatization is a "strong possibility" for the future of the Aquatic Center that houses an 80,000-square-foot pool, the largest in the northern hemisphere. Published reports have indicated that County Executive Thomas Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) is also receptive to this option.
In an attempt to meet everyone's needs, Banks said that she would like one of the members of the User Advisory Group and one of the members of the Sports Commission to help write the proposal to find a company to run the center. The plan is to "use their knowledge," she said.
"I am disappointed that Nassau County is considering privatization without examining other alternatives," said Peterson. Though, he did say that if other alternatives were pursued and failed, he would participate in the proposal writing.
Like Peterson, Legis. Judy Jacobs is against privatization. "I am totally opposed to privatizing the Aquatic Center at this time until we try different options," she said. "We have not even begun to tap the resources out there to make this world-class facility a well-known recreational source available to Nassau County residents."
In her own report released this past December, Jacobs suggested that the center explore receiving bids on the naming rights of the center, encourage civic groups to use the VIP room, improve concession sales and increase advertising as some ways to boost revenue.
"There is no question in my mind that there are various options to pursue," she said. "It's one of the best kept secrets on Long Island."
Meanwhile, Michael Hollander, president of the Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, thinks the Aquatic Center can help itself stay afloat by hosting more diving meets and swimming competitions.
He and the commission have worked hard at luring in new events and were recently successful in booking the Men's Ivy League Swimming and Diving Championships to the facility. The competition will take place between March 5 and 8 and will include participants from eight Ivy League colleges as well as the United States Navy.
He also said that the center will again play host to the Big East Swimming and Diving Championships from Feb. 20 to 22. This marks the fifth consecutive year that center is hosting that competition.
Hollander, however, characterized both events as "modest" in terms of the profit they will produce. "But it brings in sales tax revenue and it brings people in," Hollander said. "If we can keep getting these sorts of mid-level events there, it will help."
