Comptroller: Rockland Taxpayers On Hook For Minor League Park
RAMAPO, NY (CBSNewYork) - A state audit has found that taxpayers could be liable for up to $60 million for Provident Bank Park in Ramapo - the new home of the CanAm League's Rockland Boulders.
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Auditors found it'll take more than $25 million in bond payments over the next five years when the stadium is only expected to make $7 million in revenue.
However, the town's supervisor, Christopher St. Lawrence, disputes those figures and says the local development corporation in charge of paying for the project is working well within the law.
"The building of the ballpark, the $25 million bond, is not paid for and has not been paid for by any taxpayer dollars at all," he told WCBS 880 reporter Monica Miller. "The operations of the local development corp. will pay off the bonding for the stadium and it will not be any taxpayer dollars."
The auditors stand by their findings that found town inappropriately mingled its activities with the not-for-profit LCD to find money for the stadium.
St. Lawrence says taxpayers have paid roughly $15 million on improvements to the surrounding area.
Calls to the state comptroller's office for additional comment were not returned.
