With Governors Island running out of cash, both the state and city have agreed to pump $7 million each into the island to ensure the popular tourist destination remains open to the public this summer.
Only two weeks ago, the state-city board overseeing the 172-acre island “approved” an $11.7 million budget for the fiscal year beginning Wednesday — but without money in hand. The state had yet to pony up its half of the share, leading the city to threaten pulling back its half of the funding for both the island and another city-state project, Brooklyn Bridge Park.
But the Paterson administration has agreed to set aside $7 million in the new state budget, and the city yesterday confirmed it would match that — bumping up the islands spending plan to $14 million.
Marisa Lago, executive director of the Empire State Development Corp., told the Post she expects the island to draw at least 200,000 visitors this summer. The former military base has grown in popularity in recent years, drawing 128,000 visitors last year, up 125 percent from 2007.
Asked if the state opposes Mayor Bloomberg’s plan for the city to take over redevelopment of both Brooklyn Bridge Park and a new park at Governors Island, Lago would only say, “We remain in negotiations.”
The mayor wants to float $300 million now earmarked for the delayed expansion of the Jacob Javits Center towards boosting both under-funded park proposals.