By Della Hasselle
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Mayor Michael Bloomberg brushed off fellow rich guy Donald Trump's claim that he's going to reopen Tavern on the Green and invest $20 million in the storied Central Park restaurant.
"There are lots of people who would presumably like to run Tavern on the Green," Bloomberg said. For now, he said the space would remain a visitor's center and a parking lot for food carts.
"We'll have to see. After a year, we'll take a look at it in terms of what to do," Bloomberg said. "You've got to give new things a chance."
Real estate and reality TV mogul Trump said Wednesday night that he would ask the city's permission to restore the now-closed Manhattan landmark, promising to enrich it with redevelopment and a 400 to 500-person job boost in exchange for a 20-year lease, the New York Post reported.
"It's very important that the Tavern on the Green be reopened, and I'm doing it really as a gift for the city and a gift for the park, and we'd make a truly beautiful building, more building than it ever was in the past," Trump told the paper.
Trump has already spoken to the former Tavern employee union about his plans, which include rebuilding the luxury Crystal Room dining area and giving old workers their jobs back, the Post reported.
The potential plan, however, would not include changing the landmark's name.
"I don't think every place needs to be called Trump," he told the Post.
Borough President Scott Stringer said he liked Trump's idea.
"I commend Donald Trump and Peter Ward for coming together to guarantee 400-plus union jobs and the potential for much needed revenue for our cash strapped city," said Stringer in a press release. "Let's get this done."
The current operator of Central Park Boathouse, Dean Poll, had originally been given the go-ahead to reopen the restaurant after it declared bankruptcy on New Years Day 2010.
Since then, the landmark has been enveloped in controversy. Previous bidder Jennifer LeRoy discovered in June that the city took Poll's $56 million bid after knocking back her $86 million proposal.
The decision was made because of a long-standing grudge with the restaurant operator's family, an insider informed her, according to the paper.
Poll, however, was unable to open the restaurant after failing to reach an agreement with the Hotel and Motel Trades Council union, the Post reported.
While the space opened as a gift shop in October, Trump was in discussions with the union, which also represents the staff of Trump SoHo and Trump International hotels.
Although Trump promises he could reopen the Tavern within a year, the city isn't willing to jump in just yet.
"The city is not ready to announce any future plans for Tavern on the Green and has not had any discussions with possible restaurant owners," City Hall spokesman Jason Post told the paper.
Reporter Jill Colvin contributed to this story.
