Hyde Park Ice Pavilion transitions to interim operator amid dispute

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Hyde Park Ice Pavilion has officially switched to a new operator as of Wednesday.

According to Robert Restaino, the mayor of Niagara Falls, the new interim operator is Jerry Puleo. Puleo currently owns a youth baseball league called 16 Athletics.

The transition comes after a long dispute over who should operate the facility.

In September, the city’s common council voted not to allow Legacy Hospitality and Entertainment Group to take over. Mayor Restaino said that that move was technically illegal because Legacy had the best proposal.

“It’s not where you can just say no and there’s no other obligations that the municipality has,” said Restaino. “I think, unfortunately, that majority of the council didn’t quite understand the instruction they were getting.”

Mayor Restaino said after the council vote in September, he had to take matters into his own hands to keep the rink up and running.

“Given the nature of how this council conducts its business, I had to make sure that we have, for lack of a better way of saying it, a plan B,” said Restaino. “We knew that there were activities planned.”

The mayor said he has been pushing for new leadership at the rink since 2022, citing financial issues. He also noted he’s heard differing perspectives in the community about former operator Mike Carella.

“A claim of being into this for the kids and wanting to be available, and then hearing what you hear, they are about 180 degrees apart from one another,” said Restaino.

The mayor said he is aware of the publics frustration over not keeping Carella, a local operator, in the rink, but he said his main priority has to be what’s best for the city.

“Whenever possible, you would love to get responsible operators who are local,” said Restaino. “But, I think, to suggest that we have to restrict ourselves to that really doesn’t bode well for responsible government.”

WIVB News 4 asked Restaino if his main goal is to get Legacy Entertainment, the Albany based group, to operate the rink. He said he just wants someone responsible.

Councilmembers previously raised concerns about Legacy Entertainment, but Restaino said none of that was shared with him directly.

“You would think that in the proper format what would happen is if you (city council) had those concerns, come on in. Let’s have a conversation about those concerns,” said Restaino. “Maybe what I need to do when you come in and we have those conversations about those concerns is bring the proposer in so there can be face to face discussions.”

Restaino said conversations will continue about who should take over the rink full-time. For now, he said he’s glad the doors are staying open, keeping the hockey community on the ice.