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Parks & Public Spaces
Application by the Madison Square Park Conservancy for a marketing event featuring a faux Subway store in the south gravel area of Madison Square Park on Wednesday and Thursday, November 1st and 2nd, 2017
WHEREAS, The Madison Square Park Conservancy (the "Applicant") has submitted an application for a permit for a marketing event featuring a faux Subway store in the south gravel area of Madison Square Park on Wednesday and Thursday, November 1st and 2nd, 2017 (the "Event"); and
WHEREAS, The purpose of the Event is to promote Subway and celebrate Worldwide Sandwich Day, while also having a charitable impact, with all sandwiches made during the event to be donated to local food banks through non-profit partnering organizations such as Feeding America; and
WHEREAS, In addition, as part of the Event, for every foot-long sub sandwich sold in Subway stores on the day of the event, an additional sandwich will be donated to said organizations; and
WHEREAS, The Event will be held within a temporary structure measuring approximately 40' x 40' on the south gravel area of the Park that will nominally mimic a Subway sandwich shop, although with green coloring (as opposed to yellow) and no large 'storefront' signage or logo; and
WHEREAS, No food items will be sold or sampled to the general public during the Event, though there may be some sandwich samples within the Structure; and
WHEREAS, The Event will occur during the hours of 9am and 10pm, with set-up to commence on the morning of October 3 at 6am, and breakdown to be completed by November 4 at 6am; and
WHEREAS, There will be no amplified sound; and
WHEREAS, There will be a dedicated sanitation team to ensure that the general area is kept clean; and
WHEREAS, Any queuing is to be positioned strictly within the south gravel area; and
WHEREAS, Signage will be minimal and kept mostly inside the structure; and
WHEREAS, There will be filming as part of a social media effort for the Event, with all filming to be held only within the structure, and disclaimer signs stationed only at the entrances to the structure; and
WHEREAS, As Applicant receives no funding from the City to manage the Park, Applicant has an existing contract with the Parks Department to provide up to four marketing events annually to generate revenue for the Park, and this event application is deemed as one such event; and
WHEREAS, There will be no signage elsewhere in the Park, no brand ambassadors elsewhere in the Park, and no handouts or other giveaway promotional materials whatsoever; and
WHEREAS, Although Community Board Five has concerns with the commercial nature of the event, it also has a significant charitable impact, has minimal impact in regard to sanitation, amplified sound, and navigation, and is considered one of the four annual marketing events contractually allowed by the Applicant; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval for the application from Madison Square Park Conservancy for a marketing event featuring a faux Subway store in the south gravel area of Madison Square Park on Wednesday and Thursday, November 1st and 2nd, 2017.