You might soon be able to ride a Ferris wheel or win a plushie on your way through Herald Square.
The organization in charge of Herald Square Plaza and Greeley Square, 34th Street Partnership, has put out a bid for a business to turn the outdoor spaces into a carnival park, complete with “amusement rides, mechanical attractions, arcade games, or similar outdoor activities,” according to a public callout for proposals published Monday.
The famous pedestrian plazas sit in the heart of Midtown, attracting millions of tourists and flagship Macy’s shoppers. An estimated 100 million people per year pass through the corners of Broadway and 34th Street, according to the Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management.
Sitting between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, stretching from West 32nd to 36th Street, the pair of plazas are currently filled with tables, chairs and umbrellas, with food kiosks and public restrooms. Occasionally, programs like pop-up markets and dance classes take place in the space.
According to the proposal request, whoever wins the bid would enter into a one-year agreement with the Partnership, with the option for another four years of renewed contracts down the line. An area map indicates that the project would take over 39,759 square feet of the plazas.
The Partnership did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Department of Transportation referred questions to the Partnership in an email to The City Reporter.
In 2022 and 2023, the Partnership commissioned a business to put up a block-long bounce house down Broadway, drawing some rave reviews and some complaints, including from passersby who called it “annoying” and bikers who said it could be distracting.
The callout emphasizes that concessions cannot block pedestrian walkways, and the area will need to be cleaned throughout the day to prevent trash buildup. The amusements also can’t operate before 7 a.m. or after 11 p.m., but the hours and days of operation are subject to approval by the Partnership and DOT. No permanent infrastructure will be allowed, the proposal said; any rides or other structures must be movable.
The Partnership asked that proposals should include an annual fee for the group, which is the area’s official business improvement district, or BID.
Currently, though Manhattan has carousels, ice rinks and arcades, it has nothing like an amusement park. Brooklyn and Queens boast Luna Park and Fantasy Forest Amusement Park, respectively.
DOT created the plaza in 2009, but the nonprofit business improvement district maintains the space alongside the agency. The Partnership is funded by fees from concessions and events, including those held at Herald and Greeley squares.
It’s unclear when any amusements would open, if at all — the BID retains the right to reject any or all of the proposals — but the deadline for submissions is soon: Oct. 13.
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