People who have been following the long drawn-out story of New York’s Tavern on the Green thought a new operator might have finally been found last week. But there’s a new wrinkle: On the heels of the announcement that Philly’s Jim Caiola and David Salama scored a twenty-year license for the Tavern on the Green property comes word that the deal may not have been completely on the level. The New York Post reports that Caiola is related to former Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey, which was not disclosed until after the city’s Parks Department announced its decision. Though Caiola and Salama, and Sheekey, claim there was no favoritism played in the bid for the property, in another piece, the Post says City Comptroller John Liu is now investigating any possible wrongdoing. [NYP; Earlier]
