Park History

Liberty State Park
(Compiled by Friends of Liberty State Park) 

History of grassroots battles against commercialization and privatization plans.

In the years preceding LSP’s opening (6/14/76), in the 38 statewide public hearings in the late 1970’s, and in many grassroots battles, tens of 1000's of citizens, and Coalitions of local, regional, and statewide organizations overwhelmingly advocated for a free and green, non-commercialized, non-privatized Liberty State Park for people and nature. In 2005, Friends of LSP stopped a plan for a “Millionaire’s Marina” at LSP’s South End.

      Battles after 1984, were against the internal LSP Development Corporation’s plans

1.    1977 - Amusement theme park
2.    1981 - Amusement theme park and 8,000 luxury condos
3.    1980-1982 - Historic CRRNJ Terminal plan for a doll museum
4.    1986 - Commercial amphitheater with 25,000 seats.
5.    1991 - 225 acre golf course (plan introduced with no public hearing in 1986).
6.    1992-1995 - 150 acre golf course
7.    2000-2001 - Commercial waterpark
8.    Spring 2001  - NJDEP says no to Dev Corp push for commercial amphitheater and 20 commercial concerts. People express opposition to amphitheater plan through Summer. DEP says Dev Corp is free to re-submit plan but there will be public hearings.
9.  Fall -Winter 2001 -  NJDEP says No to Dev  Corp plan for commercial concert series  for Summer 2002, including summer weekend concerts. People express opposition. Dev Corp tries to get Acting Gov Donald DiFrancesco to approve it over the head of DEP.

The Termination of the source of commercial plans, the LSP Development Corp.

April 22, 2002 - Dev Corp responded to DEP Com. Brad Campbell's April 3 letter (stating that the Dev Corp's direction doesn't coincide with the mission of LSP).   
The Dev Corp declared its intention to push more major commercial proposals:
- Commercial amphitheater(euphemistically called Performing Arts  Center) which would have weekend commercial concerts causing unpreventable traffic jams blocking public access to working families, seniors, etc. coming to use park for free uses.

- Fancy strip mall of commercial "venues" between Liberty Science Center & Terminal.
- Commercial attractions under the shed of the CRRNJ Terminal.
April 24, 2003 - The Dev Corp was terminated by Gov. McGreevey after a Coalition letter from 30 organizations, and 5000 postcards were sent. The Dev Corp delayed park progress, and wasted the public's time fighting their destructive commercial plans.

 Dev Corp pushed these unpopular private businesses into LSP.

1988-1996 – Battle against private marina with law suits. The Master Plan included a small public marina. NJDEP sided with the Dev Corp and there wasn’t a public hearing.
Spring 2001 – Cirque du Soleil, with OK from Gov (over the head of the DEP). In LSP for 75 days, causing Spring weekend traffic jams, discouraging/blocking public access.

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