This “waste dump” has been home to hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans, including friends and family.

Sure, Jersey City has had a Renaissance but it isn’t due to Fireman, golf, and the PGA. It is they who have benefited from us; not us who have benefited from them.

Your jefe Paul Fireman took over $200 million to build his golf course. Forget eminent domain, we’ve already paid for the land. He should either pay the money back or “donate” his golf course to LSP.

Oh, I’ll just drop this here… Fireman used taxpayer money to help build his golf course. And lots of it:

“The cost of cleanup was picked up by taxpayers, and the developer would be allowed to build a course atop the site at its own expense, under strict regulations. In recent years, Liberty National's price tag has been reported as $250 million. About 90 percent of that figure were Superfund cleanup costs.”

We should send him the tab to the tune of $200 million plus interest.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-presidents-cup-on-the-hudson

He used taxpayer money to help build his golf course. And lots of it:

“The cost of cleanup was picked up by taxpayers, and the developer would be allowed to build a course atop the site at its own expense, under strict regulations. In recent years, Liberty National's price tag has been reported as $250 million. About 90 percent of that figure were Superfund cleanup costs.”

Hell, we should send him the fucking bill.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-presidents-cup-on-the-hudson

It gets better. He used taxpayer money to help build his golf course. And lots of it:

“The cost of cleanup was picked up by taxpayers, and the developer would be allowed to build a course atop the site at its own expense, under strict regulations. In recent years, Liberty National's price tag has been reported as $250 million. About 90 percent of that figure were Superfund cleanup costs.”

He took over $200 million of the taxpayers’ money for this. This shouldn’t be a private club.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-presidents-cup-on-the-hudson

He used taxpayer money to help build his golf course. And lots of it:

“The cost of cleanup was picked up by taxpayers, and the developer would be allowed to build a course atop the site at its own expense, under strict regulations. In recent years, Liberty National's price tag has been reported as $250 million. About 90 percent of that figure were Superfund cleanup costs.”

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-presidents-cup-on-the-hudson

Good news, Jersey City — the story gets better! Paul Fireman used taxpayer money to help build his golf course.

“The cost of cleanup was picked up by taxpayers, and the developer would be allowed to build a course atop the site at its own expense, under strict regulations. In recent years, Liberty National's price tag has been reported as $250 million. About 90 percent of that figure were Superfund cleanup costs.”

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-presidents-cup-on-the-hudson

And we don’t support the forced take over of our park by private developers acting on behalf of Paul Fireman.

Turnabout is fair play. The point of this campaign isn’t to actually take his golf course. The objective is two fold: 1) to show how ridiculous it is that Paul Fireman claims to support the community but won’t use his own land to build amenities for the “youth” and 2) to show Trenton and Phil Murphy how angry Jersey City is at Paul Fireman and his attempted theft of our public land.

If Paul Fireman and People’s Park Foundation give up on their quest for taking public land, we will surrender ours to take his private golf course.

This is the most deranged and easily disposed of take I’ve heard yet. Fireman’s exclusive golf course whose membership is limited to 250 people has somehow brought about the revitalization of Jersey City? GTFO here.

LSP is the most visited state park with over six million annual visitors, which is why the DEP wanted to finish the job of environmental remediation, wildlife restoration, and addition of more public active recreation for the benefit of all New Jerseyans. Instead, Paul Fireman has consistently derailed those efforts with his various attempts to take the park’s land for his own.

This park is for the enjoyment of the people of New Jersey; not for Paul Fireman’s personal gain.

No, let me explain the point again: the objective isn’t that this petition would ever come to fruition.

It’s mainly a way of 1) rallying support and showing Trenton and Phil Murphy how angry Jersey City is at Paul Fireman and his attempted theft of our public land; and 2) highlighting the nonsensical farce that a billionaire (who claims to want to “support the children” of Jersey City) needs our public park to build his amenities instead of using his own property.

If he’s so keen on building these stadiums, concert venues, and community centers, then he’s welcome to donate his golf course to the state park system. Otherwise, we’ll continue this form of protest and seek signatures “asking the state to use eminent domain to compensate him for it.”

What we really want is for Fireman to leave LSP alone so the DEP can complete its environmental remediation and finish restoration of the park’s interior.

The cost is irrelevant. The point is to show community resistance to a billionaire’s attempt to take over one of NJ’s best parks.

It’s fighting back in the ways we can.

I’m well aware what eminent domain is but it can force the sale of the property at FMV.

It’s also not really the point of the petition. It’s more a statement about how ridiculous it is that a billionaire covets are park when he could use his own land to “help the children.”

You're right this will never happen but the petition isn't about feasibility. It's about two things: 1) showing that there is diverse community resistance to Fireman's plans to privatize LSP; and 2) if he really wanted to build a resource for the community, he could do so overnight on his own land.

He's a billionaire with immeasurable wealth and vast real estate holdings. Instead, he devotes his time and energy trying to take away land from the people of NJ. I can't think of a better fight to fight, even if it is quixotic tilting at windmills.

I posted in the main NJ subreddit but feel free to share far and wide, especially on social media.

Excellent news on this front. You really do feel the lack of parks up there, especially when you have small children.

Edit: grammar

I mean, yeah, it crosses over a river with active barge traffic.

Didn’t the owner get appointed to the bench in the District of NJ or something?

Hey — we’d love to host an event. We’re thinking of shooting some videos of school children dressed up in their football gear begging Paul Fireman to donate his land to the people of NJ. That shouldn’t be a problem, should it?

I humbly accept your nomination for the office of President of the future public Putt-putt league at Liberty State Park South.

I added a link to the petition on all the People’s Park YouTube videos.

If anyone has social media (I do not aside from Reddit) and wants to post the petition on their Facebook and Twitter, please be my guest.

Let’s spread the word. I’m sure there is someone out there whom Fireman has made an enemy of.

Edit: unfortunately, you are right Fireman has everyone in his pocket. But we can make his efforts look ridiculous along the way.

Anyone have Hurley’s contact info? I’m sure we could pool some money to buy his support.

Haven’t seen them yet. Maybe we should pass it along to them?

LSP would get space for active recreation AND a new community center. It’s a win. For the children, of course!