After hitting roadblocks in the towns of Wallkill, Monroe and Crawford, the plan for an interactive dinosaur park has now moved to Montgomery. Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus has even sweetened the deal by offering to sell a parcel of county land to the town just for this purpose.

According to the county’s announcement, Orange County Dinosaur Park LLC has expressed interest in property at the intersection of Route 17K and Barron Road in the town of Montgomery. The county-owned land is reportedly not on the tax rolls and is zoned commercial/public recreation.

Of course, before that happens, both the county legislature and the Montgomery Planning Board have to issue approvals. Once approved by all necessary governing bodies, the park would be developed on 35 of the property’s 139.7 acres. The county noted that 58 acres of wetlands in the parcel would be preserved with a 100-foot buffer around the park, and the project would undergo a SEQR evaluation, as stipulated by the state Environmental Quality Review Act.

“A dinosaur park would fit perfectly with the other wonderful tourist attractions in Orange County, appealing to both residents and visitors. It would be a great complement to LEGOLAND New York and would be well served by the many hotels that we have in place,” said Neuhaus. “I look forward to working with the town of Montgomery on this exciting project. It would be a real win-win for all involved and another great boost to the county’s economic development.”

In November 2022, the Orange County Partnership, an economic development organization, reached out to Crawford Supervisor Charles Carnes to see if the town was interested in the project. Carnes at the time said he and the other board members were receptive to the idea. However, the initial site in Crawford was reportedly too small to contain the entire park, requiring it to spill over into the neighboring town of Wallkill, which had previously rejected plans for the park due to zoning restrictions. Prior to arriving in Crawford, the plan had been floated for the town of Monroe. However, in Monroe it ran into “environmental constraints,” Monroe Supervisor Tony Cardone said last April.

The county said, pending approvals, the park could break ground next year, with a projected opening in 2025. The county also estimated annual revenue of more than $39 million, with state sales tax dollars returned to Orange County on that sum projected at over $1.6 million in the first year of operations.

Orange County Dinosaur Park LLC won a $1.7 million CFA Empire Development and Market New York grant. The developer is reportedly not requesting a PILOT agreement, or payment in lieu of taxes. It would pay its share of real estate taxes. The park is expected to create 130 full-time jobs with an aggregate payroll of over $4 million.

The dinosaur park proposal includes:

At least 60 authentic dinosaurs with “life-like movements strategically placed on dioramic sets across the property.”
Six playgrounds for kids from toddlers to teens.
An age-graded fossil dig site for kids of all ages.
A “primordial splash park” for cooling off on hot days.
A “T-Rexpress train” that circles the park with views of the dinosaurs.
A dinosaur-themed carousel.
An enclosed amphitheater with daily dinosaur-themed live performances.
A fossil tent for paleontology lectures featuring a life-size Spinosaurus skeleton.
Miniature dinosaur rides.
Tent and outdoor picnic tables for dining and special events.

The park would be open from April through December, 10 a.m. to dusk.

The county added, “The dinosaur park promises to provide an environment and culture of inclusivity for all by utilizing DEI employment practices, offering accessible amenities and multi-lingual audio tours, and acting with the top-down belief that everyone is welcome.”