Riverhead Town Hall was packed to the brim on Wednesday night, mostly with supporters from all across the island — and even from as far as Maryland — who urged Town Board members to approve the already built go-kart track, pickleball courts and party space in the amended site plan application for Scott’s Pointe.
Many of the speakers sang the praises of the park’s owner, Eric Scott, and stressed the benefits they feel the adventure and water park has brought to area children and families, as well as the local economy. Those who spoke in opposition — and raised concerns about unauthorized construction, town code violations and the environmental impacts of the project — were often met with boos and jeers from the audience.
“In the past 20 years, what Eric has gone through to get to where he is now, 99.9% of human beings would have walked away, without a doubt … That says a lot about his character,” said Dominick Scotto, a long-time friend of Mr. Scott. “If we do not approve of this, he’s going to get destroyed — the bottom line is this, in this crazy world that we live in, at least for these kids, let these kids have something to do.”
Island Water Park originally launched as a proposed water skiing facility on a man-made pond off Youngs Avenue in Calverton. That proposal ran into opposition from neighbors, and local officials urged the developers to relocate to town land at the Enterprise Park at Calverton. The owners agreed and purchased 43 acres for $714,000 in 2002.
The Riverhead Town Board granted final site plan approval for the facility, with conditions, in February 2022 to allow multiple uses, including the construction of a two-story commercial building with the first floor dedicated for retail and entertainment, including an indoor wave pool and arcade area, according to court documents. The second floor was to be used for office space and storage only, with no other occupancy without corresponding approvals.
After more than two decades in the planning stages, the 75,000 square-foot, year-round facility opened as Scott’s Pointe in November 2023.
In July 2024, Riverhead Town took legal action against Scott’s Pointe, claiming that Island Water Park Corp. had received some but not all required approvals for work on the property — but went ahead with developing the attractions anyway. A go-kart track and pickleball courts were constructed on land that was supposed to remain wooded, according to the initial complaint, which called for the owners to return the property to its “pre-violation status.”
The legal rift began when a video was posted on social media showing motorized race cars on an asphalt track speeding through what had been designated as a “wooded area” on the approved site plan, the complaint said. The town also alleged that the second floor permitted for office and storage space was being used as a “party room.” These complaints led to an investigation of the premises.
At the time of the initial filing, Riverhead officials asked a state Supreme Court judge to shut the facility down, force the owners to dismantle attractions built without proper permitting, including the pickleball courts and go-kart track, and fine the company at least $100,000.
Earlier this month, Island Water Park Corp. and the Town of Riverhead reached a settlement in which the Scott’s Pointe operators agreed to pay $50,000 in civil penalties to the town for the illegal building and non-authorizations. The park owners also pled guilty to violating certain sections of Riverhead Town code and paid $5,700 in fines, according to the settlement document. Additionally, Scott’s Pointe agreed to pay Suffolk Paving Corporation nearly $70,000 for the construction of an emergency access road.
Since the lawsuit was filed, Scott’s Pointe has submitted an amended site plan, which seeks the legalization of the go-kart track and pickleball courts, and the conversion of an interior storage area for use as a catering and event space. If the revised plan is not approved within 18 months, Island Water Park Corp. agreed in the settlement to remove the go-kart track and pickleball court and restore the wooded area. That restoration would have to be completed within 90 days.
Several speakers reiterated Mr. Scotto’s sentiments about Mr. Scott’s character and the need for a “safe” attraction that customers of all ages can enjoy. A majority of those who expressed their support at the podium were residents from towns outside of the Riverhead area. Current and former employees also spoke about their experiences working at Scott’s Pointe.
James Bissett, son of the late Long Island Aquarium developer, Jim Bissett III, touched on his father’s experiences and the struggles he faced to get his project approved by the town. He said those seeking to do business in Riverhead find it hard to “get s— done.”
Sal Ferrari, CEO of a 3D home design firm called SQ4D, said as a business owner new to Calverton, he has been experiencing the “same headaches” as Mr. Scott to get his plans approved. He said the town’s rules and regulations should possibly be reevaluated, so projects such as Scott’s Pointe can be “fast tracked” because they are “good for the community.”
“Rules are not meant to be broken, but they are, and they’re broken because people get their back put to the wall and they don’t have a choice,” Mr. Ferrari said. “You have to survive — we are building businesses, we’re creating jobs.”
Those who disputed the amended project said they are not opposed to the water park itself, as they see the benefit of its recreational uses for the community. However, they urged the Town Board to deny the amended application and instead require the park operators to submit an environmental impact study for the unapproved attractions.
“We’re not talking about aesthetics here, we’re talking about serious environmental damage that may have long, lasting consequences,” said Claudette Bianco of Baiting Hollow. “While this project may be a great asset to the town of Riverhead, it must be done in accordance with the rules; it should not take a lawsuit to get this owner to comply. It is incumbent upon [the Town Board] to hold him accountable.”
The amended site application was accepted for review by the Riverhead IDA on Jan. 6, and includes an updated budget to show what has been added and removed within the plan, as well as more accurate job creation estimates — which fell short of initial projections.
According to the 2024 document, Scott’s Pointe currently has 26 full-time employees, 161 part-time employees and 75 full-time equivalent employees — a total of 262. In its initial 2021 economic impact analysis, the operator projected 345 full-time equivalent jobs and 420 part-time/seasonal positions.
In the revised application, the applicant projected 42 full-time and 161 part-time employees in the first year of operation — and only a slight increase to 46 full timers and 189 part timers in the second year.
Scott’s Pointe anticipates site plan approval by March and DEC approval by June. The amended application stated that the DEC had concerns about the “footprint of the lake” and wanted the operators to finish the “reclamation” process, which requires having sufficient vegetation. The DEC will reinspect the area in six months and if they pass that inspection, Scott’s Pointe will receive “reclaimed status.”
A physical petition currently circulating in support of Scott’s Pointe has so far collected 80 signatures while an online version has attracted more than 2,000 backers.
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