Initial planning and funding A skating rink in the southeastern corner of Central Park was first proposed in 1945. In 1949, philanthropist Kate Wollman (1869–1955) donated $600,000 for the rink's construction to commemorate her family. She is the great-aunt of
Henry and
Richard Bloch, co-founders of
H&R Block. One of her brothers was William J. Wollman, who operated the W.J. Wollman & Co. stock exchange firm, originally in
Kansas City and later in New York. After he died in 1937, she helped administer his estate. Wollman Rink opened on December 21, 1950. A nearby playground opened at that time. Within five years, the rink had recorded more than 1.1 million skaters.
Renovation: 1980–1986 In 1974, the New York City Parks and Recreation Department started planning a renovation of the rink, including switching the refrigeration system from
brine to liquid Freon to lower the operation costs at a time of rising fuel costs. In January 1975, a $4 million plan to renovate Wollman Rink at the park's southeastern corner was announced. By late 1975, the Central Park Task Force, an agency of NYC Parks, released a revised plan to dredge the Pond and redesign the landscaping in the park's southeastern corner for $2.5 million. All plans were deferred due to the
1975 New York City fiscal crisis. Trump convinced the primary contractor, HRH Construction, to do the work without making a profit, telling them that their work would pay for itself with the publicity. However, in press conferences that Trump held at every incremental milestone in the four-month effort, he never mentioned HRH. As part of the agreement to keep operating Wollman Rink, Trump agreed to also take a concession for the
Lasker Rink as well, and the Trump Organization won concessions for the rinks in 1987.
Skating rink operation: 1986–2021 When the rink reopened in November 1986, ticket prices were raised from $2.50 to $4.50, and attendance was up from 130,000 in 1980 to 250,000 in 1987. As part of its agreement with the city, the Trump Organization donated most of the profit to public works, including $50,000 for the rink's electricity costs, and to charity, among them United Cerebral Palsy, Partnership for the Homeless, and Gay Men's Health Crisis. The Trump Organization held the concession until 1995, when M&T Pretzel Inc. outbid Trump for a six-year contract to operate Wollman and Lasker skating rinks. A Trump-owned subsidiary, Wollman Rink Operations LLC, won another concession in 2001 to operate the rinks until April 30, 2021. Wollman Rink Operations LLC is owned by DJT Holdings LLC, which was owned by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust during
Trump's first presidency. In 2019, the Trump Organization removed the Trump name from most signs and logos at both Wollman and Lasker Rinks without giving a reason. During its last season of operation, the Trump Organization charged admission fees of $12 for adults from Monday to Thursday, $19 on Friday to Sunday and holidays, and $6 all week for youths 11 and under.
Cancellation of Trump Organization contracts In January 2021, New York City mayor
Bill de Blasio announced that the city government would be severing all contracts with the Trump Organization, citing Trump's involvement in the
previous week's storming of the United States Capitol. The cancellation of the Trump Organization's contracts to operate Wollman Rink, Lasker Rink, and the
Central Park Carousel was supposed to go into effect on February 26. The city later allowed the rinks to stay open until the scheduled end of the skating season. The Trump concession expired in April 2021. Separately, the non-profit
Central Park Conservancy had proposed operating the rink for 20 years and investing $50 million towards renovations. In July 2021, Wollman Park Partners LLC, a joint venture between
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment,
The Related Companies, and
Equinox Group, received a five-year contract to operate the rink. The rink, with a new clubhouse, reopened in November 2021. Temporary
pickleball courts were installed at Wollman Rink between April and October 2023, as part of a short-term agreement with CityPickle, which operated the courts. The courts attracted 56,000 players during 2023. In late 2024, NYC Parks began seeking an operator for the rink; The city rejected the Trump Organization's bid, instead selecting an affiliate of the Related Companies in October 2025. ==Other uses==