>>> TONIGHT, IT'S OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND WE'LL TELL YOU JUST WHAT SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR AND THE PROGRESS BEING MADE THE DIAGNOSE AND TREAT THIS DISEASE.

THEN, THE ICONIC CENTRAL PARK BOATHOUSE SHUTS IT DOORS.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE THIS HISTORIC NEW YORK LANDMARK?

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M JACK FORD.

SEPTEMBER IS OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

ACCORDING TO STATISTICS FROM THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, IT'S ESTIMATE THAT THIS YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 20,000 WOMEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER AND APPROXIMATELY 1,000 WOMEN WILL DIE FROM THE DISEASE.

DESPITE THESE TROUBLING NUMBERS PROGRESS IS BEING MADE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT FRONTS, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL FOR WOMEN TO BE AWARE OF RISK FACTORS, SYMPTOMS, AND AVAILABLE TREATMENT OPTIONS.

JOINING US NOW TO HELP WITH THIS AWARENESS IS DR. ASHLEY HAGGERTY, SITE DIRECTOR, AT HACKEN SAC RIVERVIEW MEDICAL CENTER, AND I SHOULD ALSO NOTE IS ALSO MY DAUGHTER.

DR. HAGGERTY, WELCOME.

THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE AT "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>> ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S START OFF WITH SOME OF THE BASICS HERE.

WHAT SHOULD WOMEN BE AWARE OF IN TERM OF FACTORS FOR OVARIAN CANCER?

>> THE FEW MOST IMPORTANT RISK FACTORS FOR OVARIAN CANCER DOES TEND TO BE AGE, THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF OVARIAN CANCER IS EXPERIENCED BY WOMEN WHO ARE POST MEN PAUSE LE IN THEIR 50s, 60s, AND OTHER FACTORS LIKE BREAST CANCER, PROSTATE CANCER, COLON CANCER, MELANOMA.

30% OF CANCERS WILL BE HEREDITARY.

>> LET'S LOOK AT SYMPTOMS.

AS WE SAID IN THE BEGINNING, AWARENESS IS ESSENTIAL.

WHAT SORT OF SYMPTOMS SHOULD BE RAISING FLAGS FOR WOMEN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO, THIS SYMPTOMS THAT ARE OF CONCERN WITH SYMPTOMS THAT ARE NOT GETTING BETTER OR GETTING WORSE.

SYMPTOMS LIKE ABDOMINAL BLOATING, CONSTIPATION OR CHANGES TO YOUR BOWL HABITS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, PELVIC PAIN, EVEN CHEST PAIN OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH.

AND MANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN GOING ON WITH WOMEN FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVE BEEN PURSUING OTHER TREATMENT OPTIONS.

IF THOSE SYMPTOMS DON'T APPROVE, FURTHER TREATMENT AND WORKUP IS NEEDED TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT OVARIAN CANCER THAT IS CAUSING THOSE SYMPTOMS.

>> FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE THEN IN TERM OF ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE THESE, WHAT SORT OF BARRIERS DOES THE -- LET'S GO TO, CONFUSION WITH OTHER TYPE OF SITUATIONS THAT COULD MANIFEST THESE SAME SYMPTOMS?

>> YEAH, AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE BLOATING AFTER EATING AND CONSTIPATION, AND NOT ALL HAVE OVARIAN CANCER.

BUT SYMPTOMS THAT ARE CONSISTENT, MAYBE A PATIENT NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO SEE IN THE OFFICE HAS ALREADY SEEN A G.I.

DOCTOR OR THEIR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR, OR HAD WORKUP OR OTHER MEDICATIONS TO TRY TO MAKE THOSE SYMPTOMS APPROVE, AND IF THEY DO NOT, THIS IS WHERE THE AWARENESS OF OVARIAN CANCER IS IMPORTANT.

>> I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN YOU SAY THIS, AND THAT IS ABOUT WOMEN BEING THEIR OWN ADVOCATES, THEIR OWN CHAMPIONS IN TERMS OF THEIR HEALTH CARE.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT AND HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO THIS QUESTION OF SYMPTOMS?

>> THE HISTORIC ASSUMPTION IS THAT OVARIAN CANCER WAS A SILENT KILLER THAT MOST PEOPLE STARTED WITH A VERY ADVANCED STAGE AND HAD NO SYMPTOM, BUT ACTUALLY WE'RE JUST NOT LISTENING FOR THOSE SYMPTOMS.

WHEN YOU HEAR PATIENTS DESCRIBE THEIR JOURNEY BEFORE THEY GET TO A GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGIST THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING SYMPTOMS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND WERE UNAWARE THEY COULD BE RELATED TO CANCER OR DIDN'T ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES TO KEEP FINDING A DIFFERENT REASON WHEN THEIR TREATMENTS WEREN'T IMPROVING THEIR SYMPTOMS.

OR EVEN AS SIMPLE AS GETTING IMAGES LIKE A CAT SCAN TO LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ABDOMEN.

>> WHAT DO YOU SAY THE WOMEN ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD DO IF THEY'RE EXPERIENCING THESE SYMPTOMS AND THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING AWAY?

>> WE KNOW ALL OVARIAN CANCER PATIENTS ARE BEST TREATED WHEN THEY'RE SEEN BY A GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGIST AND MAKING SURE YOU PURSUED WORKUP, ESPECIALLY IMAGING.

IMAGING IS GOING TO RAISE OUR CONCERN THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE AN OVARIAN CANCER HAPPENING.

MOST PATIENTS DO NOT ALREADY HAVE A DIAGNOSE OF OVARIAN CANCER WHEN THEY SEE US, THEY HAVE IMAGING FINDINGS THAT ARE CONCERNING FOR OVARIAN CANCER.

WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY IN THE UNITED STATES HAS GOOD ACCESS TO GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGISTS.

THANKFULLY HERE IN THE METRO NORTHEAST WE DO, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT YOU SEE AN ONCOLOGIST WHEN THERE'S CONCERN FOR OVARIAN CANSER.

>> ARE THERE SPECIFIC SCREENING TESTS THAT CAN LEAD TO THIS DIAGNOSIS?

>> UNFORTUNATELY NOT YET.

THERE WERE SEVERAL STUDIES THAT TRIED TO LOOK AT GENERAL POPULATION SCREENING TO SEE IF A COMBINATION OF THINGS LIKE ULTRASOUNDS AND BLOOD WORK WITH TUMOR MARKERS COULD IDENTIFY EARLY CANCER MARKERS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, CHANGE THE SURVIVAL.

UNFORTUNATELY IN THE GENERAL POPULATION THOSE TRIAL DID NOT SHOW IMPROVEMENT IN DOING GENERAL SURVEILLANCE FOR WOMEN WITH CANCER.

THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WOMEN KNOWN WHO HAVE A GENETIC RISK TO CANCER.

THERE MAY BE A ROLE FOR SURVEILLANCE IN THOSE PATIENTS.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THE PROGRESS THAT IS REALLY BEING FOCUSED ON IN RESEARCH FOR OVARIAN CANCER IS WORKING ON EARLY DETECTION.

>> SO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RISK FACTORS, SYMPTOMS.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TREATMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR WOMEN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING OVARIAN CANCER.

SO, HERE'S WHAT I SAY WHEN PEOPLE SEE ME IN THE OFFICE WITH A PRESUMED OR KNOWN DIAGNOSIS OF OVARIAN CANCER.

UNFORTUNATELY, ONLY ABOUT 20% A PEOPLE PRESENT AT AN EARLY STAGE.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF PATIENTS PRESENT AT LEAST AT A STAGE 3C OR 4.

THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT'S NOT TREATABLE OR CURABLE.

THAT IS COMMONLY WHAT WE SEE FOR PRESENTATION.

TREATMENT IS THEN USUALLY A COMBINATION OF BOTH SURGERY TO REMOVE ALL OF THE LARGE AMOUNT OF TUMOR THAT CAN DID SEEN AND FELT, AND THEN CHEMOTHERAPY.

USUALLY INTRAVENOUS FOLLOWED BY MAINTENANCE CHEMOTHERAPY.

>> WE HEAR OFTEN TIMES IN YOUR FIELD, IN THE CANCER FIELD AND CANCER TREATMENT, ABOUT THE EMERGENCE OF IMMUNOTHERAPY.

GIVE ME A QUICK EXPLANATION OF WHAT THAT IS, AND IS THAT HELPFUL?

>> IMMUNOTHERAPY IS USING YOUR OWN BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM SO FIGHT CANCER CELLS.

CANCER CELLS ARE VERY SMART, AND THEY HAVE CREATED WAYS TO AVOID YOUR BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM BY ATTACKING THEM AND KEEPING THEM UNDER CONTROL.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE SHORT ANSWER FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR OVARIAN CANCER IS, NOT YET, ALTHOUGH THERE IS SIGNIFICANT EFFORT BEING MADE WITH CLINICAL TRIALS TO LOOK AT OPTIONS FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY.

WHERE WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IS TARGETED THERAPY IN OVARIAN CANCER.

>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> TARGETS THERAPY, SIMILAR TO IMMUNOTHERAPY, IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MUTATIONS WITHIN THE TUMOR AND USING THOSE SPECIFIC MUTATIONS WITH DRUGS THAT TARGET THAT.

THE GREATEST SUCCESS STORY THAT WE HAVE HAD IN OVARIAN CANCER OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES IS A CLASSIC DRUG CALLED PART INHIBITERS.

THEY'RE AN ORAL DRUG GIVEN TO PATIENTS AFTER THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR INITIAL CHEMOTHERAPY.

THAT CHEMOTHERAPY TENDS TO GO OVER ABOUT 18 WEEKS OF TREATMENT.

THE STUDIES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAVE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED PEOPLE'S OUTCOMES WITH OVARIAN CANCER AND HAVE IMPROVED THE TIME IT TAKES FOR OVARIAN CANSER TO -- BY YEARS RATHER THAN MONTHS AND IN SOME PATIENTS MAY BE PUSHING TOWARDS A CURE.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE OF GENETIC TESTING AND THE ROLE THAT CAN PLAY WITH REGARD TO CARE AND TREATMENT OF OVARIAN CANCERS?

>> GENETIC TESTING SO IMPORTANT IN OVARIAN CANCER.

THE NATIONAL GUIDELINES SAY ALL WOMEN WITH AN OVARIAN CANCER DIAGNOSIS SHOULD BE AT LEAST OFFERED GENETIC TESTING.

WE KNOW RECENT STUIES IN THE U.S. SHOW ONLY 30% OF PEOPLE HAVE UNDERGONE GENETIC TESTING.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GENETIC TESTING EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS AND PICK UP YOUR THOUGHT FROM THERE.

>> SURE.

GENERAL IT, TESTING IS TESTING OF SOMEONE'S OWN HEREDITARY GENES THAT CAN BE PASSED ON TO FAMILY MEMBERS THAT CARRY A MUTATION CALLED A PATHOLOGIC VARIANT THAT PUTS THEM AT GREATER RISK FOR OVARIAN CANCER.

WE SEE THESE HEREDITARY SYNDROMES WITH THINGS LIKE OVARIAN CANCER AND BREAST CANCER WITH A GENE AND A GENETIC FAMILY CALLED BRACHA.

IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR PATIENTS TO KNOW IF THEY HAVE A GENETIC MUTATION THAT HAS PUT THEM AT RISK OF GETTING THIS CANCER.

BUT THOSE GENETIC MUTATIONS HELP US PICK WHICH TYPE OF THE PART INHIBITER TO GIVE TO PATIENTS SOME THIS INFORMATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE SETTING OF A NEWLY DIAGNOSED CANCER.

BUT THESE GENES CAN BE HEREDITARY AND A 50/50 CHANCE SOME ALL MALE AND FEMALE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE AT A 50/50 CHANCE OF INHERITING THESE, AND THESE GENES, AS I MENTIONED, CAN PUT YOU AS RISK OF CANCERS BUT THERE ARE SCREENING OPTIONS AVAILABLE IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THIS GENETIC MUTATION.

CHANGES YOUR SCREENING RECOMMENDATION.

AND THERE'S EVEN A ROLE FOR RISK REDUCING SURGERY, FOR INSTANCE, TO REMOVE THE OVARIES AND FALLOPIAN TUBES, BECAUSE WE THINK OVARIAN CANCER STARTS IN THE FALLOPIAN TUBES, TO PREVENT GETTING CANCER FOR SOMEONE WHO'S AT A KNOWN INCREASED RISK.

>> WHAT SHOULD WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED KNOW AND BE AWARE OF ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF CLINICAL TRIALS?

>> I THINK PEOPLE DON'T OVERALL HAVE A GREAT UNDERSTANDING ABOUT CLINICAL TRIALS.

YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY'S CLINICAL TRIAL IS TODAY'S STANDARD OF CARE.

THAT'S HOW WE MAKE THESE ADVANCES IN TREATMENT.

THAT IS HOW THESE WOMEN HAVE HAD AMAZING OUTCOME ON PART INHIBTERS.

THEY WERE ON A CLINICAL TRIAL.

MANY PEOPLE FEEL LIKE CLINICAL TRIALS ARE ONLY AN OPTION WHEN YOU'RE ADVANCED STAGE, WHEN THERE'S NO OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

THAT'S NOT THE BEST CLINICAL TRIAL.

MIGHT BE FOR SOME PATIENT BUS MANY ARE DESIGNED TO BE USED EARLY IN YOUR CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT COURSE.

AND SO I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLINICAL TRIAL AND TO SEEK OUT CLINICAL TRIALS WHEN THEY'RE DIAGNOSED WITH A CANCER.

>> SO, SAYING I'M GOING LOOK FOR A CLINICAL TRIAL OR TALKING TO OUR PHYSICIAN ABOUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'VE REACHED A POINT WHERE THERE'S TO PROSPECTS FOR YOU?

>> NOT AT ALL.

MANY TIMES THE CLINICAL TRIAL'S DESIGNED USING A STANDARD OF CARE CHEMOTHERAPY OPTION AND ADDING SOMETHING ON TOP OF IT THAT USUALLY HAVE INCREDIBLY STRONG SCIENCE BEHIND TO IT SAY WE THINK THIS COMBINATION WILL NOW MAKE THESE DRUGS WORK BETTER.

WE REALLY HAVE CHANGED HOW WE'RE DESIGNING THESE CLINICAL TRIALS AND IT GETS BACK TO THE CONCEPT OF A TARGETED THERAPY.

WE USED TO TREAT OVARIAN CANCER ONLY OR COLON CANCER ONLY, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE MUTATIONS IN THE CANCER, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE IMMUNOLOGY OF THE CANCER AND LUMPING AM OF THESE CANCERS TOGETHER WHEN THEY HAVE SIMILAR MUTATIONS AND USING ONE DRUG THAT TARGETS THAT SPECIFIC MUTATION.

>> LAST QUESTION FOR YOU.

I GOT ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF OR SO HERE.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, AND YOU'VE GIVEN US A SENSE OF PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE, BUT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, ARE YOU -- AGAIN, LET'S GO BACK TO THE TROUBING NUMBERS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE BEGINNING.

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE IN.

>> I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC.

THE LANDSCAPE OF OVARIAN CANCER TODAY IN 2022 IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO, FIVE YEARS AND CERTAINLY 10 TO 15 YEARS AGO.

THERE IS NOW A FOCUS, AN AWARENESS, AN ADVOCACY FOR GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS AND OVARIAN CANCER IN PARTICULAR, TO REALLY MOVE THE SCIENCE FORWARD AND WORK ON NOT JUST BETTER TREATMENT OPTIONS ESPECIALLY IN THE RECURRENT SETTING BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, TRYING TO FIND THOSE EARLY SKRENING AND THOSE EARLY DIAGNOSIS OPTIONS FOR PARENTS TO REALLY SCREEN THE STORY AND TRAJECTORY OF THE OVARIAN CANCER.

>> WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION TALKING ABOUT SEPTEMBER BEING OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

CLEARLY IT'S IMPORTANT IT CARRY THROUGH THE ENTIRE CALENDAR YEAR FOR WOMEN TO BE THE OWN CHAMPIONS OF THEIR HEALTH CARE.

DR. ASHLEY HAGGERTY, THE SITE DIRECTOR OF GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY AT HACKEN SAC RIVERVIEW HEALTH.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US UNDERSTAND ALL THIS, AND WE'LL TALK AGAIN SOON.

YOU TAKE CARE.

>> YOU THIS FOR HAVING ME.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

ONE OF NEW YORK CITY'S MOST ICONIC RESTAURANTS, THE LOBE BOATHOUSE IN CENTRAL PARK IS CLOSING ITS DOORS THIS OCTOBER AFTER ALMOST 40 YEAR OF OPERATION, MANHATTAN'S ONLY LAKESIDE RESTAURANT THAT CITED RISING COSTS OF LABOR AND GOODS AS THE REASON FOR SHUTTING DOWN, PROVING THAT EVEN NEW YORK CITY'S LANDMARK INSTITUTIONS ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM THE CHALLENGES BARS AND RESTAURANTS HAVE FACED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

FANS OF THE BOATHOUSE NEED NOT WORRY TOO MUCH, THOUGH, AS NEW YORK CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY SEARCHING FOR A NEW OPERATOR TO TAKE OVER AND KEEP THE RESTAURANT AND SNACK BAR IN BUSINESS.

AND JOINING ME NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOBE BOATHOUSE TO CENTRAL PARK, THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE NEW YORK CITY HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE IS ANDREW RIDGE JI, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK CITY HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE.

WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS," ANDREW.

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO, FIRST OFF, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS CLOSING.

FIRST OF ALL, DID THIS CATCH YOU OFF GUARD?

WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE FIT INTO THE TRENDS THAT YOU ARE SEEING HAPPENING FOR OTHER RESTAURANT BUSINESSES?

>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS JUST BEEN ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING FOR NEW YORK CITY'S RESTAURANT INDUSTRY.

WE'RE STILL ABOUT 50,000 JOBS SHORT IN OUR RESTAURANTS AND BARS COMPARED TO PREPANDEMIC LEVELS.

THOUSANDS OF OUR FAVORITE SPOTS HAVE BASICALLY SHUT THEIR DOORS AND MANY ARE STRUGGLING.

WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT A RESTAURANT CLOSING OR ABOUT TO CLOSE, IT DOESN'T COME AS A TOTAL SURPRISE, BUT THE LOBE BOATHOUSE, AN ICONIC NEW YORK CITY RESTAURANT, AND IT JUST GOES TO SHOW, EVEN THESE ICONIC RESTAURANTS CAN STILL CLOSE.

>> I MENTIONED IN THE INTRO ITS SIGNIFICANCE NOT JUST FOR ITS INFAMY IN CENTRAL PARK, BUT ALSO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE RIPPLE EFFECT THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE BOAT HOUSE HAS HAD ON THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, CENTRAL PARK, AND THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY IN.

>> YEAH, WELL, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GO TO CENTRAL PARK, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WANT TO SEE IS THE BOATHOUSE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE COME FROM AROUND THE GLOBE THE NEW YORK CITY, THEY GO TO THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

THEY GO INTO CENTRAL PARK.

THEY WANT TO SEE THE BOATHOUSE, SO THERE'S A WHOLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTOR THAT PLAYS INTO THIS RESTAURANT.

PEOPLE GO THERE TO VISIT.

THEY GO THERE TO EAT.

THE WEDDINGS, THE MEMORIES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED AT THIS ICON YOU CAN RESTAURANT REALLY CAN'T BE OVERSTATED.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT PLACE, AND WHEN PEOPLE GO THERE, THEY -- EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT EATING AT THE RESTAURANT, THEY'RE STOPPING AND GETTING A HOT DOG IN THE PARK.

THEY'RE STOPPING AT OTHER RESTAURANTS AND OTHER BUSINESSES AND SPENDING MONEY AROUND THE CENTRAL PARK AREA.

SO IT DOES HAVE A MUCH LARGER ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND IT ALSO HAS THIS TYPE OF DRAW, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT BRINGS PEOPLE THERE, BRINGS THE FOOT TRAFFIC.

AND IT'S JUST ONE OF THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL, ICONIC SPACES THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY THAT REALLY MAKES US WORLD RENOWNED.

>> YOU MENTION THE WEDDINGS, AND THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OF COURSE CAME OUT A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT AS ANYONE WHO'S PLANNED A WEDDING IN NEW YORK CITY GOES, IF YOU'RE PLANNING A WEDDING AND BOOKING A LOCATION, YOU'VE DONE THAT MONTHS IN ADVANCE.

SO, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PLANNING TO HAVE WEDDINGS, WEDDING RECEPTIONS, ET CETERA, AT THE BOAT HOUSE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT BECOMES OF THEIR SITUATION?

>> THIS IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT SITUATION.

THE CITY RESTAURANT INDUSTRY WENT THROUGH SOMETHING NOT TOO DIFFERENT DURING COVID WHEN PEOPLE HAD ALL THESE PARTIES AND WEDDINGS BOOKED AND THEY HAD TO DO MASS CANCELLATION.

I DO KNOW THE RESTAURANT PUT OUT A STATEMENT, SAID THEY'RE GOING TO DO THEIR BEST TO WORK WITH EVERYONE WHO HAD WEDDINGS OR OTHER EVENTS PLANNED AT THE BOATHOUSE, BUT THEN THEY WILL BE CLOSING, SO PRESUMABLY THEY WILL BE GIVING BACK REFUNDS, WORKING HOPEFULLY WITH PEOPLE TO MAKE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLANS.

THE CHALLENGE IS, IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO GET MARRIED IN THE LOBE BOAT HOUSE, THERE IS NOT ANOTHER SIMILAR TYPE OF VENUE ANYWHERE AROUND HERE WHERE YOU CAN RECREATE THAT MAGIC.

WE HAVE TON OF OTHER BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO GET MARRIED BUT THERE'S SOMETHING VERY UNIQUE, SPECIAL, AND VERY ONE OF A KIND AT THE LOBE BOATHOUSE.

>> WELL, I ALSO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC FORCES THAT LED TO THIS.

THEY'RE MULTILAYERED.

BUT I WANT TO START WITH, ACTUALLY, THE WORK FORCE, PERHAPS.

BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SOME PUSHBACK, AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF REEVALUATING WORKERS AND HOW THEY'RE PAID AND HOW THEY WORK, ET CETERA, THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, IF WORKERS CAN ONLY BE PAID, YOU KNOW, MINIMUM WAGE OR IMMIGRANT CLOSE TO THAT -- BECAUSE OF COURSE THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, IT'S A DIFFERENT WAGE -- THEN THAT WASN'T A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

BUT I WANT TO GET YOUR TAKE ON HOW THE ECONOMIC FORCES IMPACT THIS UNIQUE NEW YORK BUSINESS.

>> YEAH, SO LABOR COSTS CONTINUED THE GO UP.

EVEN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ONES FOR THE MOST PART ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ADDITIONAL MONEY TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE WAGES WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO OTHER INDUSTRIES LIKE TECH FOR EXAMPLE OR FINANCE.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES.

AND WE'VE SEEN LABOR GO UP BECAUSE THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF WORKERS THAT HAVE COME BACK TO THE CITY'S RESTAURANT INDUSTRY.

LE REALLY, WAGES FOR ALL POSITIONS ACROSS THE BOARD HAVE GONE UP.

THE OTHER THING WE'VE SEEN IS THE INFLATION COSTS.

IT'S SKYROCKETING.

YOU'RE SEEING 100%, 200% INCREASES.

I WAS JUST TALKING TO A RESTAURATEUR THE OTHER DAY, AND HE SAID, THEY USED THE PAY $80 OR SO FOR GLOVES.

THE MARIAS, GLOVES THAT SOME OF THE COOKS USE IN THE KITCHEN.

NOW IT'S DOUBLED, MORE THAN DOUBLE IN THE PRICE.

THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD, ALL THE FOOD PRODUCTS.

SO IT'S PUTTING PRESSURE ON BUSINESSES, AND PARTICULARLY AT A PLACE LIKE THE BOATHOUSE, WHERE ALSO SIMILARLY YOU HAD THE UNION AT TAVERN ON THE GREEN, THE COST FOR LABOR TENDS TO BE EVEN HIGHER THAN IN A NONUNION RESTAURANT.

SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF WAGE PRESSURE, BENEFIT PRESSURES, BUT EVEN THE OWNER OF THE BOATHOUSE SAID IT WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

THEY HAD PARTIES BOOKED.

THEY HAD CUSTOMERS.

IT WASN'T A LACK OF BUSINESS.

IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, THE COMBINATION OF LABOR AND THE COST OF GOODS THAT HAVE ALL GONE UP AND APPARENTLY IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE IN HIS POSITION, THE BUSINESS ECONOMICALLY VIABLE TO CONTINUE, UNFORTUNATELY.

>> YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THE BOATHOUSE BEING, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, JUST SO ICONIC TO NEW YORK AND CENTRAL PARK, AND BEING SORT OF LIKE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT SO MANY OTHER BUSINESSES -- RESTAURANTS, I SHOULD SAY, ARE STRUGGLING WITH IN THIS MOMENT, IS THIS SOMETHING WHERE THE HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE FEELS AS THOUGH THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF SUPPORT COMING IN FROM EITHER THE STATE OR THE CITY OR SOMETHING ELSE?

SOMETHING TO HELP THESE BUSINESSES?

BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FABRIC OF NEW YORK.

>> CERTAINLY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BUT I THINK COVID REALLY PUT IT FRONT AND CENTER THAT OUR RESTAURANTS, OUR BARS, OUR CULTURAL ESTABLISHMENTS ARE VITAL TO THE ECONOMIC FOUNDATION, BUT ALSO THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR CITY, AND SO MANY OF THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES DID NOT GET ADEQUATE SUPPORT.

IN FACT, 65% OF RESTAURANTS IN NEW YORK WERE SHUT OUT OF THE FEDERAL RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND, OR THE RRF, BECAUSE THE MONEY WAS COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED.

THERE WAS SO MUCH DEMAND.

AND UNFORTUNATELY AND SHAMEFULLY, IN MY OPINION, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY DID NOT REPLENISH IT.

SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT PLAYED IN, IF THE BOATHOUSE RECEIVED THE RRF MONEY OR NOT, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY EXAMPLES AROUND THE CITY OF RESTAURANTS THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING, AND THE INCREASE IN LABOR, THAT'S GOOD.

WE WANT OUR WORKERS TO BE EARNING MORE, BUT WE ALSO WANT THE RESTAURANTS TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN BUSINESS.

AND WE ALSO HOPE THAT THE COST OF GOODS WILL START COMING BACK DOWN SO A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES WILL BE ABLE TO RECOVER.

BUT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS, WHICH IS SO DIFFICULT, IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR A LOT OF THESE RESTAURANTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT DIDN'T GET ADEQUATE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT OAF THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS TO COME OUT OR EMERGE SUCCESSFULLY AS WE HOPEFULLY EMERGE OR CONTINUE TO EMERGE FROM THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC.

>> OF COURSE, OF COURSE.

WELL, LET'S TALK LOOKING FORWARD.

AND I ALSO MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A SEARCH UNDER WAY TO FIND SOMEONE NEW TO TAKE OVER.

COULD THIS PERHAPS BE A SEAMLESS THING WHERE THE RESTAURANT'S CLOSED FOR A WEEK IN OCTOBER AND OPENS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT, OR IS THIS GOING TO TAKE TIME TO FIND THE RIGHT BUSINESS?

>> YOU KNOW, I HOPE IT HAPPENS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

THESE THINGS CAN TEND TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT PARK, THERE'S USUALLY AN RFP.

THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS WHERE AN APPLICANT NEEDS TO APPLY, NEEDS TO BE APPROVED.

IT CAN BE MORE COMPLICATED THAN GOING AND TAKING OVER ANY VACANT STORE FRONT BECAUSE IT IS IN THE PARK.

SO I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME TIME THAT IT TAKES, BUT I THINK THE CITY ALSO RECOGNIZES HOW ICONIC, HOW IMPORTANT RE-OPENING THE LOBE BOATHOUSE WILL BE, AND EQUALLY FINDING THE RIGHT OPERATOR THE CURRENT OPERATOR, DEAN PAUL, HAD BEEN THERE FOR MANY YEARS.

HE'S ALSO RUN OTHER VARIOUS SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANTS, HAS THE NEW YORK CITY EXPERIENCE.

SO INSTEAD OF JUST GETTING ANY RESTAURATEUR IN THERE, WE WANT TO DO IT FAST BUT I ALSO HOPE THEY FIND SOMEBODY WITH THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE, WISDOM, AND THE ABILITY TO NOT JUST OPEN ANYTHING, BUT OPEN AS A LONG LASTING RESTAURANT THAT CAN DO THE SPACE JUSTICE.

BECAUSE WE NEED ANOTHER WONDERFUL RESTAURANT FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY.

>> DOES THE FACT THAT THE SITE IS ALSO A CULTURAL LANDMARK FACTOR INTO THE DECISION-MAKING?

>> CERTAINLY.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT AN OPERATOR GOING IN NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE AND NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND, RIGHT?

IT'S NOT JUST THE RESTAURANT, THE SITDOWN RESTAURANT.

THEY HAVE THE CONCESSION.

THEY ALSO DO ALL OF THESE TYPES OF WEDDINGS.

IT ALSO IS, LIKE YOU SAID, A LANDMARK, SO PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT ON BOATS.

PEOPLE ARE JUST COMING BY TO VISIT.

I SEE IF YOU'RE THERE IN THE EARLY MORNING, CYCLISTS.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS TO RUNNING THE RESTAURANT AT THE LOBE BOAT HOUSE THAN IF YOU WERE JUST RUNNING A RESTAURANT, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE PARK ON 6th AVENUE SOMEWHERE.

THERE'S SOME DEFINITE UNIQUE ASPECTS TO RUNNING IT, AND THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO FIND THE RIGHT OPERATOR THAT UNDERSTANDS AND EMBRACES ALL THE DIFFERENT USES OF CENTRAL PARK SO THEY CAN REALLY OPERATE HARMONIOUSLY WITHIN THE BEAUTIFUL PARK.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, LONG LINES CAN BE A GOOD THING.

ANDREW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON "METROFOCUS."

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.