"NewYorkCityParksDepartment" news and stories

The twinkling lights of New York's famed Tavern on the Green could dim this year should the city choose not to award a new lease to the family that operates the Central Park landmark.

The New York City Parks Department on Monday requested proposals for the renovation of the 25,000-square-foot restaurant west of the park's Sheep Meadow near 67th Street.

The restaurant has lured celebrities and tourists alike to its six fabled dining rooms -- including the glassed-in Crystal Room -- since 1976, after restaurateur Warner LeRoy reopened the Tavern following a $10 million renovation. The restaurant grossed more than $36 million alone in 2008, paying the city about $1.2 million for the space.

But it appears the city would now like a "significant renovation" of the restaurant giving it more of a connection to the park itself.