Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas insisted Friday that he has a bold new plan to bring the dilapidated Memorial Field back to life.

Thomas has said that the field, located just off East Sanford Boulevard, has been used by contractors to dump toxic and hazardous debris over the years. Last year, state investigators found that some of the soil at Memorial Field was contaminated by the debris.

The mayor presented four proposals that would breathe new life into the park. Each plan would require the city to clear the site of toxic dirt.

"The political football game is over. If we fail on fixing Memorial Field, Mount Vernon fails," said Thomas.

Two of the plans involve a state-of-the-art facility, complete with parking and retail shopping. Those plans would require the city to borrow millions of dollars and could raise taxes on residents.

Thomas says the field's restoration would not take place overnight, and could take four years. He is the third consecutive mayor of Mount Vernon to promise fixing Memorial Field.