News stories tagged with "tourism"

(05/23/12) The Adirondack Carousel holds a Grand Opening in Saranac Lake this Saturday. The $1.3 million project is the culmination of years of work. Todd Moe talks with Karen Loffler, who first proposed the idea to the village board in 2001, and Marge Glowa, the project's capital campaign director.

(05/17/12) A crew from one of the country's most famous clothing companies has been at a historic Adirondack great camp this week to shoot photographs for its fall and winter 2012 catalog.

A crew of about 20 from L.L. Bean, based in Freeport, Maine, was at White Pine Camp on Osgood Pond on Monday and Tuesday. The rustic Great Camp was built in the early 1900s and served as the "Summer White House" for President Calvin Coolidge in 1926. Chris Morris dropped by the set. more

(04/17/12) An historic preservation group is weighing in on hydro fracking for the first time, and they don't like what they say they've been learning about the gas drilling process.

They say it would change the nature of the landscape from rural to industrial and would detract from heritage tourism in the Marcellus shale region. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has more. more

(03/23/12) People in the Thousand Islands village of Clayton are watching several projects that could transform an abandoned waterfront industrial site into a new community hub.

The site used to be home to Frink America, a snowplow manufacturer and a major employer in the small town. Before that, it was the village train station, where Golden Age vacationers would arrive to be ferried to luxury hotels on nearby islands.

The grand plan now in the works includes new docks, a pavilion, and a multi-story hotel. Joanna Richards has more. more

(02/22/12) This winter, one of the best places in the North Country to ski has been the trail to Santanoni Great Camp in the Essex County town of Newcomb.

In part, that's because the old road to the camp has enough snow to make skiing possible.

But the restored buildings of Santanoni also offer one of the most fascinating glimpses of the Adirondacks as they existed during the gilded age, when the North Country was a retreat for the rich and powerful.

This week, Brian Mann joined a ski tour of the great camp, organized by the coalition that has spent more than a decade stabilizing and restoring the historic site. more

(01/25/12) It's shaping up to be another tough week weather-wise for the North Country. Rain and temperatures in the forties forced volunteer crews in Saranac Lake to suspend work on the Winter Carnival ice palace.

The Mt. Van Hoevenberg cross country ski center in Lake Placid closed because of the drizzly weather.

The forecast at Whiteface Mountain this morning includes a chance for rain. And the Ski Bowl in North Creek is closed, with just 60% of Gore Mountain's trails open.

One bright spot this winter has been the VIC at Paul Smiths. The facility was threatened with closure in 2010 when the Adirondack Park Agency decided that it was too expensive to operate.

But Paul Smiths College and a group of local residents have worked to keep the VIC open. Brian Mann checked out the trails last week and has our story.

(01/20/12) UPDATE: The Adirondack Park Agency this morning approved a series of permits giving the green light to the massive resort planned for the area around the Big Tupper ski mountain in Tupper Lake.

The 10-1 vote caps a turbulent and sometimes bitter seven-year debate over the project. Brian Mann has been following this issue from the start and he joins me now.

Brian Mann joined Martha Foley earlier this morning to talk about last minute deliberations. more

(01/19/12) The Adirondack Park Agency is down to the wire in its review of the massive resort project proposed for Tupper Lake. Developers hope to build more than 700 luxury homes and condos near the Big Tupper ski area, along with a new marina, ski lodge and equestrian center. A final decision from the APA is expected on Friday.

In this last week of deliberations, environmental groups have ramped up their opposition to the resort. But their efforts to delay a decision and to spark more public opposition haven't gained much traction. As Brian Mann reports, the Park's biggest green group broke ranks yesterday and said the APA should allow the project the project to go forward. more

(01/16/12) A new debate is underway over the future of the Adirondack Regional Airport in Lake Clear. Traffic at the airport is growing, with more than 11,500 passengers using Cape Air's commuter flights last year. Supporters say that brings a big boost to the Tri-Lakes economy.

But state and local officials also say cost overruns, mismanagement and a lack of political support for the airport could threaten its future.

Brian Mann has our story. more

(01/10/12) The lack of snow has been a big story for snow sports so far this winter, but there was some good news for skiers and snowboarders this past weekend in Saranac Lake.

A new ski lift at Mount Pisgah Ski Center took its first riders up the slopes on Saturday morning. The new T-bar was two and a half years in the making and was funded by a combination of state grant funding and community donations.

As Chris Knight reports, supporters say the project will help breathe new life into this small, family- and kid-friendly ski hill. more