Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor
The Warren County Tourism and Occupancy Tax Committee voted Tuesday in favor of granting $400,000 to fund a second year of the Winter’s Dream attraction at the Fort William Henry in Lake George.
The Warren County Coalition (formerly Warren County Winter Coalition) requested $250,000 to produce and market the event in 2024-25, and $150,000 for show improvements.
Only Queensbury Town Supervisor John Strough voted against it, asking, “Are we just throwing $400,000 into the abyss? There’s already $3 million gone.”
“It’s a risk,” said Queensbury At-Large Supervisor Dave Strainer, “but we’ve gone too far not to keep going forward.
“I am in support,” said Horicon Supervisor Mike Geraci. “These are quality individuals asking for this, an elite group who have helped the County prosper over many years.”
Other Committee members voting yes were Deborah Runyon of Thurman and Kevin Bean of Johnsburg. Lake George Supervisor Vincent Crocitto, who is on the Coalition, abstained.
The resolution goes before the full Board of Supervisors at their meeting on Friday, Aug. 16, at 10 a.m.
Speaking for the Coalition, Fort William Henry President Sam Luciano told the committee, “If we are not awarded the $250,000, the show ends. We don’t have enough to start up.”
“We know it’s a big ask,” Mr. Luciano said. “We believe in the show. We are a team of professionals whose goal is to help Warren County become a winter destination.”
The Coalition received $3 million of occupancy tax funds to launch the attraction last year.
The expectation — and contractual obligation — was to return 50% of profits to the County each year, to pay back the $3 million. The other 50% in anticipated profit was to fund the event going forward.
However, with attendance far less than anticipated, Winter’s Dream’s first-year profit was less than $6,000. The Coalition returned about $50,000 of the $3 million that it did not spend.
Planned upgrades
At the Committee meeting, the Coalition at first offered a handout listing improvements planned by Moment Factory. However, informed by County Attorney Larry Elmen that such information, which Moment Factory considers proprietary, would then be on the public record, Mr. Luciano called it back.
Instead, he summarized Moment Factory’s plans to enhance displays on the Fort bastions, including changing one corner entirely to be more interactive for children and families; upgrading the interactive “Cabin” in the courtyard, and adding lights to the Fort entrance and facade to increase visibility.
Mr. Luciano said Coalition plans to:
- Reduce the weekly operating days from five to four, Thursday to Sunday, and open earlier to attract families.
- Bring in Fever, a marketing agency touting a marketing base of 1.4 million in New York City, that has promised to raise attendance from last year’s 27,000 to 55,000. The Coalition is basing its numbers on 35,000 attendees.
- Lower admission and parking fees, and plan more themed special event nights on Thursdays and Sundays.
- Collaborate with the Lake George Winter Carnival to add ice skating.
- Co-promote with hotels to offer combination tickets to the event.
- Add alcohol sales on site
Diamond: Winter’s Dream ‘a nightmare’
Chronicle Managing Editor Cathy DeDe writes: Glens Falls Ward 1 Supervisor Jack Diamond firmly opposes giving the Warren County Coalition another $400,000 in occupancy tax funds to continue Winter’s Dream.
“Winter’s Dream has turned into a nightmare for the County,” Mr. Diamond told The Chronicle.
“What I find appalling is that they were saying, ‘If you don’t give us this you won’t get your $3-million back, because the event won’t go on.”
Coalition spokesperson Sam Luciano didn’t explicitly threaten this outcome. Mr. Diamond says it’s the implication.
“When they first came to the County to ask for the $3 million (last year), I asked the Coalition to have some skin in the game, and to put it in writing. They didn’t answer. They just didn’t do it.”
“To hear other Supervisors say they’re not worried about the $3 million? I’m worried about the $3 million.”
Copyright © 2024 Lone Oak Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved
