Posts Tagged ‘ORDA’

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Gore Mountain Replacing 30 Year Old Lift

Adirondack Express Charlift at Gore Mountain (Saratoga Skier Photo)This summer Gore Mountain, in North Creek, N.Y. will replace its 30-year-old Adirondack Express with a new high-speed detachable quad. The new lift is expected to offer guests a smoother, faster, and more reliable ride out of Gore’s primary base area. The plan includes a new unloading zone near the mid-mountain Saddle Lodge which will be lowered and restructured for easier access to the slopes.

According to the Olympic Regional Development Authority, which manages Gore Mountain, the new Adirondack Express will have a capacity of 2,400 people per hour, 300 more than previously.  The lift is expected to operate 38% faster than its predecessor, and to have eight fewer towers and padded chairs for a smoother ride. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, March 27, 2014

Whiteface Mountain’s Newest Trail Officially Opens

03_25 Rands Last Stand Opens Jay RandWhiteface Mountain officially opened its 87th trail for skiing and riding when the ribbon was cut on Tuesday for “Rand’s Last Stand.”

Whiteface Mountain enthusiasts James Hunter, Jeff Tompkins, Brian Winfield and Jack Yanchitis each helped to name the glade when the mountain held a Facebook trail naming contest last August. The 4.7 acre and 1,500 foot long expert glade, named for former Whiteface Mountain general manager and 1968 Olympic ski jumper Jay Rand Jr., is located half-way down Hoyt’s High and connects skiers and riders to both the Summit Chair lift and Lookout Mountain chair lift. » Continue Reading.


Monday, January 27, 2014

The Olympics’ Impact On Lake Placid

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt all started in August. The media inquiries about Lake Placid’s Olympic heritage have increased by the day as we get closer to the games in Sochi.  Many want photos, or to visit to write or film a news story, and most want to know what impact hosting the games has had on Lake Placid in general.

As communications director for the region’s destination marketing organization, my job is to support our efforts to drive overnight visitation, and implement promotional messaging that is based on research. And through that research, we know that the biggest driver of overnight visitation to Lake Placid and the Adirondacks is outdoor recreation – hiking, paddling, cycling and the like – hands down. However, for a couple of months every four years, I prepare to spend a lot of time responding to the expected influx of Olympic-themed media requests. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, January 9, 2014

Celebrate the Sochi Olympic Games in Lake Placid

Sochi Olympics LogoLake Placid officials have announced a series of programs and events that celebrate the international spirit of the Olympic Winter Games and Lake Placid’s robust winter sports heritage leading up to and during the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.

The Village of Lake Placid, the Lake Placid Business Association (LPBA), the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) have collaborated to lead the community in celebrating its Olympic pride and the Sochi Games.   » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Adirondack Ski Season Preview

Early season snowmaking at WhitefaceThis is the time of year when skiers’ anticipation is at its peak.  The first snows have already whitened the higher elevations of the Adirondacks, signaling winter’s approach.

If you’re a die-hard skier, you’ve lined up your season pass and tuned up your equipment.  You wear your pajamas inside-out and you’ve flushed a tray of ice cubes down the toilet (trust me, it works) to ensure a winter of bountiful snow.

Maybe you’ve even had a bonfire to sacrifice a pair of skis to Ullr, the Norse god of snow and skiing.  All that’s left now is waiting for the chairlifts to start spinning.  Ski areas in the region have been busy too, working on improvements and upgrades all summer and fall.  Here’s a quick look at what they’ve been up to. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Whiteface Adding A New Glade for the 2013-14 Season

WhitefaceThis winter the state-owned Whiteface ski area will debut a new (and as yet un-named) glade on Lookout Mountain.  The 1,500 foot long expert glade will be cut half-way down Hoyt’s High and will also connect the Summit Chair lift.  The development of the new glade is expected to begin this week.  Once completed, the glade will add an additional 4.7 acres to the mountain’s already 283 acres of skiable terrain and 3,430 of vertical, the most vertical east of the Rockies.

This is the first new trail added to Whiteface Mountain since the opening of Lookout Mountain in 2008.  Other mountain improvements include the addition of 35 low energy snow guns that will provide efficient snow coverage on Easy Street, Broadway and Excelsior. The mountain has also purchased an energy efficient boom fan snow gun that will be used to cover the mountain’s Lower Valley trail. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

ORDA Offers New Options For Locals, Frequent Visitors

ORDAThe New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority’s (ORDA) Olympic venues are offering  a new ticket option for locals and frequent visitors: a $79 Gold Pass that provides unlimited access to the Olympic sites.

The Gold Pass includes unlimited admission to the Olympic Jumping Complex, including the Summer Jumping Series; the Olympic Sports Complex, Olympic Museum, Veterans’ Memorial Highway and the Whiteface Mountain Cloudsplitter gondola rides.  It can also be used for admission to Oktoberfest, the Flaming Leaves Festival, Saturday Night ice shows, selected events and 20-percent off the Lake Placid Bobsled Experience and Skeleton Experience. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, May 16, 2013

State Run Adirondack Ski Areas Rebound in 2012-13

Whiteface Dec 12 2012According to preliminary data for this year released by the National Ski Areas Association, after a disappointing 2011-12 winter, ski resorts reported an 11% increase in visitation nationally, with a 20% increase in skier visits in the Northeast region.

Not surprisingly given the reduced snowfall last year, results at Gore and Whiteface, both operated by the Olympic Region Development Authority (ORDA), improved significantly for the 2012-13 season. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

ORDA’s ‘Ongoing Fiscal Challenges’ Prompt Review

ORDAState Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli says his office will launch a full financial audit of the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) after a report by his office found that financial issues persist at a time when its operations have been expanded to include the Catskills-based Belleayre Mountain Ski Center.

“ORDA’s venues have long been an essential part of the North Country economy, which heightens the need to ensure its stability and accountability to the public,” DiNapoli said in a statement issued to the press. “We will examine selected financial management practices related to payroll, procurement and other areas.”

DiNapoli’s “By the Numbers” ORDA report, released today, details operational losses and a reliance on a line of credit from a private bank, among other sources, to meet its spending needs. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, February 7, 2013

Empire State Games Beginning in Lake Placid

esg-logoThe 2013 Empire State Winter Games kick off today.  A Lake Placid tradition, the games include alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsled, cross country skiing, figure skating, luge, Nordic combined, skeleton, ski jumping, skiercross/boardercross, ski orienteering, slopestyle, snowshoe, long and short track speed skating, women’s ice hockey, and several sports for adaptive competitors.

The Empire State Games were previously organized and sponsored by the State of New York until budget constraints cancelled the games in 2011.  A group of local sponsors, including the Lake Placid Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Olympic Regional Development Authority, and the Village of Lake Placid, stepped forward to host the event themselves.

The Empire State Games start officially at 6 pm today, with Opening Ceremonies that feature the Parade of Athletes and a 2012 highlight video. The keynote speaker this year is 2010 Olympian and 4-time Norton U.S. National Champion, Chris Mazdzer. The Opening Ceremonies are a chance for the athletes to celebrate the beginning of an exciting weekend of competition. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, November 15, 2012

Whiteface Ski Area Opens Early

Favorable snowmaking temperatures this month will allow Whiteface Mountain to open a week ahead of schedule for the 2012-13 season. ORDA announced the ski area will open for two days this weekend, Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Plans are for the Facelift chair to open with skiing on Upper Valley, Lower Valley and Fox. Lift tickets will be $25. Lifts and trails are subject to change. Updates will be posted on Whiteface.com under the conditions tab, and on Whiteface’s Facebook page. After this weekend, Whiteface will re-open for the regular season on Friday, November 23 (Photo: Whiteface on November 6th).


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Snowmaking Begins: Ski Season Preview 2012-13

Maybe it’s pent-up demand following last year’s lackluster ski season, but skiers seem more excited than usual about the approaching ski season. Adirondack ski areas are eagerly anticipating a bounce back from last winter’s disappointing snowfall too, and have been busy with upgrades and improvements all summer.

Snow this weekend meant some tentative trips down the Whiteface Memorial Highway, and cold temperatures last night have kicked-off snowmaking at Gore and Whiteface.
» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Mt. Van Hoevenberg Sliding Track Season Set

The sliding track at Mt. van Hoevenberg, in Lake Placid, N.Y., is getting set to open, Monday, Oct. 15, (weather permitting) for national team training.

Workers have begun the process of chilling the concrete and laying down the ice on the 20-curve, mile-long track at the Olympic Sports Complex. The U.S. luge team will open the season when they take to the ice first thing that Monday morning, 9 a.m.-noon, followed the U.S. skeleton squad, from 3-5 p.m. and the bobsled team from 6:30-9 p.m.

The sliding center has seen its share of capital improvements this summer. Work was completed on the Lamy Lodge, which currently houses the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation’s (USBSF) Hall of Fame, and the combined track’s spectator deck on curve 19 was also expanded for better spectator viewing.
» Continue Reading.


Monday, September 24, 2012

2012-2013 Winter Sports Events Schedule Announced

The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) has issued its winter 2012-13 events. Dates and schedules are subject to change, but here is the basic run-down.

Nov. 5-10 – FIBT World Cup Bobsled and Skeleton. The 2012-’13 World Cup season opens for bobsled and skeleton where last season ended, on the combined bobsled/luge and skeleton track at the Mt. van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex. Last February, the United States bobsled and skeleton team captured a record five medals, including four gold, when the one-mile long track played host to the 2012 FIBT world championships. » Continue Reading.


Monday, September 17, 2012

Oktoberfest Celebrates Foliage Season at Whiteface

The 21st Annual Whiteface Oktoberfest, in Wilmington, N.Y., is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29-30. During the two-day festival, includes family activities such as original vendors, arts and crafts, children’s amusement rides such as a hayride and inflatables, Bavarian food, drink and entertainment.

Whiteface Oktoberfest will offer traditional German music from Die Schlauberger, performing under the entertainment tent outside the base lodge each day and Ed Schenk on the accordion. The Cloudspin Lounge also features music from Schachtelgebirger Musikanten (Scha-Musi) and, performing at their forth Oktoberfest, will be Spitze and The Alpen Trio. » Continue Reading.



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