Construction is underway on a $9.5 million renovation project at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Spa State Park.
Officials said the work will improve visitor services and add a four-season event space.
The project is supported by $8 million in private funding from Live Nation and Saratoga Performing Arts Center. New York state is providing up to $1.5 million in grants from Empire State Development and State Parks, awarded through the governor’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative.
As part of this project, SPAC will undergo a complete replacement and upgrade of the existing concessions and restroom facilities. Two new concessions buildings will replace the existing tent structures, which have lacked proper security, infrastructure and storage space, officials said.

The Adirondack Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils, has many promotional events scheduled for the 2019-20 season in progress, with homes games at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls..
The Thunder has fan-favorite theme nights and will host many other new theme nights. Fans will see popular themes return such as Military Appreciation Night, Marvel Comics Day, Nickelodeon Night, Stick it to Cancer Weekend, Law Enforcement Night, Fan Appreciation Night and more.

By Christine Graf
North Country Facilities Management and North Country Snow and Ice Management will be relocating their headquarters from 207 Maple Street in Glens Falls to 415 Big Bay Road in Queensbury.
The company hopes to receive its certificate of occupancy by mid-September.
According to chief executive officer Michael Merrill, North Country has outgrown its Glens Falls location and store equipment at seven different locations throughout the area. The company is also in need of a location that provides easier access to the Northway.
“We need more day-to-day operation space and a better location. That’s what’s bringing us to Big Bay Road,” he said. “We will be right near an exit (Northway Exit 18). Right now, our days start with 10 to 20 crews fighting for 20 to 30 minutes to get to an exit.”
North Country will be leasing the 1.72-acre property with the option to buy. It includes a vacant, 5,500-square-foot warehouse that will be used for offices, a repair shop and equipment storage.
According to Merrill, the company plans to renovate and expand the existing warehouse. The current building is not large enough to meet current or future needs.

By Rachel Phillips
For the businesses in Warren County, the end of summer sometimes means business slowing, or even coming to a full stop as they close up shop until next year.
Tourism in the Adirondacks is a $1.5 billion industry, which supports over 21,000 jobs, officials say. Of that sum, Warren County takes in 42 percent of the region’s tourism sales.
Officials report the 2019 summer tourist season was strong for local businesses.
Data collected from Smith Travel Research reports that Warren County’s occupancy was up to 78.63 percent in July, and 81.6 percent in August, an increase of 4.6 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.
The report is compiled from the data offered by participating hotels in the area. In addition to the percentage of available rooms booked during each month, it also follows the prices of rooms throughout the seasons. For example, the average rate of a hotel room in August was around $203, and in February it was only $128. While only one source of data, the report can help locals and business owners to understand the area’s economic patterns.
According to Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, there were a number of factors that played into the area’s successful summer season. In addition to new large-brand hotels in the area, Mintzer said the new Adirondacks welcome center, located between Northway exits 17 and 18, helped increase business.

The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) announced that Michael Barrett was appointed as the new executive director of the organization, which will be effective in November.
The appointment was unanimously approved by the ADK board of directors at its Sept. 28 meeting.
ADK’s previous executive director and current chief executive officer, Neil Woodworth, will remain with ADK for several months to facilitate the transition and will remain of counsel to ADK for the near future.
“Michael is a proven and dynamic leader with years of success as an advocate and policy maker. We look forward to him joining ADK,” said John Gilewicz, ADK board president.“We thank Neil for his decades of service and his tremendous contribution, not just to ADK but to New York state.”
“We welcome Michael Barrett to the Adirondacks and we look forward to working with him in the years ahead,” said William C. Janeway, executive director of the Adirondack Council. “His experience will serve him well as we all work to protect the park’s ecology, beauty and wilderness, and improve public recreation.”
“For more than 35 years, Neil produced results through his dedication, passion, expertise, knowledge, vision and ability to lead volunteers and staff,” said Janeway. “Neil has had an incredible positive impact on the preservation of wildlands, protection of and opening to the public of waters such as Little Tupper Lake, the Boreas Ponds, and education of outdoor enthusiasts.”
Barrett is a former foreign language interrogator for the U.S. Army. He went on to obtain his law degree in 2002 before serving as an attorney to the NYS Assembly Codes Committee. He later held executive-level positions in both the Spitzer and Paterson governor administrations.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) will hold its annual Business Expo on Wednesday, October 16, from 4-7 p.m. at The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls.
Featuring over 80 businesses, the showcase event encourages networking within the business community. Many businesses will be engaging with attendees through games, contests, product demos and more.
This business showcase features exhibit booths from regional businesses, as well as food samples, drink specials and door prizes
“The ARCC Business Expo is an excellent way to discover, connect and network with regional businesses,” said Amanda Blanton, ARCC marketing and communications manager. “We love the excitement this event brings to the region.”