Warren County businesses urge cohesive tourism strategy; propose sports, cultural and infrastructure investments

Warren County — Business owners, cultural leaders and tourism operators told the Warren County Board of Supervisors at a public tourism forum that the county should adopt a cohesive, data-driven approach to marketing and managing events, with proposals ranging from a covered pavilion at Wood Park to a large performing arts center and a multiuse sports complex.

Speakers said the county’s tourism ecosystem — often built around short-term festivals and summer peaks — needs clearer coordination, streamlined permitting and long-term funding strategies to capture off-peak visitors and grow year-round visitation.

At the forum, John Leffner, CEO of the Hyde Collection, urged a coordinated county promotional strategy for arts and culture, saying, "I think there's an opportunity here in Warren County to create an interconnected collaborative promotional strategy for arts and culture." He said coordinated advertising would help link cultural venues, fill hotel rooms and support restaurants across the county.

Several event producers and venue operators identified Wood Park as underused and singled out basic infrastructure gaps. "Visitors get frustrated with the lack of parking," said Sasha of Adirondack Winery, who also represents the Adirondack Wine and Food Festival, and recommended lowering rental costs, providing more on-site services and building a modest…