Niagara Falls Blog – Travel and Tourism News

Printed from Niagara Falls Review

By JOHN LAW Review Staff Writer

Saturday, December 31, 2005 – 02:00

Editorial – NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. The largest hotel in Niagara Falls no longer has a Canadian address.

The Seneca Niagara Casino cut the ribbon on a stunning new $200 million, 604-room hotel Friday, raising the bar for local hospitality and sending a message to its Canadian competition.

The first 10 floors of the 26-floor facility have been opened to the public. Additional floors will be opened every week until the entire hotel is open for business sometime in March.

“The Seneca Niagara Casino and Hotel will offer an experience not to be found anywhere else in the region, said Barry Snyder Sr., president of the Seneca Nation of Indians and chairman of Seneca Gaming Corporation.

When fully operational it will surpass the largest hotel on the Canadian side, the 516-room Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview.

It will also eclipse the Adam’s Mark in Buffalo to become the largest hotel in Western New York.

By comparison, the 30-storey Niagara Fallsview Casino hotel offers 374 rooms.

Despite the U.S. side’s struggling hotel industry, Seneca Niagara spokesman Phil Pantano said the ritzy new building could mark a turning point for Niagara Falls, N.Y., tourism just like in Las Vegas, the hotel itself is an attraction.

“The thinking is to establish a destination in Niagara Falls, N.Y., that will help attract lots of people to the area and give them a place to stay in the area for longer periods, he said.

“It’s exciting not only for us, but for all of Western New York.

Attached to the three-year-old casino, the hotel will offer 486 deluxe rooms, 86 corner suites, 22 one-bedroom suites and 10 luxurious suites on the top floor reserved for celebrities and high rollers.

Most all rooms feature flat screen TVs, high speed internet access, PlayStation consoles and surround sound. Standard rooms start at $100, but prices are hard to gauge, said hotel employee Kathy George.

“Our rates are subject to change depending on what’s going on in the area.

The Italian restaurant La Cascata opened Friday, while Asian restaurant Koi opens Jan. 19. There’s also the Morrie’s Express deli and 24-hour Three Sisters cafe. The hotel also features a spa, indoor pool, salon and fitness centre.

The hotel’s first 270 rooms are already booked for New Year’s Eve. Among the guests Jan. 1 will be Aretha Franklin, who performs the first public concert in the hotel’s 2,000-seat Seneca Events Center (The Temptations perform tonight for an invite-only audience).

The casino has also gone through a growth spurt, adding 35,000 square feet of gaming space to bring its total to 147,000 square feet.

Combined, the casino and hotel will employ about 3,500 people.
ID- 139375 © 2006 , Osprey Media. All Rights Reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Niagara Falls Review acticles reprinted with permission by the authority of Joe Wallace, Managing Editor of the Niagara Falls Review.

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By ALISON LANGLEY

Tuesday, December 13, 2005 – 02:00

Local News -

NIAGARA FALLS Residents are encouraged to light up this week in support of the citys bid to be the best and brightest city in Canada.

Judges from the National WinterLights Competition will be in town Friday and Saturday and the public is invited to show support by making sure all homes are decked out in a blaze of colour and creativity.

The competition was launched in 2001 to provide a winter focus for the existing Communities in Bloom program. It encourages communities to showcase winter activities, festival celebrations and visual activities.

Sue Forcier, co-ordinator for the Niagara Falls WinterLights Committee, is confident Niagara will meet and exceed the judges expectations of what a winter destination should be.

I think we have a very, very good shot at winning, she said. Were excited about showcasing our community.

Forcier encourages residents to ensure their Christmas lights are on Friday and Saturday.

Were going to tour our lighting displays, but were also going to tour some neighbourhoods. So, please, turn your lights on.

Niagara Falls is vying for top honors against Kelowna, B.C., Prince George, B.C., Halifax, N.S., Oshawa and Brampton.

Each municipality is judged in five categories winter pleasure, festive celebrations, community goodwill, lighting displays and tourism and promotion.

On Friday, the judges will tour the Winter Festival of Lights illuminated displays and community lights and attend a reception at the Marriott Fallsview.

The tour will continue with a visit to the Niagara Parks illumination tower.

The judges will experience the citys civic pride Saturday during the Santas On His Way! Community Pancake Breakfast at St. Patricks Hall on Victoria Avenue.

Admission is 2 per person and proceeds from the event will benefit Project SHARE and Tender Wishes. New, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items will also be collected.

Following breakfast, the judges will visit various sites including Niagara Helicopters and Table Rock Restaurant and take in the Misty Kids show at the Hard Rock Club.

After dinner at the Battle Ground Museum Hotel, the judges will join Mayor Ted Salci as grand marshals of the Santas on His Way night parade.

Niagara Falls is the last city to be judged before the competition closes.

Forcier credits the combined efforts of city partners in helping to make a strong bid for top spot.

Even though it is the municipality that is entered in the competition, it is the work of all our partners such as Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Winter Festival of Lights that have worked together to showcase Niagara Falls.

WinterLights winners will be announced in February at a conference in British Columbia.
ID- 137072 © 2005 , OSPREY MEDIA GROUP Inc.

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Niagara Falls Review acticles reprinted with permission by the authority of Joe Wallace, Managing Editor of the Niagara Falls Review.

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By DAN DAKIN

Thursday, December 08, 2005 – 02:00

Local News –

NIAGARA FALLS – The wheels are in motion to bring NASCAR racing to Niagara.

Five years after a grand announcement to build an auto-racing track off Sodom Road fizzled, a new development group with strong ties to the top levels of racing are quietly getting the ball rolling for another track in the region.

Chippawa’s Jay Mason, who has been involved in auto racing for nearly 25 years, confirmed Wednesday he is the project co-ordinator.

Mason said financing for the Niagara project is coming together and said there were two major players involved. Both have been involved in high profile sports ventures in the past.

He estimated the cost of the track and land will be $100 million, would be built in Fort Erie or Niagara Falls and would be open for business by 2009.

An additional $50 million worth of capital improvements such as roads and services would be required for the facility.

“We would certainly like to be open in 2009, but it’s too early to make that prediction,” said Mason, whose son Jesse raced in the Indy Racing League’s Infiniti Pro Series last year.

Mason said a location for the facility hasn’t been decided yet, but he confirmed International Country Club in Stevensville is on the short list.

The golf club just off the QEW south of Netherby Road has been up for sale and rumours have surfaced recently the club has been sold.

Calls to the club weren’t immediately returned Wednesday, but an anonymous caller to The Review who identified himself as a longtime ICC member, said a deposit has been placed for the club and the 1,000 acres of land it sits on to be sold.

Adding to the buzz around Fort Erie, Economic Development and Tourism Corporation general manager Jim Thibert included ICC in his list of land deals the EDTC is helping to broker.

He told a Fort Erie town council budget meeting the club has an option to purchase with written sale offers tendered.

The big question is whether NASCAR would be interested in bringing one of its three major series to Niagara.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based racing series never promises to bring its races to a track before it’s built, but Mason is confident the interest is there.

“I’m tremendously confident. They’ve announced they’re going to come to Canada. We understand we have to commit to the project, but obviously there is an open dialogue with them,” he said.

Mason confirmed officials close to NASCAR were in Niagara recently and were pleased with what they saw.

“Niagara Falls should be extremely proud because these guys were blown away the Falls when they came here,” he said. “It completely changed their opinion of the entire area. When they realized how much there was the for the fans to do here, they were completely taken aback.”

Mason said there are 7.3 million people living within 160 kilometres of Niagara Falls, making this one of the largest markets in North America without a NASCAR track.

NASCAR officials have publicly said they plan to expand into Canada.

Last week, NASCAR president Bill France Jr. confirmed they are working to bring a Craftsman Truck Series race to Canada in the next two years and he is aware of the project in Niagara Falls.

George Pyne, France’s No. 2 man at NASCAR, told a Winston, N.C. newspaper the Canadian market is ready to be hit.

“Between six and eight million Canadians, out of the 30 million total, are NASCAR fans. And 80 per cent of that 30 million live within 75 miles of the U.S. border,” Pyne told the Winston-Salem Journal recently. “Canadians are an attractive market. And certainly open-wheel has had a lot of success there, with Formula One and CART.”

NASCAR currently has a marketing and licensing relationship with TSN in Canada, and it has options to purchase CASCAR, Canada’s top auto racing series.

“Does the Canadian market have an interest? Absolutely. Do we think it’s logical? It certainly does seem logical,” Pyne said.

The limiting factor in bringing the top NASCAR series – Nextel Cup – to Canada has been the fact the largest paved oval in Canada is only 5/8ths of a mile, far too small for the 43-field Nextel Cup races which run the majority of its events on tracks 1.6 miles or longer.

The other question is whether Niagara is ready to host the travelling circus that is NASCAR.

Nextel Cup events typically sell out everywhere they’re held, and Mason said the numbers used in planning for racing complexes show that tracks where NASCAR events are held generate between $130 million and $180 million US for the local economy per year.

“The big thing we need is local support. Wherever it ends up, we need local people to come on board and say this is what they want,” he said. “We’re more concerned with the locals than anyone else.”

This marks the second time in five years a developer has tried to bring NASCAR to Canada. In June 2000, local developer Joseph Zawadzki announced plans to build a track on a piece of land he owned on Sodom Road, but the project fizzled because it didn’t have the backing of NASCAR, the government or any significant financing when it was announced publicly.

Mason is trying to go about it this project differently.

“I don’t want to comment on the other one, but any development you do, you need to get local proponents on board and it can’t just be you,” he said. “And I think my personal connection to racing is fairly woven into what we’re doing. I know the players personally.”
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© 2005 , OSPREY MEDIA GROUP Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Niagara Falls Review acticles reprinted with permission by the authority of Joe Wallace, Managing Editor of the Niagara Falls Review.

Printed from Niagara Falls Review

IAN SHANTZ

Tuesday, December 06, 2005 – 12:00

Local News – A festive favourite staged this past weekend and next is bridging the gap between ages, abilities and nations.

The Greater Niagara Ballet Company performed its production of the Nutcracker at Kingston College on the weekend and two shows on the U.S. side are scheduled for this Saturday. Performances on Saturday take place at the Performing Arts Auditorium, 4455 Porter Rd., Niagara Falls, N.Y., at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The holiday classic features involvement from nearly 100 artists and 150 volunteers. There’s plenty of local content as well, with 10 dancers from this city taking part. Even Mayor Ted Salci performed a small role on the weekend.

Leading up to the performances, 13-year-old Tara Bortolon was among the local participants rehearsing at Kingston College. The Prince Phillip student, who has been dancing since the age of five, was getting set for her eighth appearance in the seasonal favourite.

“I’m a little nervous,” Bortolon, who plays the drummer, said in between warm-ups. The young ballet performer said she and her best friend, Hayley, have bigger roles in the Nutcracker this year, making things a little more nerve-racking this time around.

“Because I just kind of moved up to the newer roles, I’m kind of nervous about that. They’re (participants with bigger roles) all older expect for Hailey and I. But I’m really excited, especially to do the older parts.”

Participants of this year’s Nutcracker show range from young newcomers to seasoned veterans.

Cheryl Glazebrook, a Grimsby native, has been involved in the production for 18 years. The performer, who plays the part of the Arabian princess, said she never tires of performing in the holiday classic.

“The Nutcracker is one of those classics that appeal to a wide audience. It’s a Christmas tradition.”

“I really like being involved in this production because it involves people of all ages and I’m in a position where I can help other dancers,” Glazebrook added.

The Greater Niagara Ballet Company’s Nutcracker is produced under the artistic direction of Beverley Feder. For tickets to Saturday’s performance or more information on the show, call 1-877-236-8055. You can also visit www.niagaraballet.org for ticket depot locations in Niagara Falls, Ont. and Niagara Falls, N.Y.

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Niagara Falls Review acticles reprinted with permission by the authority of Joe Wallace, Managing Editor of the Niagara Falls Review.

Printed from Niagara Falls Review

By COREY LAROCQUE

Tuesday, December 06, 2005 – 02:00

Local News – NIAGARA FALLS – Queen Street has the ingredients for a successful downtown revitalization but has some obstacles to overcome first, says a New York City-based consultant leading the latest study on improving the area.

“We might break a few eggs to do this thing,” said Jay Valgora, whose company V Studios is preparing the city’s strategic implementation plan for the downtown area. “We’re going to suggest you change things to make it work properly.”

The road pattern – especially Valley Way and Victoria Avenue intersection – might have to be altered to make the downtown more accessible.

But storefronts in the downtown’s older buildings are an asset, Valgora said.

“You have a great downtown. You have really wonderful storefronts,” Valgora said.

Landing a few national retailers and a creating an area of specialized stores, followed by more residents will begin the downtown’s transformation, he said.

“You have the esthetic I think the market is looking for.”

Recommendations in the strategic implementation plan will guide council in how to use all of its other studies to encourage revitalization.

The city and downtown business improvement area’s board are splitting the $120,000 cost of the study.

After four months, the strategic implementation plan is nearing completion. Valgora told council he would like to have recommendations to them by the end of January.

Mayor Ted Salci said it will offer suggestions about attracting national retail stores, how to make better use of public space and how to improve accessibility, Salci said.

“This is going to tell us how the buildings could look and what tenant mix we’re looking at,” Salci said.

Valgora suggested some city officials should visit southern U.S., cities like Charleston, S.C., or Orlando, Fla., to see successful revitalizations. A report on the cost of sending city officials on a fact-finding trip is to be ready for next week’s meeting.

Spending public money to tour North American cities isn’t necessary, said Ald. Carolynn Ioannoni.

Council members can take virtual tours of cities with vibrant downtowns using their taxpayer-funded laptop computers and Internet access.

“We have the world at our fingertips,” Ioannoni said.

Ald. Jim Diodati disagreed, saying an in-person inspection helps understand how other cities have succeeded.

“You can read about a steak. You can eat a steak. It’s very different,” said Diodati.
ID- 136214 © 2005 , OSPREY MEDIA GROUP Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Niagara Falls Review acticles reprinted with permission by the authority of Joe Wallace, Managing Editor of the Niagara Falls Review.

Printed from Niagara Falls Review

By ALISON LANGLEY Review Staff Writer

Friday, December 02, 2005 – 02:00

Local News -

NIAGARA FALLS – More than 1,700 cheerleaders will Bring it On in Niagara this weekend.

The 22nd annual Festival of Lights Cheerleading Championship starts tonight at the Niagara Falls Memorial Arena and runs until Sunday. “It’s going to be a great event with some top level teams performing,” said event organizer Nick Nero.

Tonight’s program kicks off at 6 p.m. with singles and doubles competitions and a parents division competition.

The parents division is a new event and is open to family members of teams. The groups will have 1½ minutes to show off their cheers, tumbling, jumps and stunts.

“The parents thought it would be cool to add that event and I agree. I think it will be a lot of fun for everyone,” Nero said.

All proceeds from today’s program, including registrations and admissions, will be donated to Tender Wishes.

Last year, the event raised $3,000 that was used to purchase a computer, desk and chair for a seriously ill child.

Organizers this year hope to raise enough money to grant two wishes.

Nero said the three-day event will attract top cheerleaders from across Ontario as well as teams from New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Divisions include Tiny Tot, for grades 1 and 2, recreational community teams, high school, all star, and co-ed. The performer are judged by members of the Universal Cheerleaders Association.

The event is a qualifier for the UCA nationals, to be held at Disneyworld in Florida.

The top three teams from each division automatically qualify for the nationals.

Local teams include St. Paul, A.N. Myer, and South Lincoln high schools. The junior squad at St. Paul has been practising in preparation for the tournament.

Captains Lauren Remple and Lia Pellegrino, both 17-year-old Grade 12 students, are confident their 21-member squad will do well.

Admission is $2 Friday and $8 Saturday and Sunday.
ID- 135846 © 2005 , OSPREY MEDIA GROUP Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Niagara Falls Review acticles reprinted with permission by the authority of Joe Wallace, Managing Editor of the Niagara Falls Review.