Next stop, Orange County
Tim McCausland may be leaving Sullivan County Partnership next week, but he”™s remaining in Catskill country to keep a hand in its economic future.
McCausland has headed Sullivan”™s economic develop arm in Monticello for three years and has seen its highs ”“ and lows””for the past decade. The highs? Working with Ari Straus to see the former Monticello Airport become Monticello Motor Club. The lows? Louis Cappelli”™s plans for Entertainment City evaporating.
He”™s also watched businesses along Broadway in Monticello struggle as the state Department of Transportation repaved the route and put in new sidewalks and parking areas for the past two years.
“It really killed business on the strip,” said McCausland, “but thankfully, the work is almost complete and should be finished by spring 2011.”
McCausland stopped last week to talk to Jerry O”™Donnell, who is moving back to Broadway and taken one of the newly renovated storefronts. O”™Donnell said J”™s Specialty Gifts hopes to be open by Halloween and he is glad to be returning to his former location now that Broadway is ready for business. “It”™s just beautiful,” said O”™Donnell. “I”™m glad to be back and am sure other business is going to follow.”
McCausland said he”™s gratified that Monticello Motor Club”™s $40 million private raceway was opened under his tenure. “This is truly a win for the county,” he said. “There is no burden on the school district and we”™ve got a premiere private club right here in the heart of Sullivan … people are traveling from all over the country to race here and it is attracting people with hefty disposable incomes to come to the Catskills.”
Ari Straus, president of the club, agrees.
“The area is beautiful and the former airport property was perfect for development of the raceway.”
The four-mile track, along with an upscale clubhouse, storage for racing cars and dozens of private members coming to race are making local cash registers ring. Speculation that the Grand Prix may be run at the Motor Club in 2012 is bouncing around on YouTube; no surprise since the club is rated one of the best in the nation, an achievement McCausland said will help boost business once Broadway”™s roadwork is complete and retail and restaurants return.
While Cappelli”™s ambitious plans for the former Concord Hotel were plowed under with the former resort, McCausland said Bethel Woods, Villa Roma and niche restaurants are helping Sullivan”™s economy, but much more is needed.
“It does need hotel space,” he said. “There are very few places to stay in the immediate area surrounding Monticello ”“ most are at least a half-hour away.”Â
McCausland said the former Borscht Belt, a former relaxation destination, could become a thriving tourism and commercial hub again, despite the stalemate in casino gambling and the state”™s overall economic decline. “There is plenty of opportunity to redevelop the resort area. Monticello Motor Club is really a jewel. We”™re going to see a positive impact in business from the DOT improvements made in Monticello. We”™ve also just cut the ribbon on a new shopping center, Liberty Mall. We definitely need more retail and tourism destinations. Holiday Mountain has been a great attraction for us, as is Bethel Woods. The economy has set us back, perhaps harder than it has other parts of the region, but I believe the county is poised to become a destination for tourism and business again.”
McCausland will be taking a position as a business development manager for Orange Country Trust in Middletown the first week of November, but he”™s not leaving the Catskills.
“I live in Rock Hill and am raising a family here; that”™s not going to change. I”™m also going to stay involved with the partnership.”
Will he be watching for niches for Orange County Trust to expand into Sullivan? “Certainly,” he smiled. “There”™s a lot of opportunity here. It just opened a branch in Dutchess, so it”™s expanding. I plan to play a positive part in that expansion.”
“Tim”™s been invaluable to the team and we wish him well. He”™s been a board member, an officer and most recently our CEO, he”™ll excel at whatever he does,” said Josh Summers, president of Focus Media and chairman of the Sullivan County Partnership. “We”™ve embarked on a search for a new CEO and appointed Allan Scott, who heads our industrial development agency as our interim CEO. It will help give us continuity without interruption … and we do hope to see Tim back as a board member next year.”