Westchester County could reap a $15 million to $20 million short-term economic windfall during the five days the Empire State Games are held here, County Executive Andrew Spano said.
Spano, in an interview after a recent press event to kick off the countdown to the games, said the benefit to the county could extend well beyond the cash influx expected for the duration of the games from July 25 to 29.
“There are 25,000 people coming here (for the games),” he said. “Many of whom may come back.”
William Ryan, chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, agreed that the games are a chance to show off Westchester”™s potential as a tourist destination.
“Short term, it”™s definitely a good, healthy shot in the arm,” he said. “But also there will be thousands of spectators, and we”™ll have a chance to acquaint them (with the county) and hopefully they”™ll come back.”
This year is the first time in the 30 years of the Empire State Games that the event will be held in Westchester County.
The games begin on Wednesday night, July 25, with an opening ceremony for the athletes and their families at the Kensico Dam Plaza, followed by four days of athletic competition.
The competition bills itself as the second-largest amateur sporting event in the world, after the Olympics. Around 6,000 athletes between the ages of 13 and 75 are expected to compete in nearly 40 events at 30 locations throughout the county.
And Spano estimates an additional 20,000 spectators, referees and officials will be in the county for the games.
Events are taking place in most areas of the county, which Ryan says gives tourists a chance to see what all parts of Westchester ”“ north, south, east and west ”“ have to offer.
“There are going to be all these spectators, going to many different venues, it will let them see all of the county,” he said, such as historic sites, Main streets, state parks and other places of interest.
“This will have a tremendous impact on the county”™s economy,” Ryan said. “Hotels, restaurants, retail stores ”¦ will all benefit.”
The games will significantly increase occupancy rates in the county”™s hotel market, predicted Mary Kay Manchin, general manager of Springhill Suites by Marriott in Tarrytown.
She said normally late July is a slow time in the market for Westchester because corporate travel is generally at its lowest point then, before it picks up just after Labor Day.
“As far as I”™m seeing, people are definitely booking,” she said. “Generally, that week in July is a slow time, but the Empire State Games are definitely going to drive occupancy up in the market. How much, I”™m not really sure.”
Manchin said she has already begun booking rooms for the games, and expects that to heat up as the games draw near.
“All of the hotels are looking forward to enjoying some compression because of the games,” she said.
Along with the increase in hotel occupancy, the local restaurant industry is looking at the games as a significant boost.
“It”™s definitely going to increase customers because of the amount of people coming into the area,” said Rich Stytzer, vice president of Antun”™s of Westchester and president of the Westchester-Rockland chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association.
Stytzer said all of the county”™s eateries, from five-star restaurants to diners, should enjoy an increase in patrons because of the games.
“There is going to be a wide variety of clientele coming here, a little bit of everybody,” he said. “There will be people who want to go to fancy expensive places, family-style places, chain restaurants, fast-food places, and also a lot of people will order in.”
He said the Westchester-Rockland Restaurant Association is working closely with the county Office of Tourism to make visitors”™ stays in Westchester are pleasurable.
“We want to show great hospitality to the people coming in, to encourage them to come back at a later date,” Stytzer said. “We”™re hoping they come back over the next six, eight months, and do a lot of the things that are available in Westchester.”
Stytzer”™s business is a catering business, and he said normally July is a slower month for caterers, but that should change with the Empire State Games coming to town.
He said for restaurants in general, July and August is a slower time of the year, except for those establishments that are on waterfronts and offer outdoor dining.
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