Holiday Valley Expansion -CCIDA
By Kathleen Kellogg

Holiday Valley Resort and Tubing Park are preparing for a busier and more profitable 2010 season with plans for upgrades worth $3.3 million to be carried out over the summer.
A key feature of the project is a new John Harvard’s restaurant, based on a brew-pub theme. It will replace the Hearth Restaurant that has overlooked the Clubhouse deck and base area since its construction in 1987.

David Trathen of Win-Sum Ski Corp vice president of finance described the plans and a list of other improvements during a March 10 meeting of the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency’s (CCIDA) Board of Directors. The CCIDA Board voted preliminary approval to provide Win Sum with assistance in the sale/leaseback transaction.

Trathen said the project should be completed in time for opening in December, and the improvements are aimed at attracting more tourists to the area and region, and to increase sales.
Also listed as part of the project are upgrades to two public swimming pools, a redesign of the Main Chalet Lodge, day care center and a warming hut at the Champagne slope mountaintop. Snowmaking pipeline and valve replacement, parking lot upgrades, fitness equipment and shower rooms at The Inn, new snowmobiles, golf carts, mowers and utility vehicles are included on the list.
At the Tubing Park at 5673 Bryant Hill Road, 50 new tubes will be installed and the rope tows will be anchored in cement, while the parking lot will be graded and resurfaced. Finally, Holiday Valley Road will be reconfigured and improvements made at Deer Crossing Road and areas of the resort’s parking lots.

CCIDA Board member Salvatore Marranca told Trathen the multiplier effect of more visitors coming to Holiday Valley is “pretty critical” to the area’s economic health.

Within two years the resort will add three full-time employees and six seasonal workers, adding about $47,000 to the annual payroll, while creating 15 to 20 construction jobs during the project.
“To spend $3 million on a project in this economic climate is terrific,” said CCIDA Chairman Thomas E. Buffamante.

 According to CCIDA application and resolution documents the project will not receive property tax exemptions, but CCIDA involvement means sales tax costs of about $264,999 will be saved. Local governments are expected to receive spinoff revenues of between $30,000 and $50,000.
 The project will spend $180,000 on buildings, $2.87 million in machinery and equipment and another $250,000 in architect and engineering fees.

 “Holiday Valley is proving why they are in the top ten ski industries in the U.S.,” said CCIDA Executive Director Corey Wiktor. “They continue to invest and they improve the amenities. In these tough economic times they continue to invest a large amount of capital. We’re certainly lucky to have a project like Holiday Valley.”

 The Board adopted a resolution finding no significant environmental impacts and will hold a public hearing on the project at 9 a.m. April 17 in the CCIDA offices at 3 E. Washington St.
 Board Chairman Thomas E. Buffamante abstained from voting in the project, because Win-Sum is a client of his firm, Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro.

 In other matters, the Board received recommended names for the agency’s new Wind Farm Committee, to hold its first meeting March 26 behind closed doors. The Committee was formed to assist the Board in devising a Uniform Tax Exemption Policy for several alternative energy projects expected to seek assistance from the CCIDA.

The representatives, named by several taxing authorities, are as follows: Cattaraugus County representatives, Legislator Jerry E. Burrell, R-Franklinville, Donna Vickman, R-Farmersville, and Jim Boser, D-Allegany; Town representatives Ashford Town Supervisor Chris Gerwitz, Allegany Town Supervisor Patrick Eaton and Lyndon Town Supervisor Dale Carlson; School representatives, Allegany-Limestone Central School Business Administrator Mike Watson, Franklinville Central School Superintendent, and Pioneer Central School Superintendent Jeffrey Bowen.