SBJ 9 Broad Street, #7 Glens Falls, NY 12801
SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL
VOL. 29 NO. 11
★★ The Business Newspaper of Saratoga County ★★
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JANUARY 2025
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Saratoga County Airport Expansion Project The Construction Of Brookmere Is Almost Nears Completion On Time and On Budget Complete And Resort Is Welcoming Guests
Rendering of the Saratoga County Airport expansion project that is nearing completion with enhanced facilities and aesthetic upgrades. BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL The Saratoga County Airport expansion project that began with a competitive solicitation in September 2022 is nearing completion “on time and on budget,” according to Phil Barrett, chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. Barrett is Supervisor for the Town of Clifton Park and has served as chairman of Saratoga’s board for the years 2007, 2024 and 2025. He said the Board “is very involved with the airport project from start to finish,” which began with an application for funds from Governor Kathy Hochuls’s Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition. The competition encouraged such projects as state-of-the-art boarding concourse and concession areas, terminal expansion or rehabilitation, improved security screening, oppor-
Courtesy of MacFarland Johnson (Engineer of Record)
tunities to move passengers more safely, and increased focus on cleanliness and disinfection. According to Barrett, $230 million of federal dollars were split among nine winning airports that worked directly with the Department of Transportation and state officials. Recipients were required to match 15 percent of the total to fund their projects and Barrett said all Saratoga partners approved the county’s contribution. Combined, the airport renovation budget is $35.2 million. “We were very clear on our goals to update and upgrade the airport and what we wanted to achieve throughout the planning, application, and bidding process,” said Barrett. “The final product will result in new facilities and amenities for travelers including meeting rooms and Continued On Page 15
Community members and visitors to the area alike can enjoy excellent French-inspired cuisine at Brookmere Resort’s Regent Restaurant. BY ROD BACON The initial phases of Saratoga Springs’ newest resort have been completed and it has started to accommodate guests. Brookmere, the reimagining of the former Longfellows Hotel and Restaurant, has been under construction since 2023 and the final phase will be finished early next month. According to Amber Mathias, director of project development for the Bonacio organization, the Regent Restaurant & Bar is open as well as 28 guest rooms in the renovated annex building. Of those guest rooms, four are spa-specific. The building also houses the Arbor Spa. The final phase is a three-story new building that is connected to the old barn by the new ballroom and courtyard. The first floor is currently open to the public. Next month the guest rooms on the second and third floors will be available to
Courtesy of Bonacio Construction
the public. General Manager Julian Miller said that to introduce the resort to the community some rooms are being offered for $179 a night for the next several months. Miller brings years of experience in the hospitality business to his new position. He spent 15 years with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in both Boston and Manhattan before relocating to Saratoga five years ago where he has been running several Hilton properties in town. Miller is also excited to introduce the community to the Regent Restaurant & Bar. “The restaurant is the busiest portion of our business right now,” he said. The restaurant is being overseen by Chef Christopher Smith, who comes to Saratoga from the Pacific Northwest. He creates French-inspired cuiContinued On Page 4
Love Our Locals $20.24 Campaign Successful Capital Investment Is Off To An Excellent Boost For The Saratoga County Economy Start In Saratoga County For 2025 The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s award-winning Love Our Locals Campaign had another record-breaking year in 2024, with more than $315,243 spent supporting the local economy. As part of the end-of-year program, shoppers and donors were encouraged to submit their receipts of $20.24 or more spent at a Saratoga County business or donated to a local nonprofit to be entered in a gift card giveaway. Nearly 3,500 receipts were submitted over the eight-week campaign, and dozens of lucky participants were rewarded for supporting local as gift card winners. In the initiative’s past four-years, more than 10,000 receipts have been submitted totaling $843,616. Love Our Locals $20.24 was generously sponsored by SaratogaWine.com and more than 50 area businesses that donated gift cards. This campaign started as Save Our Locals $20.21, which resulted in more than 2,000 entries from locals whose purchases directly aided in the county’s economic rebound from COVID-19 restrictions. In 2022, the Save Our Locals program was recognized with a New York State
Todd Shimkus was helped by residents and business owners in Love Our Locals campaign. Courtesy of Saratoga County Chamber
Tourism Excellence Award from the New York State Tourism Industry Association. The campaign was renamed Love Our Locals in 2022, and it remains a popular and purposeful initiative for the Chamber, Continued On Page 13
BY GREG CONNORS In 2024, with just over $177M in new investment, the planned creation of approximately 650 new full-time job opportunities and the successful retention of over 200 jobs, economic development in Saratoga County has experienced a successful year. In 2024, we also welcomed the arrival of both Regeneron and Soleno our 2 newest international companies to call Saratoga County home and the good news of the planned expansion of GlobalFoundries in Malta & Stillwater. As we look into our 2025 crystal ball and measured by the early activity and potential projects being considered at this early date, at SEDC, the economic outlook for Saratoga County is very good. Saratoga County’s quality of life with safe neighborhoods, internationally recognized educational opportunities, world-class arts, cultural and entertainment venues, the birthplace of thoroughbred horse racing, National Parks, 4-season recreational offerings and diverse employment opportunities each by themselves, and more valuable collectively, will support SEDC’s efforts in 2025 to create new investment, new opportunities, job creation and retention. For the economic sectors we concentrate on, strong interest in expansion at existing sites or new investments in advanced manufacturing, life sci-
J. Gregory Connors, president and CEO of the Saratoga Economic Development Corp. Courtesy SEDC
ences, the equine industry, healthcare, commercial, industrial and workforce housing will make for a robust collection of opportunities that all residents in the county will benefit from. Strong early interest in the advanced manufacturing supply chain, Continued On Page 4