SBJ P.O. Box 766 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL
VOL. 29 NO. 5
HH The Business Newspaper of Saratoga County HH
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GLENS FALLS, NY 12801 PERMIT #600
JULY 2024
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The Former Longfellow’s Is Undergoing A $30 The 40-Day Saratoga Race Course Meet Has Million Makeover By Bonacio Construction Huge Impact On Capital Region Economy
Named Brookmere, the former Longfellow’s is undergoing a complete renovation by Bonacio Construction. BY PAUL POST A $30 million makeover of the former Longfellow’s is scheduled for completion by year’s end with a new name, Brookmere, featuring an upscale 90room hotel, spa, restaurant and banquet facility for 200 guests. Bonacio Construction owners Sonny and Julie Bonacio, of Saratoga Springs, and investment partner Mark Howarth purchased the popular site at 500 Union Avenue early last year from business partners Steve Sullivan and Dave Powers for $4.9 million. “We’re currently working on finishes on one
Courtesy of Bonacio Construction
building and the main center building is heavily under framing construction for the new addition,” Project Manager Amber Mathias said. The 90-room hotel almost doubles the capacity of Longfellow’s, which had 50 rooms. To accommodate the increase, one of the old Longfellow’s buildings, which housed the restaurant and bar, was demolished to make room the new hotel portion of Brookmere. “Everything else, the original inn building and the newer inn at the rear of the property, was saved,” Continued On Page 3
Dornoch, the winner of the 2024 Belmont Stakes, might be featured in a showdown with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and Preakness winner Seize the Grey in the Travers Stakes. BY PAUL POST Buoyed by momentum from the first-ever Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, the regular summer racing meet began July 11, ushering in what could be the best season in the historic track’s long, colorful history. Highlighted by the 155th renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 24 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 3, the 40-day meet features 19 Grade 1 races as part of 71 stakes worth $20.75 million in total purses.
Amira Chichakly photo
The four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival (June 6-9) had an estimated $50 million economic impact on the surrounding area, and a recent study prepared for Saratoga Economic Development Corporation says the summer meet’s impact has increased 57 percent to $371 million since 2014. Saratoga Race Course alone is directly responsible for generating almost 3,000 jobs, not counting the thousands of other hospitality industry positions it supports throughout the Capital Region. Continued On Page 5
An Upscale Japanese Restaurant Is Slated McBride Is Named The Executive Director Of To Open In Saratoga Springs In September The Prevention Council Of Saratoga County BY CHRISTINE GRAF Just 15 years after immigrating to the United States from China, Briana Lin is preparing to open her seventh Capital Region restaurant. Located at 30 Lake Avenue, Omakase Sushi and Grill is expected to open its doors at the end of September. The space was previously occupied by 30 Lake, an upscale seafood restaurant that closed earlier this year. Twenty-three-years-old when she arrived in the U.S. with her husband in 2009, Lin went right to work in her uncle’s restaurant, Yang’s Asian Bistro in Latham. When her uncle retired four years later, she took over the business. Since then, Lin and her business partners have opened two additional restaurants in Latham-Kobe Hibachi and T-Swirl Japanese Crepe—as well as VOLCANO Asian BBQ and Hot Pot in Niskayuna, and Sawa Sushi Bistro in Glenmont. Rounding out the list is, Azuma Sushi Bistro in Malta where Lin’s husband, Wen “Jason” Cao is the head chef. Each one of Lin’s restaurants features a unique menu, and Omakase Sushi and Grill will be no exception. In addition to serving a la carte menu items, the eatery will offer a Japanese sushi dining experience known as omakase, a term that translates to “I leave it up to you.” Three price points will be available for omakase dining ($70, $90, and $110), with each price point featuring a different array of sushi selections chosen by the chef. Lin said it was one of her customers who inspired her to open Omakase Sushi and Grill. “He passed away, but every time he came to the restaurant, he would say, ‘You pick for me. Everything you pick I love,’” she said.
According to Lin, her new establishment will offer an upscale dining experience. “It will be a sushi fine dining restaurant,” she noted. “Everything will be fresh, and a lot will be direct-fly from Japan. Most restaurants don’t use that grade of sushi because of the cost. We will have a lot of things that people have never tried before.” For example, they will offer premium seafood including baby yellowtail and king salmon— menu items not available at any Lin’s other restaurants. When choosing a location for Omakase Sushi and Grill, Lin said the 30 Lake Avenue property offered everything she was looking for. “For most of my restaurants, we used existing restaurant locations. That saves a lot of money for us and has less risk. At 30 Lake, they had a great business, and it’s a great location for sushi. It’s just a little off Broadway,” she said. Lin is in the process of renovating the dining room but said the kitchen will require very little work. She expects to hire 20 employees, boosting her total employee count to 120. When asked the secret to her success, she credits her dedicated business partners and loyal customers. “I want to thank my customers,” she said, noting that she learned to speak English by interacting with them. ”For the past 11 years all of the customer trust has made me feel more confident. I will continue to do my best for them.” Lin shows no signs of slowing down and has an eighth restaurant in the works. Although she is not yet ready to make a formal announcement, she said it will be located in Latham.
The Prevention Council of Saratoga County has announced the appointment of Amy McBride as its new executive director. With an extensive background in health and human services, McBride is set to lead the organization’s efforts in enhancing community wellbeing through substance abuse prevention and recovery support. Previously serving as the assistant director of Prevention & Special Programs at The New York Council on Problem Gambling, McBride oversaw significant prevention initiatives, program development, and strategic collaborations across New York state. Her return to The Prevention Council comes after an initial tenure as Director of Community Outreach and Coalition Development from 2017-2018, during which time she led crucial programs aimed at reducing youth substance abuse. In her new role, McBride will be responsible for spearheading the council’s mission to educate, inform, and provide vital referral services concerning alcohol, tobacco, and drug prevention. She will also focus on expanding the organization’s recovery center offerings, ensuring those affected by addiction receive the necessary resources and support. Alison Gorton, board president of The Prevention Council, said, “Amy’s profound commitment to public health and her remarkable leadership skills make her the perfect candidate to guide our organization forward. Her previous successes and innovative approach to prevention programs have already made a significant impact, and we are excited to see her bring her vision and expertise to this role.”
Experienced in health and human services, Amy McBride has a new role in Saratoga. Courtesy of Prevention Council of Saratoga Co.
McBride shared her vision for her new role. “I am thrilled to return to The Prevention Council of Saratoga County, an organization that stands at the forefront of fostering healthy communities,” she said. “My goal is to enhance our existing programs and introduce innovative strategies that address the evolving challenges in substance abuse prevention. Together, we will strengthen our impact on the community and continue to provide a beacon of hope for those in need.” For more information about The Prevention Council of Saratoga County and its programs, please visit https://preventioncouncil.org.