February 13, 2023

As issues heat up related to the City of Niagara Falls proposed taking of private property for an
ill-advised and unfunded $150 million park and events center, it makes sense for all residents of
Niagara Falls to reconsider the 2021 Development Strategy Summary prepared by New York State and the USA Niagara Development Corporation, found here, which carefully considers the best locations for developments like an events center for our city.

With the New York State plan focused on the historic and cultural district, any proposed events center was clearly designed to connect the state park’s natural sites with downtown Niagara’s urban amenities. It was certainly never considered for the intersection of Rainbow and John Daly Boulevards, far away from commercial activity, hotels and tourists.

With such a rich historical and cultural heritage, the state plan sought to connect tourists and
citizens alike with a “Heritage Path” that would allow visitors to learn about the history of Niagara
Falls while helping them navigate downtown. These development sites included; Park View,
Gorge Gateway, The Canal, and Upper Rapids—and was nowhere near the NFR land the City
of Niagara Falls is attempting to take today.

Designed to offer recreational activities, the Heritage Path would be a perfect place for the city to build its events center where it could help build critical mass to the area. With the integration of hotels, residential buildings, retail shops, offices, and restaurants this seemed to be the best destination for an event center that attracts visitors and tourists who would be making use of these services.

From the report:

Many residents were shocked to learn of the city’s change of course with its eminent domain process. NFR’s property is disconnected from the culture and history of the city. There are no
hotels, bars or restaurants near the property they are trying to take.

Unfortunately, Mayor Robert Restaino and the City of Niagara Falls have decided to impede the construction of a data center that was going to provide countless opportunities and jobs to the city, when there were clearly more suitable locations for an events center.

A full copy of the State’s 2021 Development Strategy Summary can be found here.