22 Jun Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Committee Announces Creation of Economic Development Position
Lake Placid – Essex County Quality Destination, Inc. (LPECQD), a subsidiary of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), seeks an experienced candidate for the role of economic development director. The successful candidate will help lead and direct the implementation of key objectives of the Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan 2030.
The economic development director will plan, organize, and implement economic development functions within the Town of North Elba and Village of Lake Placid, including business attraction and retention initiatives, housing diversification, grant application, research, and public engagement. This position will report to the LPECQD board of directors, with primary points of contact being the co-chairs of the Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan Committee (DMPC).
According to local officials, the economic development director will work to attract new industries and professional services as well as leverage investments in regional sports venues and local professional expertise to expand industry segments, ongoing investment, and clusters of professional services. The position will work with the governing body to ensure a collaborative and effective approach to improving the quality of life and economic opportunities for all year-round residents.
“The vast majority of people in both the public and private sectors understand the benefits of a more diverse local economy,” stated Derek Doty, Town of North Elba supervisor. “This is an exciting time to introduce a professional economic development position to serve Lake Placid and North Elba.”
“Eighty percent of all economic activity in Lake Placid and North Elba is tourism,” stated Village of Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin. “The community will benefit from a professional economic development entity to vary the industries in the region.”
Diverse stakeholders from government, community, tourism, and economic development have come together to execute the destination management plan and support this new position. The Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan provides a 10-year road map, aligning the priorities of local government, economic development, community organizations, and residents to balance the tourism industry with community needs. The goal is to ensure a quality of life for residents that complements the quality of the place for visitors.
Destination Management Plan Committee members explained that the primary objective of the plan is to diversify and optimize the local economy to provide new employment and financial opportunities for residents. Other objectives include increasing long-term resident housing diversity, addressing environmental sustainability regionally, developing a dedicated event management strategy, aligning industry investments to benefit everyone, and engaging all local and visitor audiences. “This position will work with community development leaders to audit what has been done to date, identify gaps, and source opportunities that will fit our community,” stated Emily Kilburn Politi, DMPC co-chair. “This position will work in partnership with the county and local governments to expand opportunities as well.”
“Tourism is the main economic engine in the Village of Lake Placid and the Town of North Elba,” stated Dan Kelleher, DMPC co-chair. “Expanding and diversifying employment and business opportunities for residents will facilitate an improved quality of life for all Adirondack stakeholders.”
The Town of North Elba and ROOST will allocate funding for the position from the Community Tourism Enhancement Fund portion (CTEF), which is derived from the additional 2% occupancy tax implemented in 2020. ROOST, as a destination marketing and management organization, supports new community initiatives that improve quality of life for residents and the visitor experience. “Destination development and management is an important component of ROOST’s strategic plan,” stated Mary Jane Lawrence, ROOST COO. “ROOST will be supporting this new position to ensure sustainability of our region.”
“The committee will work to address the six pillars within the plan with priority on economic development which includes the housing industry,” stated Darcy Rowe Norfolk, Olympic Regional Development Authority director of communications.” “We are working together to achieve shared goals.”
Interested candidates should apply through Indeed at: ROOST Economic Development Director
About Lake Placid – Essex County Quality Destination, Inc.
Lake Placid – Essex County Quality Destination, Inc., a subsidiary of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), is a not-for-profit organization established to promote, educate, and foster quality destinations which will result in economic growth and benefit for the townships within Essex County, New York. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is the destination marketing and management organization for Lake Placid and Essex County, Hamilton County, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake in New York.
About the Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan
The destination management plan was initiated by the Town of North Elba, Village of Lake Placid, and ROOST in 2019. The process began with an empirical destination assessment based on a comprehensive survey of public and private stakeholders. Results identified opportunities and challenges for the community emanating from tourism as well as a series of prioritized action items.
The process involved a year of community engagement that included one-on-one interviews, focus groups, visioning workshops, and town hall meetings. This outreach was supplemented with an extensive review of existing research and planning documents to ensure the strategies in the destination management plan align and support other community goals.
Throughout the entire process there was a general consensus that quality of life in the community won’t be improved in the future if the challenges identified in the plan are not addressed. The plan seeks to unify the community around shared goals and defined outcomes. The two most prominent themes in the plan are about diversifying economic development and expanding housing options for full-time residents.
Members of the Destination Management Plan Committee include: Emily Kilburn Politi (co-chair), Town of North Elba; Dan Kelleher (co-chair), New York State Adirondack Park Agency; Jackie Kelly, Village of Lake Placid; Mary Jane Lawrence, ROOST; Darcy Norfolk, Olympic Regional Development Authority; Tim Seymour, Lake Placid School District; Lori Fitzgerald, Town of North Elba and Village of Lake Placid Community Development Commission; and James Lemons, Lake Placid Center for the Arts.
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