The North Elba Destination Management Plan is a roadmap developed with local partners to balance tourism with community needs, strengthen the local economy, and enhance quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
The Village of Lake Placid, the Town of North Elba, and ROOST have developed a Destination Management Plan (DMP) to guide the future of Lake Placid and North Elba. This 10-year roadmap aligns the priorities of local government, economic development leaders, community organizations, and residents to better balance tourism with community needs, ensuring quality of life for residents complements quality of place for visitors. The plan supports efforts to diversify the local economy, expand opportunity, strengthen the region as a place to live, work, visit, and invest, and enhance overall community well-being and resilience.
Explore the strategic roadmap guiding tourism and community priorities in Lake Placid and North Elba. This plan outlines shared goals, intended outcomes, and implementation strategies designed to better balance the needs of residents, businesses, and community organizations over the coming years. Download the full plan to learn how sustainable destination management will shape the region’s future.
The development of the Destination Management Plan was facilitated by MMGY NextFactor with guidance from the DMP Steering Committee. MMGY NextFactor is an industry-leading consulting firm specializing in travel and tourism and has helped facilitate destination management plans for communities such as Breckenridge, Colorado; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; and Washtenaw, Michigan. The process included the following five phases:
Phase 1 – Analysis of existing public and private plans and data.
Phase 2 – The MMGY NextFactor team spoke with local public and private organizations developing other strategic plans in the region to ensure alignment.
Phase 3 – Focus groups identified opportunities and challenges related to existing infrastructure, assets, experiences in the region, and future development.
Phase 4 – A public forum provided residents the opportunity to give feedback on the Destination Management Plan.
Phase 5 – Formal development of the Destination Management Plan.
A steering committee was established to provide strategic guidance on the project, establish priorities for goals and initiatives, and serve as a champion for the plan and its implementation throughout the region.
Members include:
Joe Barile, resident
Peter Bauer, executive director, Protect the Adirondacks
Donna Beal, executive director, Mercy Care for the Adirondacks
Catherine Bemis, principal, St. Agnes School
Haley Breen, community development director, Town of North Elba/Village of Lake Placid
Tom Broderick, associate head of school, Northwood School
Roger Catania, superintendent, Lake Placid Central School District
Tom Connors, formerly of Workshop
Dean Dietrich, chairman, Lake Placid/North Elba Community Development Commission
Lori Fitzgerald, president, Lake Placid Business Association
Sylvia Getman, CEO, Adirondack Health
Brad Hathaway, superintendent, Lake Placid Department of Public Works
Colleen Holmes, Engel & Volkers Real Estate
Far Horizon, resident
Seth Jones, education director, Adirondack Mountain Club
Jackie Kelly, trustee, Village of Lake Placid
Mary Jane Lawrence, chief operating officer, ROOST
James Lemons, executive director, Lake Placid Center for the Arts
Lisa Lester, High Peaks Resort
George Leveille, Summit Lacrosse
Butch Martin, manager, North Elba Park District
Jim McKenna, CEO, ROOST
Bill Moore, chief, Lake Placid Police Department
Emily Politi, councilor, Town of North Elba
Mike Pratt, CEO, Olympic Regional Development Authority
Ashley Walden, executive director, Adirondack Sports Council
Brendan Wiltse, water quality director, Adirondack Watershed Institute
The following are articles about the Lake Placid & North Elba Destination Management Plan:
Destination Management Planning Begins – LPN, 5.27.21
Lake Placid Closer to Having a Destination Management Plan – ADE, 9.18.21
Residents Give Feedback on the Destination Management Plan – ADE, 11.3.21
Lake Placid and North Elba Destination Management Plan Developed – ROOST, 5.04.22
Presentation on New Destination Management Plan Scheduled for Thursday – ADE, 11.21.22
ROOST, North Elba Hiring Economic Development Director – LPN, 7.6.23
The following public meetings were held to support the development of the Lake Placid–North Elba Destination Management Plan: