Lake Placid, NY - To share your Olympic spirit, join local Olympians for an evening of ice skating and gold medal fun. On Wednesday, February 9, 2022 from 7 - 8 p.m. at the James B. Sheffield Olympic Speed Skating Oval in Lake Placid, Paul Wylie, Karen Courtland Kelly, and Patrick Kelly (and possibly Andrea Kilbourne) will be present for skating, photos, and autographs. The cost will be $10/person. Adirondack Mac from the World University Games will be in attendance. Paul Wylie is an American figure skater, and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist in men's singles skating who now resides in Lake Placid, NY. Karen Courtland Kelly is a former American pair skater. With partner Todd Reynolds, she won the bronze medal at the United States Figure Skating Championships in 1993 and 1994, and finished 14th at the 1994 Olympic Winter Games. Patrick Kelly is a former ice speed skater from Canada, who represented his native country in two consecutive Olympic Winter Games, starting in 1992 in Albertville, France. He now lives and skates part-time in Lake Placid, NY. Following the skate in Lake Placid, the Men’s Free Skate at the Beijing Olympic Games will air at 8:30 p.m. on NBC. ###

To our elected officials, business partners, and community members, As we move into 2022, with the Empire State Winter Games and the Beijing Winter Olympics behind us, we wanted to share the highlights of our 2021 program of work and the 2022 Marketing and Management Plan. In 2021, we focused on addressing the needs of our communities, while continuing to speak to the traveler in unique and engaging ways. That is detailed here in this 2021 End Of Year Report. Our passionate team of professionals is committed to continuing to work towards a stronger sense of community, and to deliver the highest quality and most engaging work to the traveler. We look forward to working alongside all of you in 2022, engaging in productive conversation to continue to support healthy and vibrant communities throughout our region. We hope you take the time to review our accomplishments from the past year and our plans for the year ahead! Thank you, James B. McKenna, CEO Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism 2021 End of Year Report 2022 Marketing and Management Plan

Lake Placid, NY - The Lake Placid Community Day organizing committee is seeking nominations for the Distinguished Volunteer of Year award, to be presented at the fourth annual Community Day celebration on Sunday, June 5, 2022, from 1 – 4 p.m. at the North Elba Horse Show Grounds. The nomination criteria is as follows: Any individual or organization may nominate one or more candidates.The organization and the volunteer work must be within the boundaries of North Elba.Previous nomination does not disqualify a person for another year.Please keep nominations confidential. All nominees will not necessarily receive an award.Include as much pertinent information as possible to support the nomination.Please provide at least one contact in support of the nomination. Be sure to include a name and a number where the support person can be reached.Additional letters of support are encouraged. To nominate someone for the North Elba / Lake Placid Distinguished Volunteer of the Year, fill out the nomination form and contact Brooke O’Neil by email at Brooke@roostadk.com or by phone at (518) 621-3668. Nominations are due by April 29, 2022. Previous candidates may be re-nominated. The committee retains and reviews all past nominee submissions. The Community Day Celebration is a joint initiative of the Lake Placid / North Elba Community Development Commission and ROOST. For more information, please visit the Lake Placid Community celebration Facebook page or email lakeplacidcommunityday@gmail.com. The Lake Placid / North Elba Development Commission facilitates the implementation of the Lake Placid / North Elba Comprehensive Plan, which was developed in 2014. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, along with the communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, all located within the Adirondacks in New York state. ### Media Contact: Jane Hooper, Communications Manager Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism 518-621-3662 | jane@roostadk.com

LAKE PLACID, NY - New research shows that the Adirondack region is quickly becoming a destination for mountain biking enthusiasts, and is especially popular with those from other regions within the state. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) commissioned a survey during the summer and fall of 2021, partnering with the region’s villages and various mountain bike organizations throughout the Adirondacks, to complete the survey of more than 1,200 mountain bikers. The survey uncovered information about trip planning, types of trails preferred, lodging preferences, additional activities, and overall spending habits. Key findings indicate that mountain bike enthusiasts from other regions within New York state travel to the Adirondack region to take advantage of the area’s growing networks of mountain bike trails. Of those surveyed, roughly 70% of mountain bikers that visit the region travel from Albany, New York City, Syracuse, Utica, or Rochester. Survey results also indicate that mountain biking isn’t the only outdoor activity that this group enjoys. Those who travel to the region for mountain biking take advantage of other outdoor activities such as hiking (85%), kayaking/canoeing (67%), and fishing (36%) while they are in the area. Mountain bike trails are often used for other activities at different times of the year. Respondents reported using mountain bike trails in the winter for cross-country skiing (34%) and snowshoeing (28%). Trail running, likely throughout the year, is another popular use of the trails (29%). Those surveyed tend to have different lodging preferences compared to other travelers; camping, whether in an RV or tent, is a particularly popular activity among mountain bikers (24%). Although lodging expenditures were typically less, average daily expenditure per person is $412 for mountain bikers, compared to approximately $350 for other travelers to the region. According to Michelle Clement, director of marketing at ROOST, it’s important to learn about this segment of travelers - including the types of trails they prefer, lodging preferences, when they visit, and their length of stay. “Due to the increasing popularity of mountain biking and the creation of so many trails throughout our region by local mountain bike groups in recent years, we wanted to learn more about the needs,” she said. “Understanding the impact that the sport has on our region allows us to develop, specifically targeted and data-driven promotions, while supporting the local communities and businesses that welcome these travelers.” ROOST and its survey partners learned that mountain bike enthusiasts from areas outside the region accessed trails in various communities and regions including: Lake Placid (54%), Wilmington/Whiteface region (44%), Old Forge (40%), North Creek (22%), Elizabethtown (12%), and Keeseville / AuSable Chasm (9%). This differs slightly from mountain bike enthusiasts residing within the area. Mountain bike enthusiasts who live locally report visiting trails within Elizabethtown (35%) and Keeseville (29%) more often than visitors to the region, but they visit the Old Forge region (16%) less. Surveys conducted by ROOST are also shared with stakeholders throughout the region, as it is important for the region’s villages, lodging properties, campgrounds, attractions, and businesses to have access to this important information for planning purposes. Full results of the assessment can be found here. ROOST is the destination marketing & management organization for Essex & Hamilton counties and the communities of Saranac Lake & Tupper Lake. ### Media contact Jane Hooper, communications managerRegional Office Of Sustainable Tourismjane@roostadk.com518-621-3662

LAKE PLACID, NY (March 30, 2022) - The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism has developed updated branded materials for the Whiteface region. Community organizations and businesses are being encouraged to include these updated materials and “Get Close” messaging when promoting their business to visitors and local community residents. The goal of the “Get Close” campaign, accompanied by a small suite of branded materials, is to reinforce that the Whiteface region is a distinct destination within the Adirondack Park. The Whiteface region comprises the communities of Wilmington, Jay, Upper Jay and Au Sable Forks. Businesses in these communities can use the brand mark, messaging and suite of branded materials to emphasize their location within this unique region. The updated brand was created by ROOST, supported by a brand advisory committee comprising local business owners, elected officials and a number of community organizations. ROOST and its partners conducted a survey in 2021 to learn more about visitors’ and residents' perceptions of the region. The survey was completed by 3,400 Whiteface region visitors, travelers to other Adirondack regions, local residents, and business owners. Results of the survey supported the Whiteface region’s “Get Close” theme, and underscored the region’s proximity to outdoor activities including hiking, fly fishing, skiing, and mountain biking. The survey results emphasized the importance of sharing information about the area’s rugged wilderness with travelers who appreciate the opportunity to unplug and disconnect from their electronic devices, while improving the personal connection with their friends and family members. According to Michelle Preston, operations manager of the Whiteface Visitors Bureau, the survey revealed that there was a more limited awareness of local arts and cultural events, agritourism and local history within the Whiteface region. “The survey results highlighted that there is a great opportunity to share information about the availability of those unique experiences, local events and cultural-based opportunities with visitors to our region,” she said. The Whiteface region website has been updated to include the new color palette and imagery, along with the logo. ROOST is also producing a new visitor’s guide for distribution this summer and a new Whiteface region website, with an anticipated launch in late 2022. There are new collateral pieces available for visitors, including postcards that can be sent to friends, stickers, and window clings for local businesses. Whiteface region businesses and organizations are encouraged to visit the Whiteface Visitors Center to pick up these materials. The Whiteface region brand files, as well as a complete description of the brand concept and guidelines, including approved usage of the brand elements, are outlined in a guide that is available for reference. Whiteface region survey results are available here. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is the destination marketing and management organization for Essex and Hamilton counties, along with the communities of Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, all located within the Adirondack Park. ##