identity; caught between serving global audiences and preserving local character. “It’s hard to have that small town sense when millions of people starting in April and going all the way through November are traipsing through here,” Mayor Robert M. Restaino acknowledges. The visitors bring “not so little agitation from time to time by the locals,” he admits, but residents recognize their city belongs to the world. “In the main, they’re very generous and very welcoming.” Mayor Restaino, who took office in 2020 just weeks before COVID shuttered the tourism economy, describes Niagara Falls residents as “more Midwestern than coastal” hardworking, family-oriented people who care deeply about their community. His administration has engineered a remarkable fiscal turnaround, generating $8.6 million in consecutive budget surpluses and removing the city from New York State’s financially distressed list. The 2024 budget allocates $18 million for infrastructure while reducing residential property taxes by 3.1%. REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN NIAGARA FALLS Downtown Niagara Falls is experiencing its most significant transformation in decades, with multiple developments reshaping the tourist corridor. Old Falls Street, the historic heart of the city’s hospitality district, has become the focal point for a wave of new investment that promises to push the tourist season beyond summer months. “We are expecting some incredible development along that main corridor, several new restaurants as well as some other entertainment venues, distilleries and microbreweries,” Mayor Restaino explains.“We’ve also been able to add some family friendly options downtown. I mean that in terms of food options. When you have children, it’s important to have those locations that are familiar to them.” The downtown renaissance builds on existing momentum. Eighteen new hotel projects representing over 6,000 rooms are currently in development, including a 126-room SpringHill Suites opening in 2025. Hotel revenue per available room reached 122% of 2019 levels in 2024, demonstrating strong recovery despite lower occupancy rates. At the eastern edge of downtown, plans for a major events center have attracted serious interest. “We continue with our plans just at the east side of it, on the other side of the casino, for our events center, a venue that we have already had interest in from the Ontario Hockey League for a franchise,” the mayor reveals. The proposed $200 million Centennial Park arena would seat 6,000 and potentially host professional hockey, though critics question whether projected revenues can justify the investment. 51 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 08 NIAGARA FALLS, NY
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx