Olympics
New York’s Olympic Regional Development Authority, which oversees the Olympic venues at Lake Placid, has invested nearly a billion dollars in upgrading training facilities and infrastructure over the past few years. “Lake Placid recently renovated its Olympic sites, and this initiative also reflects New York’s enduring commitment to the Olympic spirit of international cooperation and our common humanity. I want to thank Governor Hochul for signing this bill into law,” Assembly member Robert Carroll said in a press release. The Four Lake Placid Legacy Sites are the Olympic Center, Olympic Jumping Complex, Mt. Van Hoevenberg, and Whiteface Mountain.
The Bill recognizes the importance of Lake Placid and its Olympic venues as a resource to attract student-athletes to go to college in New York, now that the Bill is law. “Offering this benefit to US and international Olympic-level athletes will help to further Lake Placid’s national and international reputation, and increase the likelihood that both US and international elite athletes will choose to study in New York while they continue their training,” the Bill said.
The 1980 Herb Brooks Arena, where the USA Olympic Hockey team won the Gold Medal against Russia in the 1980 Olympic Games, has been upgraded. The renovations began in 2021, and the 1980 Rink and concourse have been equipped with LED Event and TV, Quality Lighting, and a new HVAC system. Renovations have been made to the locker rooms, public restrooms, concessions stands, and hospitality suites. The rink can also be converted to either an international or NHL size standard.
Upgrades to Mt. Van Hoevenberg, site of the Nordic skiing and sliding events during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, have seen massive improvements. It now features a homologated biathlon stadium, state-of-the-art snowmaking capabilities, and the 55,000-square-foot Mountain Pass Lodge, providing an exceptional experience for athletes and spectators alike. The venue features a new 30-point biathlon range with a Kurvinen target system, as well as a 15-point range equipped with a Hora targeting system and two MegaLink target setups.
The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) will host Lake Placid’s first International Biathlon Union (IBU) Cup event at Mt Van Hoevenberg, New York, from February 26 to March 1 and March 4 to 8.
- Related: Lake Placid, NY, to Host First-Ever IBU Biathlon Cup in 2026 as the Only Non-European Venue
Whiteface Mountain’s Legacy Lodge is a new 10,000-square-foot lodge located at 2,100 feet, which is the midpoint of the resort. It serves as the area where ski instructors use for teaching skiing and snowboarding lessons, the basics. The Legacy Lodge offers dining service, restroom amenities, and a heated viewing deck with spectacular views. Additionally, Whiteface has upgraded its snowmaking capabilities, a new high-speed 8-person gondola, and other lift improvements.
Another upgrade is the addition of an 8-person gondola that is ADA-compliant and carries athletes, coaches, and visitors to the base of the ski jump towers. At the base of the towers, visitors can take a ride in a glass elevator to the top and get an athlete’s view from the top of a 128-meter ski jump, which also offers panoramic views of the surrounding area. There is also a zipline visitors can try that follows the incline and speed of a 100-meter ski jump. Unfortunately, the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup that was slated for December 13 to 14 at the Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex was canceled and relocated to Klingenthal, Germany, after inspections revealed structural issues with the HS128 Large Hill’s observation deck.
The James C. Sheffield Speed Skating Oval has undergone complete reconstruction and transformation. It is located right next to the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, and visitors can enjoy skating on one of the few outdoor speed skating tracks in the country. The public can ice skate on the skating oval during the winter when competitions or training are not taking place. During the summer, visitors have the opportunity to switch out their ice skates for in-line skates at hit the oval in shorts and a t-shirt.”
As the host of two previous Winter Olympic Games and one of two states with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training centers, New York has a deep and continuing Olympic tradition. With the enactment of this bill, Team USA athletes will be eligible to receive in-state tuition at public universities just as they do in California, Utah, and Colorado,” Assembly member Robert Carroll said in a press release.
Thanks to Governor Hochul and Assembly member Carroll, elite athletes preparing for future Olympic and Paralympic Games have one more powerful reason to train, study, and chase their dreams in New York. The initial Bill was drafted by Carroll on May 23 and was signed by the Governor on November 21.
With world-class training facilities, a billion dollars invested in its Olympic legacy venues, and in-state tuition now on the table for Team USA athletes, New York is sending a clear message: the Empire State is once again serious about being a premier home for America’s best winter-sport talent.
