The Olympic Jumping Complex is seen here in February 2024. (Enterprise photo — Oliver Reil)

LAKE PLACID — The state Olympic Regional Development Authority board of directors approved funding for three projects at two of its venues during a meeting on Friday, with the total cost estimated at $1.8 million. This includes repairs to the observation deck at the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex and new LED displays at the Olympic Center’s 1980 Herb Brooks Arena.

The board passed the resolution for a project estimated to cost approximately $500,000 for “preliminary improvements” to the outdoor decks of the 128-meter ski jump tower, the tallest of the ski jump hills. The project, according to the text of the resolution, will require “multiple contracts for design and/or construction.” One or more contracts may exceed $250,000, the benchmark in the authority’s by-laws that requires board approval.

The tower is used by both athletes and visitors. Currently, the observation deck is closed and the athletes are only able to access the tower by walking up the stairs alongside the hill, ORDA CEO Ashley Walden said.

This was the first funding approved by the board for repairs to the tower since the outdoor deck was closed in June. In August, ORDA announced that the facility would no longer be able to host the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup scheduled for mid-December. There are no repairs needed on the hill itself, but the lack of athlete access at the top of the hill did not meet FIS regulations.

ORDA previously completed a multi-million dollar renovation of both ski jumps, but these renovations did not include the observation deck. In 2023, the ski jumping World Cup returned to Lake Placid after a 32-year break. In February, the first women’s ski jumping world cup in North America was held in Lake Placid.

The $500,000 approved by the board will be used for “preliminary work” that will allow them to reopen the observation deck and allow athletes to access the tower, Walden said. There would be additional work needed in the future, she said, and a long-term plan is still in the works.

“Part of this is that it allows us time to properly plan, design and engineer the long term plan,” she said.

The board’s consensus appeared to be that more time is needed to properly evaluate the situation at the jumps and the best long-term approach. Board Chair Joe Martens said that any additional long-term costs will be brought to the board at a later date.

“I think we’ve learned from some past experience that with rush we can make decisions too quickly, and the solutions aren’t necessarily the most efficient from the cost efficiency perspective,” he said. “So this is one place where we should study this, figure out a short-term solution, then get the long-term solution right.”

Board member Art Lussi added that ORDA should consider a plan for the smaller jumps, which are essential for training the young athletes. Several other board members chimed in, saying that seeing younger jumpers training seems to make an impression on visitors as well.

ORDA spokesperson Darcy Norfolk Rowe said this first round of funding prioritizes fixing and reopening the observation deck, which is what is needed to resume the highest-level competitions.

“The focus of the resolution is to get the repair done, to get back on track with athlete development at the jump,” she said. “Down the road, if there are other projects, it’s just like any other venue and those are things that would be evaluated.”

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Other projects approved

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The board also approved $880,500 in capital funding for improvements in the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. The project includes adding LED “ribbon boards” at both ends of the arena and an LED video display board. These displays can function in a variety of ways, such as providing real-time scoring and displaying sponsors without having to print new signs.

“This is not just for the sports side, but also for if we were to add concerts and other (events), we’ve got additional visuals that will enhance the experience,” Walden said.

These improvements are scheduled to be complete in time for Skate America in mid-November, Norfolk Rowe said.

In the last resolution related to venue improvements, the board approved $447,133 for a new exhibit at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum. The proposed exhibit is called “Snow on Demand,” and it will explore the topic of climate change and the future of winter sports. The exhibit is expected to open at the end of January, prior to the programming the museum has planned leading up to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

The board also approved resolutions allowing Walden to enter into electricity supply agreements for the three ski venues — Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore — as well as insurance policy agreements, at least some of which are projected to exceed $250,000. Each resolution was passed by the board unanimously.

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Summer growth and winter projections

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In Walden’s report during Friday’s meeting, she indicated that ORDA continues to expand its year-round programming across its venues. Whiteface is one of those venues where summer programming is growing. She said the memorial highway continues to be the most popular summer attraction at the venue. Year to date, the visitation at the highway is up 70% from last year, according to Walden.

This summer, Whiteface started a shuttle service that runs from the main lodge to the top of the mountain every two hours.

“It’s something that we will continue to push and expand upon, that has been popular,” she said. “It’s also for us a sustainability initiative, as we want to start to cut down on the number of vehicles that are going up and down the highway.”

The Olympic Center also saw more activity this summer, Walden said, particularly with the addition of women’s hockey events. Many of the venues added additional fitness-related programming this summer.

Looking forward to the winter season, Walden reported that winter pass sales are on track. There was an earlier cutoff this year to purchase season passes, which was meant to encourage new and returning passholders to buy products earlier, Walden said. ORDA has currently sold over 24,000 passes across all three resorts, and has sold 1,300 more than this time last year.

“There was quite a bit of a peak in the ski industry coming out of COVID, but that has leveled off,”she said. “Yet, we are still seeing a significant increase in our day ticket and our pass holders, so that’s a positive trend for us.”