A.9274

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An act to amend the executive law, the agriculture and markets law, the education law, the highway law, the public officers law, the state finance law and the tax law, in relation to establishing the upstate New York tourism council.

By creating a new Upstate New York Tourism Council, housed at the soon-to-be-expanded Carousel Center Mall in Onondaga County, the state could showcase many of the area attractions and activities found in this culturally-rich region. All marketing efforts of the Council would be funded through increased sales tax generated by the Carousel Center.

This legislation, as well as the Upstate New York Tourism Council and the new Carousel Center project, represents significant public-private and bipartisan partnership to help make upstate an important tourist destination. In addition, it will assist in highlighting many significant local attractions.

It has been estimated that this measure will:

• Create more than 100,000 new jobs;
• Add more than $4 billion into the upstate economy and have a positive economic impact of more than $8 billion statewide;
• Attract 10 million new visitors to New York on an annual basis.

Through "I Love NY" and similar programs, New York's tourism industry has been a model for other states for many years. However, when it comes to regional tourism efforts, states such as California and Massachusetts have lead the way. That will no longer be able to be said if the Upstate New York Tourism Council is established.

On behalf of our more than 4,000 member companies, chambers of commerce, state and regional employer associations, The Business Council of the State of New York, Inc., urges passage of A.9274.