The Office comes to Niagara Falls

From the Niagara Falls Review: It was hardly another day at “The Office.” The beloved NBC sitcom made a misty appearance in Niagara Falls, New York on Thursday, filming scenes for the upcoming wedding between characters Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski). Cast and crew rode the Maid of the Mist twice in the…

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Fog hangs over tourism spending

From the Buffalo News: The control of millions of dollars of public money used to market and promote Niagara Falls and Niagara County is in the hands of 17 people. They choose how casino revenue and hotel taxes should be used to promote tourism in the county. They determine the salaries of staff hired with…

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Hotel project gets unusual tax break

From the Buffalo News: The Niagara County Industrial Development Agency granted an unusual tax break Thursday that will allow a Canadian company to avoid property taxes for five years on a Niagara Falls hotel to help it buy and rebuild the closed facility. The developer, Merani Hospitality, must meet certain levels of investment to receive…

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Consultant brought back to refocus marketing strategy for city’s tourism

From the Buffalo News: The Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp. has brought back a consultant who helped start the agency six years ago to refocus its marketing strategy for the future. The strategic marketing plan will attempt to pin down exactly who visits Niagara Falls and what markets should be pursued, corporation President John Percy…

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Canadian group eyes two Falls hotels

From the Buffalo News: The Niagara County Industrial Development Agency is considering tax breaks to help a Canadian company reopen two Niagara Falls hotels. The IDA board accepted applications Wednesday from the Merani Group of Companies, based in Niagara Falls, Ont., for payment-in-lieu of taxes arrangements, or PILOTs, to help it buy the former Inn…

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View from 9th floor gets judge’s clearance

From the Buffalo News: A ninth-floor observation deck in One Niagara on Rainbow Boulevard is open to the public after a judge’s ruling allowed the building’s manager to sidestep approval from the city to open the top floor. Supreme Court Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr. on Thursday issued an order to allow the building’s ninth…

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Summer snowboarding draws top amateurs

From the Buffalo News: The nation may have just finished celebrating its Independence Day, but there are a good number of people whose idea of fun in the sun includes a trip to a winter wonderland that has snow-covered hills and a skating pond. Those folks can now indulge themselves to their heart’s content in…

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New place to chill in Niagara Falls

WIVB has information (including a video) about the new Snow Park in Niagara Falls, NY: The hottest new place to chill is now open for business. Snow Park in Niagara Falls held its official grand opening Saturday. The park features a skating rink, tubing hill and play zone made of real snow.

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Wintergarden could see new life elsewhere

From the Buffalo News: Window by window, the asymmetrical Wintergarden on Rainbow Boulevard is coming down. But there is still potential for new life for the atrium’s steel frame — potential, at least, in another location. George Churakos, president of contractor Mark Cerrone Inc., said the company has been contacted by “interested developers” who want…

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Falls Wintergarden Demolition Begins

From WGRZ (channel 2 in Buffalo): It was once seen as a crown jewel in the urban renewal effort undertaken in Niagara Falls, New York in the mid 1970’s. But unlike the fanfare which marked its opening 32 years ago, there were no crowds gathered to watch as demolition crews began razing the Wintergarden, …the…

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