From the Niagara Falls Review: It used to be a video store, but “Blockbuster” is now the mantra of the tourism industry in Niagara and the province of Ontario. Get used to it. Blockbuster. Blockbuster. Blockbuster. At some point, the word became the catch phrase for the kind of events Ontario’s tourism industry wants to…
From the Buffalo News: Nik Wallenda’s wire-walk made history and brought Niagara Falls worldwide publicity, but it also cost the two cities tens of thousands in public safety expenses. Wallenda has paid roughly half the tab on each side of the border, but the cities are taking two different approaches on collecting the remainder of…
From the Toronto Sun: Now that Nik Wallenda’s walk across Niagara Falls has come and gone, the city is beginning to digest just how big of an event it was. Mayor Jim Diodati said ever since he heard of Wallenda’s proposal he knew the number of eyes on Niagara Falls would be astronomical. “We were…
From Niagara This Week: With apologies to Storage Wars’ resident gambler, Darrell Sheets, in the eyes of Niagara Falls officials, it was the city which laid claim to the “wow factor” last Friday. Make that “Wow-lenda factor.” Even a few days after Nik Wallenda’s historic walk across Niagara Falls on a highwire, Mayor Jim Diodati…
From the Niagara Falls Review: Businesses in Niagara Falls are being asked to help foot the bill for Nik Wallenda’s wirewalk. Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati confirmed Friday he has asked the “bigger” business improvement areas in the city to donate money toward Wallenda’s tightrope walk across the Niagara Gorge June 15. Wallenda, who will…
From the Niagara Falls Review: WEGO is a no-go for July. The new $50-million visitor transportation system that was expected to hit the roads June 29, won’t be rolling out until mid-August. The launch of the bus system, which will replace the Niagara Parks Commission’s People Mover, is being delayed due to issues with computer-based…
From the Buffalo News: When Nik Wallenda walks a tightrope above Niagara Falls this summer, an unprecedented stream of spectators is expected to flock to the mighty cataracts. Many of them should carry a passport. Niagara Falls State Park may have a clear viewing area for only 20,000 visitors, according to initial estimates, while Canadian…
From Niagara This Week: Calling the tourism industry “our General Motors,” Mayor Jim Diodati said the city needs to exploit opportunities to stage “blockbuster events” to further increase the number of visitors coming to Niagara Falls. “People poke fun at it, but (tourism) is our General Motors,” Diodati told and audience of 200 at the…
From Niagara This Week: A Toronto casino would be a gamble for the province if it moves ahead without an impact study is not completed first, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said Monday. Diodati was reacting to the news that the OLG plans to open a gaming facility in Toronto as a part of a…
From the Niagara Falls Review: They made it! The annual Sleep Cheap Charities Reap event raised $175,988 this year, which pushes their eight year history total over the $1-million mark. Mayor Jim Diodati said when they started this event they had no idea that “it would just grow wings and take off like this. We…