Mayor: New Year’s show needs $2M in tourism support

From the Niagara Falls Review: Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati wants to avoid last year’s mess with the New Year’s Eve show, but once again “the challenge is money.” He needs to convince the city’s tourism partners to help pay about $2 million to get the concert back on a national broadcaster, which is much…

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Zavitz: Wirewalker Hardy amazed 19th century crowds in Niagara

From the Niagara Falls Review: James Hardy has a special place in the history of Niagara Falls. He was the final official participant in a 19th century phenomenon often referred to as the great age of Niagara tightrope artists — something that captured much of the world’s attention. That “age” began in 1859 when the…

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Clifton Hill development will have ‘big impact’

From the Niagara Falls Review: A massive redevelopment project on Clifton Hill that includes what’s described as “go-carts on steroids” is well underway. “Right now we’re working on the Ripley’s and Kelsey’s building, which is right on the frontage of Clifton Hill, so that’s about 25,000 square feet,” said Harry Oakes, president of HOCO Limited….

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Falls continues to ‘move the ball forward’: Mayor

From the Niagara Falls Review: Niagara Falls continues to “move the ball forward” when it comes to growing the local economy and providing more opportunities for its residents and visitors, says Mayor Jim Diodati. “Our roots are firmly planted in the fundamentals of this city and making progress on our initiatives,” Diodati told a sold-out…

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Falls ‘one of the crown jewels’ of Ontario

From the Niagara Falls Review: People from around the world visit Canada because of Niagara Falls, so it’s important the Ontario government continues to support the Honeymoon Capital, says Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Michael Coteau. “We have a $28-billion tourism sector here in Ontario, (which) represents four per cent of the GDP of the…

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CLOSEUP: Toasting Niagara’s wine industry

From the Niagara Falls Review: A week from now, wine lovers, industry leaders and winemakers will gather in Niagara Falls for the 27th Cuvee, to celebrate and raise a glass to another vintage and the continued success of the wine industry in Ontario and in particular, Niagara. Attendees in long flowing dresses and bow ties…

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Sleep Cheap a success

From the Niagara Falls Review: More than $168,000 was raised for local charities during the annual Sleep Cheap Charities Reap campaign. Participating Niagara Falls hotels and attractions raised $168,789 for 20 charities, including the Brain Injury Association of Niagara, the Salvation Army and the Learning Disabilities Association of Niagara Region.

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Niagara Oscar winner made Superman fly

From the Niagara Falls Review: In a way, Colin Chilvers owes his Oscar-winning film career to a pipe that wouldn’t explode… Within a decade, Chilvers faced a much more difficult task as the special effects supervisor on Superman: The Movie. For the film to work, Christopher Reeve’s Superman had to appear to actually fly. In…

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City chips in $350,000 for new falls illumination

From the Niagara Falls Review: The city will contribute $350,000 towards a $4-million public-private project that will modernize the illumination of the falls. The city will take the $350,000 from what is expected to be an approximately $4.5-million fourth-quarter payment in April from Ontario Lottery and Gaming for hosting two casinos. Niagara Falls also has…

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Public gets peek at Oakes Garden Theatre renos

From the Niagara Falls Review: The new Oakes Garden Theatre is going to look a lot like the old Oakes Garden Theatre. Restoration of the theatre’s distinctive pergola wall, dismantled because of safety concerns in 2012, will utilize the original stone pulled from a local quarry when complete, possibly by this summer. Only it will…

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