On the New York and Pennsylvania border and with access to two lakes stands the beautiful Chautauqua County. Though the views are endless and the wine bottomless, the prioritized economic development goal of Chautauqua County still may surprise you.
They are focusing more and more on tourism. And they are finding great success in doing so.
The home of Lucille Ball, Chautauqua County and specifically Jamestown, is on its way to being the comedy mecca of the country and the world. Many say that comedy and jazz are the only two true American creative exports. Now, in the form of the National Comedy Center, Jamestown will be the home of comedy. The museum will have a hologram comedy club, enabling guests to watch their favorite deceased comics. The museum has already attracted big name comedy talents like Jerry Seinfeld and Lewis Black, among others, to promote the future. The Comedy Center has already broke ground and is slated to open in 2018.
What we learned in Chautauqua County
Over the past few weeks, we at InBN have pounded the pavement in preparation and celebration of Economic Development Week, May 8-13. We’ve reached out to each of our 8 counties, visiting our IDA partners, and touring economic development projects of impact in the area. This is what we learned in Chautauqua County:
Chautauqua wants you
Chautauqua County’s tourism efforts don’t end at the National Comedy Center. The County is also putting on the Chautauqua Gran Fondo, a cycling event that raises money for charity. Last year, in the event’s second running, Chautauqua saw approximately 400 riders and expects even more in late August when they grease up their chains and fill their tires for the 2017 event.
They also are putting on the LECOM Health Challenge, a golf event in conjunction with Web.com. The event’s qualifiers will be at Shorewood County Club and the regulation rounds at Peek n’ Peak. The tournament will be broadcast on the Golf Channel, creating a national and international platform for Chautauqua County to display its beauty. The event also donates money to charity, raising over $110,000 in past years.
Chautauqua will surprise you
While you may not have guessed the extent of tourism in Chautauqua County, the international investment will really surprise you.
In Jamestown, New Flyer of America Inc., a manufacturer of heavy-duty buses, expanded out of Canada for an American location. They are the first recipients of Start-Up NY in Chautauqua County, and were helped by InBN throughout the process.
Chautauqua is also home to an Italian cheese processor, Castelli America, LLC. and the sole supplier approved by the U.S. Department of Energy to produce fused cast refractory materials.
Chautauqua County is well on its way to the national attention it so greatly deserves.
