Once again, New York State has reaffirmed its commitment to the National Comedy Center, Chautauqua County, and the Western New York region. Governor Andrew Cuomo made a special trip to Jamestown last week to kick off the annual Lucy Comedy Festival weekend. During his speech the Governor announced that the National Comedy Center will get its first major sponsorship from the I Love New York tourism program with $500,000 dedicated to promoting this unique attraction. This support is in addition to the $14-million the state has already invested to see that the facility is built.

The Governor got an up close and personal look at the museum that is under construction. The project at the corner of Second and Washington Streets is utilizing existing buildings and infrastructure with the addition of a welcome area and a connecting tunnel to the refurbished Jamestown Gateway Train Station. Once complete the facility will be home to interactive exhibit experiences, comedy programming and archived material. Governor Cuomo pointed out that his approach to economic development has been to highlight the diversity of each region in New York State as each community has its own unique assets to build upon. In noting the Comedy Center project here in Chautauqua County, he stated we “already have the formula and are building on it.”

President and CEO of Empire State Development and Commissioner of the New York State Department of Economic Development, Howard Zemsky, noted, “Economic development is a team sport.” Zemsky, a Brooklyn native who spent decades in Buffalo and has a summer home on Chautauqua Lake, said no one has focused on the Upstate and Western New York economy like Governor Cuomo.

The announcement of additional funds to help launch marketing for the National Comedy Center is welcome news for our entire county. The Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, County Government, public and private entities along with our organizations view this project as an important gemstone in a multi-faceted piece of jewelry. Our region already features spectacular natural beauty, a prime spot on Lake Erie, several inland recreational lakes, Chautauqua Institution, and an array of other extraordinary attractions. Coupled with $10-million in Downtown Revitalization Initiative funding to help boost support services and attractions in Jamestown, the National Comedy Center will expand on an already burgeoning tourism industry. As the Governor stated, “You can feel the energy here.”

Congratulations to the board and staff of the National Comedy Center and the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum for their vision, dedication, and hard work. With sold out shows again this year, the annual Lucy Comedy Festival brought in visitors from outside our area, made them welcome, and made them laugh. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Play Golf with the Chamber: 

Just a Few Spots Remain

Local golfers can play where the pros play and enjoy a great day of golf and networking with lots of local business people. Just a few slots remain for the Annual Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament on the Upper Course at Peek’n Peak. Enjoy a tremendous day of golf and camaraderie, plus great prize packages and food! This event is coming up Thursday, August 10, and is sponsored by: DFT Communications, Bush Industries, Community Bank, County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency, Dahlstrom Roll Form, Jamestown Mattress Company, Koester Associates, Lake Shore Savings Bank, Lawley Insurance, Lynn Development Group, National Fuel Gas, National Grid, Nestle Purina PetCare, and the Shults Auto Group. To register or learn more call the Chamber at 366-6200 or 484-1101 or visit www.chautauquachamber.org/events.

Dragon Boats and Fun on Chautauqua Lake

The dragons return to Chautauqua Lake this coming weekend, with the second annual Dragon Boat Race scheduled for Saturday, August 12 at Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celoron. The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce is proud to help support this event and is fielding a team. The inaugural event last year was a tremendous success, with 20 teams from local sponsors and community organizations participating. Join this fun this weekend and help support the Chautauqua Lake Association with this great event. The opening ceremony is at 9am, and the races run until 3pm on Chautauqua Lake at Celoron. You can find out more at chqdragonrace.org.

America’s Grape Country Wine Festival Aug. 11-13

Enjoy food, wine, craft beer, live music, and more at the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds August 11-13 for America’s Grape Country Wine Festival. Launched by Merritt Estate Winery several years ago, this festival is designed to increase awareness about the Concord grape industry in our region and showcases New York State wines, beers and distilled beverages, along with agricultural products from across the state. There’s a kickoff party from 6-10pm Friday, the festival runs from 11am-6pm Saturday, and noon-5 Sunday, with an After Hours party from 6-10 Saturday. Learn more at www.agcwinefestival.com.

Jamestown Cruise-In is Aug. 18

The Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce and Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce is proud to host Jamestown Cruise-In August 18. This spectacular event draws thousands of people to downtown Jamestown, where classic autos will line Third Street from 5-10pm. The event, sponsored by the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, Landmark Chevrolet, Northwest Arena, and Media One Group, will also feature live music from The In Crowd. There will be a variety of vendors present. This event has fun for all ages and will include a hula hoop and bubble gum contest, along with a variety of prizes.