Olympic Regional Development Authority
skip breadcrumbsAgency Web Site: https://orda.org/
Mission
The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was established in 1981 to create and administer a post-Olympic program for the facilities and venues utilized during the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games. These facilities include: the Olympic Ice Center; the Olympic Speedskating Oval; the Whiteface Mountain Ski Area and Veterans’ Memorial Highway; the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Complex that includes bobsled and luge runs, cross-country ski trails and a biathlon range; the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex; and the U.S. Olympic Training Center. In 1984, ORDA’s responsibility expanded to include the management of the Gore Mountain Ski Center in North Creek, Warren County, and in 2012, Belleayre Mountain Ski Center in Shandaken, Ulster County.
Organization and Staffing
ORDA is headed by a CEO and governed by a 10 person board comprised of Executive, Legislative and Local appointees.
Budget Highlights
The State has historically provided a subsidy for a portion of ORDA’s budget. The Executive Budget recommends $158.6 million in appropriations for ORDA. This includes $14.1 million in operating support, an increase of $3 million and $144.5 million in capital support, an increase of $64.5 million.
Major budget actions include:
- $134.5 million in new capital funding to implement a strategic plan to modernize ORDA's facilities and venues, including investments to support the 2023 World University Games.
- $10 million in new capital funding for energy efficiency and renovation projects that will allow the Authority to reduce operating and maintenance costs at ORDA facilities and venues.
- ORDA will also receive $2.5 million in New York Works infrastructure capital funding which will be suballocated to ORDA from the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s New York Works appropriation. ORDA will use these funds to perform a variety of capital improvement projects at the Authority’s facilities.
- Increased operating support to continue preservation and maintenance of Olympic facilities and ski resorts.
Program Highlights
The Olympic Regional Development Authority manages one of four primary sites (the others being in California, Colorado and Utah) for year-round training of America’s Olympic athletes. In recent years, the Olympic facilities at Lake Placid received more than 800,000 visitors. The Authority hosts numerous national and international athletic and entertainment events. Additionally, major events included: the NCAA ECAC Men’s Hockey Championships; Lake Placid Freestyle Skating Championships; Lake Placid Ice Dancing Championships; Eastern Synchronized Skating Championships; World Cups in Bobsled/Skeleton and Luge; the 2014-15 Ski Freestyle World Cup; Miracle on Ice 35th Reunion, Miracle on Ice Fantasy Camp and several festivals and shows.
The Authority also manages the Gore, Whiteface Mountain, and Belleayre ski centers, three major downhill ski facilities that received more than 575,000 visitors in the past couple ski seasons, and over 275,000 visitors for off-season activities such as mountain biking and sightseeing tours.
| Category | Available FY 2020 |
Appropriations Recommended FY 2021 |
Change From FY 2020 |
Reappropriations Recommended FY 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 27,090,000 | 14,090,000 | (13,000,000) | 16,000,000 |
| Capital Projects | 80,000,000 | 144,500,000 | 64,500,000 | 119,230,000 |
| Total | 107,090,000 | 158,590,000 | 51,500,000 | 135,230,000 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2020 |
Recommended FY 2021 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 26,940,000 | 13,940,000 | (13,000,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 150,000 | 150,000 | 0 |
| Total | 27,090,000 | 14,090,000 | (13,000,000) |
| Program | Available FY 2020 |
Recommended FY 2021 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Facilities Operations | |||
| General Fund | 26,940,000 | 13,940,000 | (13,000,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 150,000 | 150,000 | 0 |
| Total | 27,090,000 | 14,090,000 | (13,000,000) |
| Program | Total | Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Olympic Facilities Operations | 7,125,000 | 1,530,000 | 7,125,000 | 1,530,000 |
| Total | 7,125,000 | 1,530,000 | 7,125,000 | 1,530,000 |
| Program | Total | Supplies and Materials | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Olympic Facilities Operations | 6,815,000 | (14,530,000) | 2,788,000 | 600,000 |
| Total | 6,815,000 | (14,530,000) | 2,788,000 | 600,000 |
| Program | Contractual Services | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Olympic Facilities Operations | 2,540,000 | (15,460,000) |
| Total | 2,540,000 | (15,460,000) |
| Program | General State Charges | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Olympic Facilities Operations | 1,487,000 | 330,000 |
| Total | 1,487,000 | 330,000 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Olympic Facilities Operations | 150,000 | 0 | 65,000 | 0 |
| Total | 150,000 | 0 | 65,000 | 0 |
| Program | Nonpersonal Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Olympic Facilities Operations | 85,000 | 0 |
| Total | 85,000 | 0 |
| Comprehensive Construction Program | Available FY 2020 |
Recommended FY 2021 |
Change | Reappropriations FY 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance and Improvements of Existing Facilities | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds | 80,000,000 | 144,500,000 | 64,500,000 | 119,230,000 |
| Total | 80,000,000 | 144,500,000 | 64,500,000 | 119,230,000 |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/29/2020