Cleveland-Based Development Group Eyes 202-Unit Affordable Housing Project

Live harness racing returned to Saratoga Casino Hotel for its 82nd season on Feb. 4, starting a schedule that consists of 150 racing programs running through mid-December.

“We’re expecting some great racing this year,” said race secretary Peter Iovino. “We have over $18 million in purses, averaging $120,000 in purses per program.”

In addition, the track will be hosting sire stakes races starting in June featuring the best New York bred horses in the state who will race for over $1 million in purses.

The premier event of the season will be the 14th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace with a $250,000 purse on Saturday, July 22.

“As in the past, we’re confident this race will attract a field of top pacers looking to break the track record of 1:48:4 set by Dancin Yankee in the 2014 Gerrity,” Iovino said.

The winter, spring and fall schedule will include matinee racing on Sunday, Monday and select Tuesdays, with a post time of noon, and Saturdays with a post time of 5 p.m.

The summer live racing schedule will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings with a post time of 6:45 p.m.

For a complete live racing schedule, visit www. saratogacasino.com.

Saratoga Casino Hotel, located on Crescent Avenue in Saratoga Springs, features slot machines, electronic table games, a luxury hotel, Vapor, Morton’s The Steakhouse, two full-service restaurants, a casual dining restaurant, three full-service bars, deli and a variety of guest services. Simulcast wagering is available and live harness racing runs February through mid-December.

For more information, please visit www.saratogacasino.com or call 800-727-2990.

Multi-Million Dollar Renovation Of Park Manor Hotel Has Business Ready To Blossom

BY PAUL POST

What a difference a year makes.

In January 2022, new owners took over Park Manor Hotel in Clifton Park, which needed major renovations after being closed for more than two years after foreclosure on the property.

Last April, the 75-room establishment off Northway Exit 9 reopened. That was made possible by a multi-million-dollar renovation project.

“It was a tough project. There was a lot of damage, but we were able to revamp it,” said Yuvraj Chopra, whose father, Ravinder Chopra, purchased the property with partners Vinod K. Chand and Raman K. Aggarwal. “We’re the only unbranded hotel in Saratoga County that offers a boutique luxury experience besides The Adelphi in Saratoga Springs.”

Yuvraj, a 2020 RPI graduate, and his brother, Kuwar, have their own company, All Key Management. It runs the Park Manor Hotel and Hotel Key in Queens. The latter is also owned by their father, Chand and Aggarwal.

Yuvraj’s academic focus was on computer science and business management at RPI. Kuwar went to the University of Delaware where he studied finance and business management, graduating two years ago.

Park Manor Hotel is located at 7 Northside Drive, a roughly 20- to 30-minute drive in either direction from Albany International Airport and Saratoga Race Course and many other Spa City attractions. It’s also just down the road from the new Impact Athletic Center in Halfmoon, which hosts a variety of large sports tournaments on a

BY PAUL POST

Running counter to statewide trends, Saratoga County is one of New York’s fastest growing counties, thanks largely to the Capital Region’s vibrant technology industry led by GlobalFoundries’ huge semiconductor plant in Malta.

The U.S. Census Bureau says New York’s population declined by more than 400,000 the past two years, with many people driven away by high taxes and harsh winters.

In contrast, Saratoga County’s population rose 10 of 11 years from 2010 to 2021 including a 2.6 percent increase from 2019 to 2020 alone, as more and more newcomers are attracted to attractive employment opportunities and the area’s yearround cultural and recreational offerings.

“The Capital Region is a unique and special place,” said Jonathan Gertman, the Cleveland- based NRP Group’s senior vice president of development.

But business can’t succeed without an adequate workforce, which depends on providing a place for such people to live. NRP Group is helping meet this demand with construction of a $75 million, 202-unit affordable housing apartment complex called Tait Lane Reserve, off Route 9N on the west side of Saratoga Springs.

In January, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced funding through bonds and subsidies to create or preserve more than 1,600 affordable, sustainable, and supportive homes across the state. When coupled with additional private funding and resources, the ten projects receiving funding are expected to create more than $600 million in overall investment that will assist local economic development efforts and advance New York’s commit-

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Amy Smith Leads Chamber Board In 2023, Following Footsteps Of Her Mother As Chair

Amy Smith, owner of the Saratoga Arms Hotel on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, became the new chair of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce board of directors on Jan. 1.

Her mother, Kathleen Smith, held the same leadership position in 1998, so the duo becomes the first mother-daughter combination to lead the Chamber board in its 105-year history.

“My family is grateful to live in and serve this incredible community,” said Smith. “We believe the Chamber played a key role in the city’s turnaround, especially during the recent pandemic. Numerous local businesses, nonprofits, local leaders, and residents count on the Chamber to be a visible and vocal leader.

“I’m honored to take on the responsibilities of this position as we look to move forward, from surviving to thriving, once again.”

Joining Smith on the board of directors are: Tara Pleat, of Wilcenski & Pleat, as immediate past-chair; Chad Kiesow, of Stewart’s Shops, as chair-elect for 2024; Randy Metevier, of Applied Materials, as vice chair; and Eric Hennessey, of UHY Advisors, as treasurer and secretary.

Springs City School District.

The board has a total of 27 members.

Newly elected members who began threeyear terms were Paul Loomis, of Gilbane Construction; Alexandra Gutelius, of the Clifton

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Smith appointed three local leaders to serve one-year terms on the 2023 board. They are Najja Thompson of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Maggie Fronk of Wellspring, and Johanna Friedman of the Saratoga