Month: March 2021

After a full year closed to the public, The Great Escape & Hurricane Harbor is set to reopen this spring for the 2021 season.

The Lake George theme park, which was not given government approval to open in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is scheduled to return this year promising a safe environment, officials said.

The Great Escape will be open weekends and select dates starting May 1, with daily operation beginning June 24. In February, the state announced outdoor amusement parks can open—with a third of their normal capacity—by April 9.

Additionally, the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark will be back to full operation beginning March 26.

“We are ready to welcome our guests back to The Great Escape,” Six Flags Great Escape Resort park president Rebecca Wood said in a press release. “The health and safety of our guests, team members, and community remains our top priority and we are implementing extensive sanitization and safety measures to deliver a safe and entertaining experience for our guests.”

Opening weekend will mark the debut of a new  ride called Adirondack Outlaw, which was originally scheduled to open last year.

Once open, The Great Escape will be operating under state and local guidelines for crowd capacity limits.

By R.J. DeLuke

GlobalFoundries is still moving forward with plans to expand at its plant in Malta.

The company said abut $1.4 billion will be invested in projects at three of its sites, the others being Singapore and Dresden, Germany.

Some media reports in March said the $1.4 billion will be split approximately in thirds as money goes to all three.

But Laurie Kelly, GlobalFoundries vice president, global communications, said “it’s not as precise as of right now” as to how much each project will get. “All of our sites will grow where it makes the most sense.”

Nonetheless, millions of dollars can be expected. She said there are still many things that have to be worked out, including the subsidies and incentives to be provided by the U.S. government and the state of New York as parts of the CHIPS for America Act passed last year. The funding has not yet been appropriated.

“The funds from the federal CHIPS bill will absolutely accelerate the plans to grow the site,”  Kelly said. “The beauty of the CHIPS bill is it has bipartisan support. So that’s a bonus in terms of appropriations. We have a new administration.  … Obviously we would love (the appropriation)  sooner rather than later. But I can’t venture to guess when it would happen.”

Growing demand for chips has made clear the need for faster than normal growth at GlobalFoundries, leading to the expansion plans.

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will open the 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course on July 15.

NYRA said the meet will feature 76 stakes races, worth $21.5 million in total purses. The summer meet will conclude on Monday, Sept. 6.

In February, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that live sports and entertainment venues with a minimum reserved seating capacity of 10,000 will be permitted to re-open to a limited number of spectators beginning on Feb. 23, with approval from the state Department of Health.

All attendees must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event and adhere to health and safety requirements, including mandatory facial coverings and social distancing.

NYRA will continue to closely monitor state-issued regulations to determine how they impact Saratoga Race Course, officials said. Additional details on fan attendance and tickets for the 2021 summer meet will be provided as it becomes available.

The 2021 summer meet, which will offer at least one stakes race every live racing day, will be highlighted by the 152nd renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 28 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 7, as the anchors of two of the most prestigious racing days in North America.

Saratoga Harness kicked off its 80th season of live harness racing on  March 1.

Races will run three days a week, every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with a first post at noon through the first four months of the season.

Track officials said the 2021 season will feature a full slate of New York Sire Stakes action, along with new betting options.

In addition to the Pick 5 with a guaranteed pool, Saratoga will be introducing two new bets geared toward building jackpot-type payoffs, the Jackpot Super High Five and the Pick Six Jackpot.

Due to state COVID-19 guidelines, no spectators are allowed at the track. However, fans can wager remotely on the races through Saratoga Casino Hotel’s online wagering platform, saratogabets.com, or on any other state-approved online wagering platform.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Saratoga Springs Family Dentistry practice aims to put people at ease in regard to their dental health, even if they have lost their insurance.

Office Manager Bonnie Symon said all seven locations are taking part in a program that offers affordable dental care to those who may have lost their dental insurance or who never had it at all.

“We have had a great response to this, with a lot of people signing up. It’s a wonderful option for people and helps to give them some assurance that they can get the care they need without worrying about how to pay for it,” said Symon.

Symon said with COVID-19 pandemic, many patients found themselves losing their insurance and with that came the worry of how to find quality dental care that they can afford. She said they have reached out to local employers who have been vulnerable to the shaky economy, especially small businesses.

The plan offers member-only free exams, x-rays, and cleanings, plus 15 percent off all other dental services.  There are three plan options for routine cleanings and exams, diagnostic X-Rays, and discounts on treatment.