The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) recently concluded another successful youth and adult hockey season at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, bringing in hundreds of clubs, thousands of visitors and significantly impacting the local economy.
From late October to early April, the Olympic Center hosted a total of 14 CAN/AM youth and adult hockey tournaments and three Canadian Hockey Enterprises (CHE) tournaments, with almost every weekend filled with camps and competition. These tournaments, which typically started on Thursday or Friday and ended on Sunday, provided a significant economic boost to the Lake Placid region as players and family members stayed at area hotels, dined at restaurants and shopped at local retail stores.
CAN/AM Hockey tournaments attracted 19,753 multi-day visitors, averaging 750 adults and 750 youth each weekend during a 13-week time period. Additionally, over three weekends, CHE tournaments brought in 5,058 multi-day visitors. These camps and tournaments predominantly took place during slower times of the year for local businesses. Participants came from all over the United States and Canada, and from as far away as Mexico City and the Yukon.
“Youth hockey tournaments are a vital part of our programming at the Olympic Center,” said Olympic Authority President & CEO Ashley Walden. “These tournaments bring thousands of families to Lake Placid throughout the year, providing a solid economic impact and introducing new groups of people to the area, potentially encouraging them to consider future visits.”
With its well-known Olympic heritage and iconic venues, Lake Placid has become a featured location for CAN/AM and CHE hockey tournaments and camps over the years. The Olympic Center, site of the historic Miracle on Ice hockey game during the 1980 Olympic Games, is equipped with three indoor rinks and an outdoor oval located centrally amid the village’s many hotels, restaurants and shops. CAN/AM tournaments often open with a grand opening ceremony in 1980 Herb Brooks Arena and include perks for parents and players, such as discounted admission to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum and other Lake Placid Legacy Sites venues nearby.
Recent upgrades at the venue have significantly enhanced the guest experience, leading to sustained high demand for the Olympic Center and Lake Placid. With a modernized refrigeration system ensuring a consistent and reliable skating surface, the addition of Miracle Plaza and Roamers Cafe & Bar, and the updated Lake Placid Olympic Museum, both visitor satisfaction and the legacy of the Olympic Center have been preserved and improved. The adjacent Conference Center provides meeting spaces and event support to accomodate the needs of small gatherings and large conferences of more than 1,000 attendees.
The Olympic Center also hosted numerous community programs, amateur and elite figure skating events and other hockey tournaments of all levels, including the ECAC Hockey Championship and the Team USA Women’s National Team camp. Northwood School, Lake Placid Youth Association International, Beer League Players Association (BLPA) and NYS Troopers also held tournaments at the Olympic Center.
Following a short break for annual maintenance to the rinks, the Olympic Center returns to full operation with a variety of events on the summer schedule as well as 16 CAN/AM weekends planned for the 2024-2025 season. Summer events will include the Lake Placid Figure Skating Championships on June 19-22, Ice Dance Championships & International Ice Dance on July 27-31, and USA Women’s Hockey National Camp on Aug. 7-12. The Adirondack Invitational college hockey tournament will return over Thanksgiving Day weekend, with ECAC Championships set for March 21-22, 2025. These elite events take place alongside a robust indoor and outdoor public skating schedule, curling opportunities and other community programming.