Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor
“We terminated the contract with Moment Factory,” the Montreal firm that built Winter’s Dream at the the Fort William Henry Resort, FWH President Sam Luciano told the Warren County Occupancy Tax Committee last week.
Speaking on behalf of the Warren County Coalition that brought Winter’s Dream to Lake George in 2023-24, he said the contract “self terminated” when they paused the second and third years of what was to be a five-year contract.
“But we were careful to keep a very strong relationship with Moment Factory,” Mr. Luciano said. “They’re a great company and a partner, but the cost of that show, in the equipment and marketing, is where everything lies.”
He said, “We are still working with Moment Factory.”
Mr. Luciano said a non-compete clause means the Coalition cannot put on an immersive light show, and he said they told Moment Factory “we will come to you out of courtesy to tell you what we will do, but we will not ask for permission on things outside of the contract.”
Mr. Luciano urged the committee to continue backing its winter efforts.
“If you want to solve the winter problem,” he said, “you’re going to spend some money. These shows are not cheap. The things that we need to do to fix the winter will not be cheap. You spent a lot of money on it. It was a great risk. It was a great effort on your part to take that initiative….
“The expectation out of the business owners out there is that you’ll continue to be creative, you’ll continue to work at getting business here, while the other counties that we’re competing against are doing the same thing.
“So thank you for spending the money. You did the right thing.”
Warren County provided $3 million of Occupancy Tax funds as seed money for Winter’s Dream. The Coalition expected to pay it back by providing 50 percent of projected profits over the five-year contract. No profit was generated.
Answering questions from Committee members, Mr. Luciano said $1.55 million of the $3-million went to Moment Factory for design of the show, and $500,000 went to marketing.
“The good news is we are not going away. We are committed to Warren County. As we try to build this year-round business, it’s very important that we solve the winter problem.
“Some key things that we did learn is, for a winter business to be successful there are four major things.”
- “Weather has to be taken out as an element.”
- “You need…a daytime component.”
- “It has to be enticing across many different markets.”
- “It’s got to be backed by substantial marketing dollars.”
“The Coalition’s job is to keep presenting ideas to the county,” Mr. Luciano said.
Casino gambling and a freshwater aquarium were some that might “fit that bill,” he said. He added, “We had success at the Fort with ghost stories. Ghost stores are popular year ’round. We have the infrastructure in place right now, and we own some assets from Winter’s Dream that we could utilize. That way we’d be able to give the county back money as this thing goes along.”
“It so happens” Moment Factory is working on its own new “Ghost Stories” show, a possible tie-in, “down the road.”
Mr. Luciano noted, “The Coalition is 100% volunteer. Nobody takes any money. That County benefit from those people is not going away. Their passion is there. They’re committed to make this right.”
He added, Fort William Henry spent $1 million in improvements to host Winter’s Dream, “all on our dime.”
Warren County Coalition members: President Tyler Herrick of the Queensbury Hotel; Secretary Gina Mintzer of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer Vincent Crocitto III of the Holiday Inn Resort and & Super 8; Sam Luciano, Kathy Muncil and Billijo Meader of Fort William Henry, Christian Dutcher of Americade, Sara Mannix of Mannix Marketing, Mike Menter of Nordick’s Hotel (replaces Emily Frost), Penko Ivanov of Arrow Bank (replaces Dave DeMarco), Tom Lloyd of Adirondack Studios, Jessica Darrah of Lake George Winter Carnival (replaces Vincent Crocitto Jr), and Lake George Mayor Ray Perry.
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