Here & There Column 12-21-10

Private Sponsors For Empire Games

Private sector sponsors could be the saving grace for the canceled 2011 Empire State Games.
The state's budget woes forced the cancellation of the Empire State games and it's premature for anyone to offer an outlook on their future under Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo.
With a $9 billion budget gap facing the state cutting the Empire Games were part of the difficult decisions made to ease the burden on taxpayers.
The 2011 cancellation marks the second time in three years that the summer games, scheduled to be held in Rochester in late July, have been canceled due to a lack of funds. The 2009 slummer games, scheduled to be held in the Poughkeepsie area, were canceled when the local organizing committee of the Hudson River Valley pulled out of hosting the games, citing state budget cuts, fewer events and a fee for athletes.
For the many athletes who look forward to the competition it's very discouraging and disheartening as the Games were often described as one of the best programs that New York has run.
The Olympic-style amateur contests were started in 1978 by former Gov. Hugh Carey and featured six competing areas and athletes within each region were broken down into three separate divisions by age, scholastic, open and masters.
The Games featured more than two dozen sports including basketball, baseball, cycling, swimming, volleyball and track and field.
If revenues came in the next governor could make a decision about the summer games but at this time no one expects that there will be a reversal.
The Games resumed again last summer in Buffalo after First Niagara Financial Group donated $500,000 and it looks likely that the only way the 2011 games will be saved is through private sector sponsors.
The weak economy and severe state budget cuts have resulted in another great state program being cancelled.