According to the New York State Tourism Industry Association, in 2024 visitors spent $94 billion. The Downtown Revitalization Initiative has been giving towns and cities across the state $10 million to invest in their communities over the last decade. Oswego is one of those cities that’s received a DRI grant.

“Our tagline is, it’s a ‘Year-Round Destination of Fun.’ But our busiest time, no doubt, is during the summer months,” said Robert Corradino, Oswego’s mayor.

What You Need To Know

Oswego’s mayor says since they received a DRI grant their tax revenue has gone up, which is a tourism indicator

New York state gave Oswego a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant a decade ago
Oswego is one of seven communities across the state that’s finished their DRI projects

Corradino was born and raised in Oswego and he says in the 1960s and 1980s, Oswego was a busy place, but it took a turn in the 1990s as businesses left the area.

“And like a lot of communities in upstate New York, we were feeling the pain. But, in the last 10, 11 years since we earned the DRI money from the state of New York, things are going in the right direction,” said Corradino.

New York state gave Oswego a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant a decade ago.

“Tourism has become a bigger portion of our revenue stream. Our sales tax revenue, which is a direct result of our tourism, has gone up every year for the past 10 years,” sad Corradino.

Ross Levi is the executive director of the state’s Division of Tourism. He says tourism is the state’s second biggest industry and saves households up to $1,500 in taxes.

“Tourism isn’t just fun for New York state. It’s big business, and is important to us having a strong economy,” said Levi.

“We don’t exist without tourism. We don’t exist without visitors from overseas to the north to the south from within United States coming to New York,” said Walter Mosley, New York’s secretary of state.

The year 2026 is the 10th and final year of handing out $10 million DRI grants.

“We’re very, very fortunate that the city of Oswego is earning a lot more economic benefits because of tourism,” said Corradino.

Oswego is one of seven communities across the state that’s finished their DRI projects.