A statewide ballot measure that allows New York’s Olympic Regional Development Authority to continue building on 350 acres of land near the Mount Van Hoevenberg complex near Lake Placid, which is currently protected forest on the Adirondack Forest preserve, is passing, albeit barely, and remains undetermined.
According to unofficial results from the state Board of Elections as of midnight Wednesday, the “yes” vote for the proposal was leading with 45% of the vote while the “no” vote garnered 42%, with 87% of precincts reporting. Around 467,000 voters left the proposal blank, results say.
The construction includes a variety of winter sports activities and facilities, including trails, buildings, water lines and parking lots. In return, the state would search for and purchase around 2,500 acres elsewhere and add them into the preserve.
The motive for the amendment was to allow upgrades deemed essential to the world-class training site while expanding and protecting land. From youth sports, World Cups and the 1980 Winter Olympics, Mount Van Hoevenberg has been a big part of the legacy of Lake Placid and the Adirondacks.
The 6 million-acre Adirondack Forest Preserve is protected by section 1 of article 14 of the state Constitution, known as the “forever wild” clause, adopted in 1894. It states that state forest land “shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed.”
Amendments to the state Constitution require approval by a majority of the state Senate and Assembly in two consecutive sessions and then approval by a majority of New York voters.