The hospitality and tourism industry in Saratoga County has a nearly $1 billion annual impact on the area economy, and creates and sustains thousands of jobs, according to the a study by the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership.
The economic index for the industry also drives substantial activity at hotels, restaurants, retail outlets and tourist attractions throughout Saratoga County, according to the economic development organization.
The report was released in November.
Saratoga County’s hospitality and tourism sector generated an economic impact of $979 million in 2018, according to the index, which captured a quantitative analysis of data prepared by Tourism Economics, a leader in global forecasting.

By Jill Nagy
After nearly 39 years in the sporting goods business, Randall Wojdyla recently opened a second location for Sievert’s Sports at the Crossings in Clifton Park.
He credits his son, Brennan Wojdyla, and son-in-law, Tim Dada, for steering him to the new location after many years in Amsterdam. They are sales manager and store manager, respectively.
“They knew of it as a young area,” he said.

By Rachel Phillips
Accelerate ABA, a clinic that provides services for children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, located, is now open at 7 Corporate Drive in Clifton Park’
At the center, patients aged 2-12 are treated by board-certified and licensed behavior analysts Haley McDougall and Carolyn Volpe, co-owners of Accelerate ABA.
According to McDougall, part of the reason they chose to open a center in Clifton Park was due to the lack of such services in the area.
“Halfmoon is in the center of Albany and Saratoga and is convenient for most people in the Capital Region. A center allows for consistent treatment, where we can easily modify the environment for child-specific needs, while teaching communication, social skills, language, play skills, daily living skills, and pre-academic skills,” said McDougall.

With a greater focus on client satisfaction and training, GTM Payroll Services recently expanded into a renovated building at 9 Executive Park Drive in Clifton Park.
With 12,500 square feet, the space better accommodates GTM’s growing team of more than 70 employees and features a modern training facility that includes many amenities for worker engagement.

By Andrea Palmer
The owner of Palette Cafe on Broadway in Saratoga Springs has opened a co-working space on the second floor above the cafe.
The new space is Palette Upstairs. Owner Catherine Hover said the space is for women in business.
“It’s not just a co-working space. When you’re catering to women in business, and in life, it takes more resources than just having a seat at a table and a fancy conference room to do presentations. You have to cater to women in a fuller way. You have to address what’s going on in their lives and where they’re at in order to support them,” said Hover.

By Rachel Phillips
Marini Homes has plans to build 22 townhomes behind Ellsworth Commons, off Route 9 in Malta.
The plaza is located at 2101 Ellsworth Boulevard in Malta, in the heart of the downtown district of Malta.

West Mountain ski center off of Northway Exit 18 has sprung into a new season with renovations and additions to offer skiers new options.
New chairlifts, expanded terrain, 100 percent snowmaking capabilities, learn-to-lessons, after-school programs, tubing, night skiing and an up-and-coming alpine racing program are all part of West Mountain, where Spencer Montgomery, co-owner and managing member, has developed a place for family fun.
With 31 trails and five lifts, skiers and riders of all abilities come to West Mountain. Improvements include a new “Apex” triple chairlift on the Northwest side, 15 tower snow guns that round out the completion of the snowmaking capabilities, and a five-acre Tree-Top Aerial Adventure Park.
In addition to the updates on the mountain, a brand new West Express Cafe will be open on the first floor of the main lodge this season offering more healthy food options. Skiers and riders also have the option of experiencing the mountain under the lights with night skiing.