New York's study of a possible 2042 Winter Olympics and Paralympics linking Lake Placid and New York City moved into a full committee review Monday, as Gov. Kathy Hochul named nearly 90 members and pledged $2.5 million in state funding for a separate monument in Lake Placid. The state has not decided to pursue a bid.
The Lake Placid–New York City exploratory committee held its first full meeting Oct. 19 at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan. Its assignment is to test whether a two-region Winter Games could work under current International Olympic Committee hosting requirements and to report findings and recommendations to state leaders in about a year.
The full membership follows Hochul's June announcement of the committee's leadership and subcommittee co-chairs. Ashley Walden, president and CEO of the Olympic Regional Development Authority, chairs the committee, which includes state and local officials, sports organizations, businesses and community groups from both proposed host regions.
Committee to examine venues, costs and public input
Five subcommittees will focus on Games operations, finance, legal issues, community engagement and strategic advice. The leadership group includes Lake Placid Deputy Mayor Jackie Kelly, New York City Deputy Mayor Julie Su, Empire State Development Commissioner Hope Knight and Secretary to the Governor Karen Persichilli Keogh.
Andrew Weibrecht of the Mirror Lake Inn is a Games operations co-chair. James McKenna of the Uihlein Foundation is a community engagement co-chair, and Joe Martens of the Olympic Regional Development Authority is a strategic-advisors co-chair. The committee also includes officials and representatives of the Village of Lake Placid, state budget and transportation offices, the North Country Chamber of Commerce and New York City organizations.
At its first meeting, members received briefings on the Olympic and Paralympic movement, the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games, and experience hosting major events in Lake Placid and New York City. The state pointed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a recent example of New York City's event-hosting work.
The review will examine existing sports venues and other infrastructure, operational capacity, financing and governance models. The committee is also expected to seek public input across New York and weigh whether a multiregion Games could leave lasting community and economic benefits.
Hochul made clear she favors the idea. In remarks at the meeting, she said she expected the yearlong study to conclude that New York could host the Games.
Lake Placid and New York City in the same proposal
Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980. The state says it has invested more than $750 million in the area's Olympic sports facilities, which continue to support competitions, training and recreation. Walden said those active venues, combined with New York City's resources, are the basis for the review.
The concept would connect Lake Placid's winter-sports facilities with New York City's venues, lodging and transportation capacity. Hochul discussed the possibility that the North Country would need additional hotels, restaurants and housing.
Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin said the community welcomed the committee's first in-person meeting and cited upgrades to local Olympic venues. Assemblymember Robert Carroll, who has advocated for a joint Games, said the review should consider existing and temporary venues, taxpayer costs and environmental protection.
State backs 1980 Olympics monument
Hochul separately announced $2.5 million in state support for Monument to a Miracle, a $5.2 million project outside the Herb Brooks Arena at Lake Placid's Olympic Center. The monument is intended to commemorate the 1980 U.S. men's hockey team's "Miracle on Ice" victory and speed skater Eric Heiden's five gold medals at those Games.
The plan calls for 20 life-size bronze hockey figures with a gold patina on a granite victory podium. It would display team members' names and quotations from coach Herb Brooks and include podium sections where visitors could take photographs. A separate statue would honor Heiden.
Jeff Potter, president of the Friends of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Hockey Team and a member of the exploratory committee, is involved in the monument effort. The project is scheduled for unveiling in February 2030, the 50th anniversary of the 1980 Winter Games.
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