Another piece of the new Buffalo Harbor State Park fell into place Monday, with the hiring of a Tennessee firm to run the small boat harbor.
The new park is falling into place with yet another overall design for the Outer Harbor on the way. Safe Harbor Development out of Knoxville has been hired to run the marina, with a 25-year lease.
That includes spending $10 million over the next few years to upgrade the facilities and add slips.
The firm is expected to take over April 1, with slip lease renewals going out within the next two weeks Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation Chairman Robert Gioia says this is a key element in the Outer Harbor.
"Significant access off of Ohio Street and the Skyway. It's a focal point. You're got Gallagher Beach. You've got the Small Boat Harbor. It's a focal point for the Outer Harbor and, quite frankly, has been the area of most excitement and entertainment and most visitors in years gone by," said Gioia.
Gioia says the plan is for the current restaurant to be upgraded and run year-round. That was the subject of a fight between the current operator of Dug's Dive, Tucker Curtin, and the NFTA over his plans to run 12 months and serve summer boaters and winter ice fishermen, something Gioia says is a future plan also. Curtin's lease runs into next year.
