Even if visitors come, will there be enough workers to staff seasonal businesses?
By Kelsey Brown, Times Union Staff Writer
Shuttered souvenir shops filled with beach gear and Lake George-branded merchandise await, fully stocked and pristine, for the summer tourism season to begin.
All 10 stores at the Village Mall were closed this week — eight fully stocked with lights out, two with “for rent” signs displayed in the window. The parking lots of dozens of hotels — from known chains like Best Western to boutique stays like the Tiki Resort — were empty on Tuesday.
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This small Adirondack village has for generations relied on summer tourism to buoy its local economy. Despite years of work by elected officials and tourism leaders to attract visitors to Lake George year-round and further diversify its economy, many business owners’ livelihoods still depend on the uptick in foot traffic from second homeowners, campers and day visitors from the Capital Region, the Canadian province of Quebec and elsewhere in the summertime.
But as the busy season approaches, business owners and community leaders in Lake George worry that dwindling consumer confidence, the Trump administration’s aggressive approach on immigration and a souring trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. could combine into a perfect storm that will keep both seasonal workers and visitors away.
This uncertainty comes at a time when leaders in Lake George are looking to transform the village with $10 million in state Downtown Revitalization Initiative funding and by identifying sites for redevelopment, such as the former Water Slide World site, to spur future growth.
‘Everybody’s worried’
The difference between the summer season and off-season is like night and day, said business owners in Lake George. Staying open in winter loses money, with most revenue coming from the influx of tourists during the summer months.
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Rocco Mastrantoni’s family business Capri’s Pizzeria + Restaurant has been open year-round for 54 years. He estimated that 70% of his annual revenue comes from the summer months. But this year, Mastrantoni said that there’s fear about the season’s profitability.
Business owners are concerned that a declining economy could lead to less disposable income to travel and a decline in tourism, particularly from Canada — which is only a few hours from Lake George — while also subjecting business owners and consumers to volatile price fluctuations.
“Everybody’s worried,” Mastrantoni said. “Nobody knows what to expect. And that’s the worst part. You don’t know what’s coming.”
While Mastrantoni is used to navigating cost fluctuations in products like cheese, which he said can increase or decrease by 10 to 20 cents per week, lately the price is only increasing. Most of the inventory he purchases, he said, comes from China — everything from pizza boxes to mushrooms.
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For Iggy Rovetto, owner of Pizza Jerks, staying open in winter means losing money. The Lake George Winter Carnival, which for over 60 years has drawn crowds for its polar plunge, ice racing and glacier golf events, offers what Rovetto called a “nice shot in the arm” for four to five weeks during Lake George’s slow season.
But the festival’s success is heavily dependent on the weather — and as an effect of climate change, winters are expected to continue warming in the Adirondacks each year, shortening the winter season from an average of 16 to 17 weeks to as little as 11 weeks by 2100, according to a 2022 study by Paul Smith’s College scientists. In past years, Rovetto said, people have complained about the lack of snow and ice decreasing the traffic for the annual event.
“This year, we had it all,” Rovetto said. “We had the snow. We had the frozen lake — and it wasn’t busy. But that’s the economy.”
Rovetto said that it’s tricky staying open during the winter and that there’s “no magic bullet.” He limits labor and reduces garbage pickups from twice a week to once a week. But still, Rovetto said running the lights and ovens for few customers means “all winter long you lose money.”
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The Lake George Village Mall on Canada St. on April 30. Will Waldron/Times Union
Canadian tourism, seasonal labor
Though the warmer season provides vigor for the businesses after a quiet winter, Rovetto said now business owners are facing a new challenge.
“This year, I’m concerned about it being slow for two factors: the economy and Trump pissing off the Canadians,” Rovetto said. “They’re going to boycott.”
With Lake George located about three hours south of Montreal, Rovetto said, Canadian tourists have been a constant of the summer season — he estimates that they make up a little more than 10% of his summer customers.
Some business owners like John Carr, who has owned the Adirondack Pub & Brewery for 25 years, don’t see a tremendous influx of Canadian customers during the summer months. But Mastrantoni remembers when he used to sit down at the end of the day and count Canadian money.
“I don’t even see them now — no Canadian money,” Mastrantoni said. “(Former Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau is not happy. He’s telling them not to come down here. We’ve lost the Canadians.”
Mastrantoni explained that the tourist town is also experiencing a decline in out-of-country visitors from workers on exchange visitor visas who help supplement the seasonal labor. The nonimmigrant visas, known as J-visas, allow individuals to travel to the United States to participate in exchange visitor programs.
But this year, Mastrantoni said many of the workers aren’t returning.
“I’ve already had two kids that used to come in and work from Jamaica — they’re not coming,” he said.
An employee for Mastrantoni chimed in that many are concerned about the inflated prices of living in a tourist destination like Lake George. Mastrantoni explained that his main workers stay year-round, while he typically hires at least two workers on a J-visa for the busy season.
“Americans won’t do the work that they do,” Mastrantoni said.
“It’s the truth — there’s stuff that Americans won’t do,” he added. “Then they get upset when these other people come and are willing to do it.”
While Gina Mintzer of the Lake George Chamber of Commerce didn’t have access to precise data on the number of international visitors who visit the town during the summer, she said there’s been a noticeable shift.
Visits by Canadian users to the chamber’s website are down 24%, she said. Campgrounds typically visited by Canadian visitors are not booked, she added. Some tour operators have also canceled U.S. trips and asked the Chamber of Commerce to stop emailing alerts of events happening in Lake George, according to Mintzer.
“What we’re doing to pivot — just like we did in the midst of COVID — is really relying on that 70-mile radius of Manhattan, as well as the Capital Region. Reminding people that we’re a tank away,” Mintzer said.
Keeping up with changes happening in Washington
Learn how Adirondack communities, environmental organizations, and individuals are impacted by changes in federal policies.
The future of Lake George
Former Lake George Mayor Bob Blais proposed at the April 14 Town Board meeting that the town purchase the former Water Slide World site, a 12-acre parcel of land located off exit 21 of the Northway, to create a development that would increase year-round traffic and act as a “catalyst for the future of Lake George.”
“Whatever happens on that corner is going to be extremely important for the future of the entire community,” Blais said. “And perhaps, could be for the region, as was Water Slide World when they first developed it there.”
The property is currently owned by real estate developer Rich Schemerhorn, who acquired the land for $3 million in 2022 and cleared the property in 2024, as reported by the Albany Business Review. In February, Schermerhorn put the parcel of land on the market for $5.9 million.
Blais suggested that the town conduct a survey to see what the residents of the town think could be an economic driver to the area, listing a cultural center, a convention center, a performing arts center and an athletic facility as potential options.
“People that are investing in Lake George now are having a hard time with the length of the season making ends meet,” Blais said. “We need to give them an opportunity to fill their rooms, pump their gas and sell their shirts in the downtown area for many more weeks.”
Carr, the owner of Adirondack Pub & Brewery, estimated that he does around 65% of his business in the three busy months of the season. Carr said that he doesn’t know if the town should invest public resources into purchasing the land, but if they do, there should be substantial studies to back up the investment.
Carr encouraged diversifying how Lake George is marketed, besides its obvious selling point, the lake. He mentioned the town’s hiking trails, the nearby city of Glens Falls, and surrounding mountain biking and skiing trails as drivers to the area.
“That’s not a big investment to change that paradigm,” Carr said. “It’s just lots of little changes in how we view ourselves.”
Photo at top: The waters of Lake George are seen from Shepard’s Park Beach in Lake George. Will Waldron/Times Union
The heavy Republican area of Lake George and their representatives have received exactly what they voted for. None of you should be complaining. Trump made it perfectly clear that he embraced Project 2025 and remaking the government through non-representative executive orders and the pod-casting, unqualified cabinet.
Most people who voted for Trump did so because they felt their lives would be better with Trump as president.
The majority of Trump voters are unlikely to change their minds about him, come ‘hell or hight water’. I think they’re so committed to Trump they can’t imagine his failure — they’re true believers. Or they live in an information bubble where everything they see and hear supports Trump — ‘all my friends like him, and so does everyone on Fox’.
The evidence, though, shows the overall support for Trump’s administration and policies is declining, just the opposite of what successful presidents experience in their first 100 days in office. Noteworthy is the dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of the economy, an especially red flag for any president — just ask Biden.
But particularly noteworthy is this: Trump’s decreasing support among independent and swing voters and their regret for voting for him. That should be concerning for Trump supporters, since it’s exactly this group that got him across the finish line in 2024.
Needless to say, no one knows what the future holds. But we do know what’s happening right now. More and more people are waking up to Trump and are unhappy with their vote for him. They see they are worse off with Trump as president.
It is the policies that Biden and the Democratic Party, that would have been continued by Harris that had me vote for Trump. And a majority of democratic supporters are supporting democrats because they hate Trump. They need a majority makeover just about as bad as the Republicans. So while I am not 100% happy with everything going on in this country right now I am happy we are not being led by Harris and the same policies being pushed by democrats and their activists.
This is what happens when you have the rare occurance of electing a lame duck into a single term. They can do whatever they want, the polls don’t matter, opinion doesn’t matter. We can keep reading these “we are worried” articles but only time will tell. Just the fact that there are so many of these kids of doomsday articles makes the possibilities of it not going well even more probable. Just look at the market reaction a few weeks ago. You say the sky is falling and it starts to fall.
^^^^^^ What Paul said, and thank you Rob for reminding us that our other choice was Kamala Harris. Wow, we dodged a bullet there!
The Democrats gave the US Trump twice. the first time was when Hillary Clinton was the heir apparent and the Dems blindly expected her to steamroll Trump. The opposite happened because nobody wanted her. The second time was when Biden went back on his promise of being a “one term” President and by the time the weenie Democrats managed to get him to fold, it was too late. They then allowed Harris to run, a candidate that couldn’t even get the party’s nomination the first time around. Trump was elected again partially due to the Democrats continued incompetence.
I consider myself a left leaning tree hugger but the Democrats have wrought Trump upon us all and I don’t see them doing much to control him. Even the Republicans who mouth off about him are quivering in their boots instead of actually making an attempt and removing his addled mind. (I can’t say brain because he really doesn’t have one)
So thanks to Donald Trump, Canadians will now ”Bye American” instead of “Buy American.” Good going, Donald.
Lots of folks here have severe TDS and suck this doom and gloom information up. Most of them did not voice any concern or say a word when ” Sleepy Joe” was not mentally with it for a good part of his presidency and were all set to vote for Kamala even though they knew she was an empty suit. I hope that the TU ( a left wing rag) finds time to report with real fiqures after the Lake George season, especially if it turns out better than expected. I doubt they will.
Nice try attempting to blame Trump as usual. I have been visiting LG for over a decade. The area and its smaller hotels restaurants and gift shops have been withering away for quite some time now.
Contrary to your article I am seeing economic development the likes I gave not seen at all in surrounding areas such as warrensburg glenns falls and other towns.
People are moving there to escape Democrat run City Hellscapes. You know it and so does everyone else. It’s the MAGA truthers that are going to stand in the way of your wall street interests buying up all of the LG area. AE is in bed with the oligarchs.
Bob, relax the Prime Minister and our President are in discussions right now. All America wants is an even playing field.
No, the Canadian Prime Minister and our President are not “in discussions” right now.
As of now, Donald Trump is not actively negotiating a new trade deal with Canada. Instead, he is involved in a trade war that began on February 1, 2025, when he imposed significant tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico. Specifically, the tariffs include a 25% tax on most imports from Canada, with a lower rate of 10% on oil and energy products.
Recent discussions between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have been tense, focusing on these tariffs rather than on negotiating new trade agreements. In yesterday’s meeting, both leaders acknowledged their differences, and while Carney described the discussions as “constructive,” there was no resolution regarding the tariffs.
The millionaires that own their second third and fourth homes on Lake George will be back. We should look at data we actually have, rather than what ifs.
How did Whiteface do this winter? That is basically the election till last week. Did they have a bad season? It seemed pretty busy to me? I am still seeing canadian plates in the parking lots at trailheads? Be more optimistic!
Okay, let’s look at the data we actually have. The data show a decline in Canadian visits to the U.S. For example:
Overall Decline: Canadian visits to the U.S. have decreased for several consecutive months. For instance, there was a 40 percent drop in February 2025 and a 17 percent decline in March 2025.
Booking Trends: Canadian airlines and travel agencies reported a 20 percent drop in U.S.-bound bookings since early February 2025. Additionally, there are reports of a 70 percent decrease in flight bookings for the summer season.
I’ll rely on these data before relying on your impressions in parking lots at trailheads.
Bob, you are correct my note was just anecdotal. My point is what is the data for business in those areas. Not only for what canadians are doing. The overall impact is what matters. That is why I suggested looking at economic data for Whiteface, that does reply on some canadian business. Business must be way down year over year at the end of this season if there is a big impact from the canadian business. That time period was the peak for the trends you are talking about.
Paul, you’re quite right that the overall economic impact is key. Also, we won’t know the impact until the year/season is over. But any significant decrease in Canadian visitation is not good for those businesses that depend on tourism. Especially when it’s an “own goal” by a president who brags about being a great businessman.
About the not enough workers blurb. Living in Saranac Lake I see this everyday. There is no where for these so called workers to live. You have 200 people fighting for 1 apartment listing. You have businesses that pay minimum wage pr slightly more. That is not enough to afford the $1200+ rent plus utilities and all of life’s other bills. This is what the members of the community asked for when they decided to switch their rentals from long term to Air BnBs. They sold the soul of the community to make money. Rolling in the dough as a few landlords say. Now that they have pushed out the year round residents for the sake of a few dollars and someone that’s only here acouple days, they have nobody to blame but themselves. This writing on the wall has been here for years.
Ah the old blame the STR owners argument. Maybe if there were other jobs besides minimum wage jobs people would be able to afford more than an apartment