Contacts:

Mary Penney, New York Sea Grant, P: 315-312-3042, E: mp357@cornell.edu

Chena Tucker, SUNY Oswego Office of Business and Community Relations, P: 315-312-3599, E: chena.tucker@oswego.edu  



Salmon River fishing at Pulaski in Oswego County, NY – Oswego County Tourism


Oswego, NY, May 9, 2014 – New York Sea Grant (NYSG) and SUNY Oswego’s Office of Business and Community Relations have extended the deadline for returning the 2014 Business Retention and Expansion surveys to May 30, 2014.

Any recreation or tourism-related business owner who would like to participate may request a printed survey form or the electronic survey link from the NYSG office at 315-312-3042.
 
The surveys are the first step in a new initiative evaluating the business climate in Oswego County to assist existing businesses and businesses interested in expanding within the county.
 
More Info: Business Retention and Expansion Pilot Program


(Above, Left) Oswego County waterfront businesses cater to boating enthusiasts. This cruiser is touring the Oswego River at sunset; (Above, Right) The historic Oswego waterfront along a National Scenic Byway draws tourists from far and wide to Oswego County, NY – George Fischer/Great Lakes Seaway Trail


“Existing businesses create up to 86 percent of all new jobs, so it’s important to examine the needs of those locally-owned businesses already committed to Oswego County,” said Mary Penney, Coastal Community Development Specialist for New York Sea Grant.  
 
The Oswego County Recreation and Tourism BR&E Task Force includes representatives from diverse segments of the economy, including the business, government, tourism, and planning sectors. The group focused on professional development, promotion and customer demographics to develop the survey.
 
The survey data will be tabulated and examined for ways to assist recreation and tourism businesses in Oswego County with operations and potential expansion plans.
 
The Oswego County Recreation and Tourism BR&E task force members represent the Fort Brewerton/Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of Commerce, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Tug Hill Commission, Operation Oswego County, Inc., Oswego County Promotion and Tourism, New York Sea Grant, and the SUNY Oswego Office of Business and Public Relations.

For more information on the Oswego County Recreation and Tourism BR&E Program, go to the Coastal Communities section of the NYSG Web site at www.nyseagrant.org/ccdbusiness.


More Info: New York Sea Grant

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, is one of 33 university-based programs under the National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NSGCP engages this network of the nation’s top universities in conducting scientific research, education, training and extension projects designed to foster science-based decisions about the use and conservation of our aquatic resources. Through its statewide network of integrated services, NYSG has been promoting coastal vitality, environmental sustainability, and citizen awareness about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources since 1971.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links. NYSG also offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/coastlines for NY Coastlines, its flagship publication, which, in 2014, merges with the program's e-newsletter, Currents. NY Coastlines is published several times a year.