Renames the Chautauqua Wine Trail to be the "Lake Erie Wine Country Trail"

BILL NUMBER:S3923B

Title of bill

An act to amend the highway law, in relation to renaming the "Chautauqua Wine Trail" to be the "Lake Erie Wine Country Trail"

Purpose or general idea of bill

To rename the current "Chautauqua Wine Trail" along US route 20 from exit 61 of 1-90 near Ripley to route 5 in Silver Creek as "Lake Erie Wine Country."

Summary of specific provisions

The bill would amend section 343-k (1) of the highway law, by renaming all that portion of the state highway system constituting US route 20 from exit 61 of 1-90 near Ripley to route 5 in Silver Creek as Lake Erie Wine Country.

Justification

This legislation has been requested by the Board of the Lake Erie Wine Country in order to help promote wine country tourism along the Lake Erie border. Currently, Lake Erie wine country includes over 30,000 acres of vineyard stretching from Silver Creek, located in Chautauqua County New York, to Harborcreek, Pennsylvania.

Lake Erie wine country offers small historic villages, lakes, unspoiled woods and farmland, cozy inns, shops and unique restaurants. Grape Growers in Chautauqua County produce approximately 65% of New York State's total annual grape harvest including French-American hybrids such as Vidal, Seyval, and Chancellor, and European vinifera varieties such as Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling. Lake Erie wine country offers more than 23 wineries along over 40 miles of stunning scenery amidst "America's Grape Country."

The original Chautauqua Wine Trail was incorporated in 2000 with just a handful of Chautauqua County wineries. In about 2005, the DBA name of "Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail" was adopted to recognize that the region and trail had grown and come to include Pennsylvania wineries. In 2010, the association adopted the DBA of "Lake Erie Wine Country" for all of its promotional efforts, including website, mobi site, Facebook, and printed materials.

The southern shore of Lake Erie has a long grape growing and wine making heritage and therefore should be used in the name of the wine trail to promote its character. This legislation will help to attract additional traffic and tourism to the Lake Erie region. The official name for the wine trail established in the bill will help facilitate broader marketing and branding of this premier wine-growing region.

Prior legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.