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Wednesday’s Falls City Council meeting featured a packed chambers filled with supporters of Michael Carella continuing as operator of Hyde Park Arena.
Carella’s Niagara Sports Tournaments bid to keep the contract but was undercut by Legacy Hospitality and Entertainment Group.
The city council agreed to delay voting on the proposed change pending more information. Carella was present at the meeting with lots of young hockey players.
Legacy bid $102,000 annually and agreed to make improvements valued at $75,000 to $100,000 over 3 years.
In other action, the council approved six different change orders in the meeting 5 because of unforeseen added work and one because of vandalism to concrete work.
The council also set a public hearing pushing back enforcement of a new ordinance focused on regulating student housing to June 1, 2027 at request of the city planning department which is handling redevelopment of Main Street.
The council is now on break until September unless it is called back for a special meeting over the ice rink.
A copy of the letter from Mayor Restaino to the council explaining his recommendation is attached.
File Attachment
Replies
Wesley Krantz
Neighbor
7-25-2025 11:36am
A national corporation vs local business.
The megacorp will take money out of the falls and the answer you get from the powerless “local” manager will be “well that’s what corporate dictates vs being able to call a 716 phone number and talk to the son of the founder.
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Joseph Genco
Editor
7-27-2025 8:31am
I am waiting for the Mayor to dictate his side of the story to Rick Pfeiffer. The excuse will be twofold: 1) The current operator was way behind on his bills. 2) Everyone asks for an RFP so we did an RFP and we have to award to the lowest bidder.
Tim H
Neighbor
7-27-2025 7:23pm
Way behind on the bills? If I don't pay what I owe the city in a timely manner they put a yellow sign in my yard and foreclose after they shut my services off! How long has the business been operating without a contract? What happened to the last operator they tried to replace the current operator with? What happened to THAT RFP? Why was there no contract offered/awarded after that operator walked away? I think transparency is lacking and full disclosure must happen! While we are talking about the ice rink, let's investigate the records and contract of the golf course! More shenanigans that went under the rug! The truth will never be fully disclosed!
Joseph Genco
Editor
7-28-2025 8:34am
Thanks Tim. I trust very little coming from this administration. Everyone seems to be working an angle. The city motto should be "Ubi est mia" ("Where's mine" in Latin.)
Wesley Krantz
Neighbor
7-25-2025 11:45am
Follow the money
