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S00847 Summary:

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S00847 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                           847
 
                               2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                       (Prefiled)
 
                                     January 9, 2013
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic  Devel-
          opment and Small Business
 
        AN  ACT  to  amend the economic development law, in relation to creating
          the Empire State baseball trails program
 

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.  The  economic  development law is amended by adding a new
     2  article 5-F to read as follows:
     3                                 ARTICLE 5-F
     4                    EMPIRE STATE BASEBALL TRAILS PROGRAM
     5  Section 181-f. Legislative intent.
     6          181-g. Definitions.
     7          181-h. General functions, powers and duties of the commissioner.
     8    § 181-f. Legislative intent. The legislature recognizes  that  profes-
     9  sional baseball has historically played an important role in the econom-
    10  ic and cultural life of the state. The public is generally familiar with
    11  the  two  major league teams in New York city, as well as with the base-

    12  ball hall of fame in Cooperstown. There is much  less  public  awareness
    13  that  New  York  state  is  also the home of thirteen professional minor
    14  league and independent league teams spread throughout the state.  Great-
    15  er public awareness of these teams and  their  game  schedules  has  the
    16  potential  to  significantly add to the state's tourism trade. The minor
    17  league and independent league teams are small businesses themselves, and
    18  could help to draw in-state and out-of-state tourists to  their  respec-
    19  tive  areas  of New York, thereby increasing hotel, restaurant and other
    20  tourist related small businesses. It is, therefore, the intent  of  this
    21  legislature  to have created a program which will systematically promote

    22  New York minor league and  independent  league  baseball  as  a  tourist
    23  attraction,  by establishing a baseball trail program. It is the further
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02840-01-3
        S. 847                              2
 
     1  intent of the legislature that these trails be linked thematically,  and
     2  be  construed so as to be easily traveled by tourists and baseball fans.
     3  The legislature seeks the creation of itineraries to aid travelers along
     4  baseball  trails,  which also link together other attractions and venues

     5  along said trails in order to attract visitors with a simple  and  effi-
     6  cient  travel  plan. Further it is the intent of this legislature to see
     7  that these trails are adequately signed so that travelers may  independ-
     8  ently follow the trail with ease.
     9    §  181-g.  Definitions.  As  used  in this article the following defi-
    10  nitions shall apply:
    11    1. "baseball trail" shall  mean  a  series  of  professional  baseball
    12  venues identified by the commissioner, which may be linked by geographic
    13  proximity and alignment, and game schedules.
    14    2.  "baseball  passport"  shall  mean  a booklet or other publication,
    15  which is specific to the  professional  baseball  venues  and  games  or

    16  surrounding  attractions  on a baseball trail, and may include discounts
    17  and other incentives related to attending baseball  games  and  visiting
    18  the baseball venues and attractions on the baseball trail.
    19    §  181-h. General functions, powers and duties of the commissioner. 1.
    20  The commissioner shall develop and implement an  "I  love  NY  baseball"
    21  promotion program. The commissioner, in conjunction with the commission-
    22  er  of parks, recreation and historic preservation and any local govern-
    23  ment official or entity, shall identify a series of baseball venues  and
    24  games  to be part of a baseball trail. No fewer than two baseball trails
    25  should be identified for the purposes of  the  program.  In  identifying

    26  specific  venues  and  games to be included on a baseball trail, special
    27  consideration shall be given to those trails which promote minor  league
    28  and  independent  league  baseball.  Special consideration shall also be
    29  given to trails which can  be  linked  to  surrounding  arts,  cultural,
    30  historical,  entertainment  or other tourism destinations or exhibits of
    31  interest to travelers.
    32    2. The commissioner shall cause  to  be  developed  baseball  vacation
    33  itineraries  based on specific baseball trails, which shall identify for
    34  visitors baseball games and surrounding attractions, restaurants,  lodg-
    35  ing  and  other  exhibits or places of entertainment as may be a part of
    36  the theme linking the baseball venues on the baseball trail.

    37    3. The commissioner shall work to develop discount packages  for  such
    38  baseball  trails,  which may include the development of a baseball pass-
    39  port.
    40    4. Nothing shall preclude the commissioner from  contracting  with  an
    41  independent  vacation or travel package company to help develop baseball
    42  vacation packages along a baseball trail.
    43    § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
    44  have become a law.