Page 37 - 2020 Westchester Economic Development Guide

Opposite: Historic Playland Park on the Long Island Sound
Top: The Kykuit Rockefeller Estate in Tarrytown Above: The Westchester Children’s Museum in Rye
“When it comes to Empire City Casino’s location in Yonkers and Westchester County,
it’s a jackpot for our nine million annual visitors and one thousand employees,” says Taryn Duffy, Vice President of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts. “Our location continues to succeed both on and off the gaming floor, providing hundreds of millions of dollars in support for our local, regional and state economies.”
Westchester offers a No-Compromise Lifestyle:
• Affordability: rents 1/3 lower than Manhattan
• Convenience: walkability, abundant transit, easy accessi- bility to Manhattan and beyond
• Quality of Life: Greenspace, Culture, Dining, Diversity; work/life balance
WATERFRONT WONDERS
Scenic rivertowns like Hastings-on- Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington and Tarrytown are vibrant, walkable vil- lages with trendy coffee shops, bou- tiques and acclaimed restaurants. The Sound Shore region, stretching about 36 miles, is an eclectic collection of towns and villages located on or near the Long Island Sound.
THRIVING CITIES
Emerging cities such as Mount Vernon, Peekskill, New Rochelle, White Plains and Yonkers continue to offer their own thriving, distinctive cultural scenes at a great value.
OUR GREAT OUTDOORS
Bike and hike stunning parks. Swim and kayak on two scenic coastlines. Westchester visitors and residents enjoy 18,000 acres (roughly 28 square miles) of nature preserves, beaches, farms and forested areas.
FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN
Families seeking adventure will find plenty of opportunities in Westchester, including Playland Park, the interactive Westchester Children’s Museum, and Halloween Festivities in Sleepy Hollow and nearby towns, such as the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Croton-on-Hudson.
Fun, educational activities include the Sheep to Shawl Festival at Historic Phillpsburg Manor, seasonal events at Muscoot Farm in Katonah, innovative enrichment programs at Curious on Hudson, and diverse educational pro- grams at Greenburgh Nature Center.
Yorktown’s Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center is dedicated to the development and advancement of sustainable agriculture, environmen- tal stewardship, community education, and accessible food systems for all.
Museums such as the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers and the Katonah Museum of Art also have regularly scheduled fun, family-friendly events.
THEATRE & CINEMA
Located in Pleasantville, the Jacob Burns Film Center is a nonprofit cultural arts center that runs independent and documentary films. The center hosts educational and special events, includ- ing discussions with filmmakers, critics and industry experts.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010, this historic Picture House Regional Film Center (for- merly the Pelham Picture House) is a mis- sion-driven film venue, operating year- round with film and education program- ming both on site and in area schools.
Top musical and comedy acts regularly perform in Westchester’s trio of historic and landmark theaters: The Paramount (Peekskill), The Capitol (Port Chester) and The Music Hall (Tarrytown). Classical music fans can also enjoy sea- sonal outdoor concerts at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah.
WORLD-CLASS DINING
Westchester has more than 600 full- service restaurants specializing in virtu- ally every major world cuisine, including Croatian, Phillippino, Georgian, Persian, Ethiopian, British, Korean and Peruvian. Learn more about our internationally renowned dining scene on page 40.
FINE ART
Enjoy exhibits at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, the Neuberger Museum at SUNY Purchase and the Katonah Museum of Art, as well as niche art galleries such as Arts Westchester’s ArtsExchange and the Rye Arts Center.
GAMING
Located at Ridge Hill in Yonkers, indoor skydiving center IFly lets visitors feel the freedom and exhilaration of flying in a controlled and safe environment.
Now a member of the MGM Resorts family, Yonkers-based Empire City is transforming to a full-service casino and entertainment destination, creating thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in new revenue for public education.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 35
© Lynda Shenkman Curtis © Adobe Stock