Warm weather takes a toll on Western New York snowmobile industry

Warm weather takes a toll on Western New York snowmobile industry

THE MILD WINTER HASLEFT MANYSNOWMOBILERSFEELING HIGH ANDDRY THIS YEAR.THAT'S WHYGOVERNOR CUOMO ISTRYING TO GIVE A LATESEASON BOOST TOTHE SNOWMOBILINGINDUSTRY.HE'S COMMITTINGMORE THAN FOURMILLION DOLLARS TOHELP KEEP THETRAILS IN BETTERSHAPE.THE STATE WILL ALSOOFFER A WEEKEND OFFREE SNOWMOBILINGFOR PEOPLE WHOLIVE OUT OF STATENEXT MONTH.SEVEN EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERGILAT MELAMED HASMORE ON HOW THEWEATHER ISIMPACTING WESTERNNEW YORK'SSNOWMOBILINGCOMMUNITY.THIS SNOW MOBILINGSEASON, HAS BEEN ABUMPY RIDE FORWESTERN NEW YORK."ENGINE STARTING""THIS SEASON HASBEEN CHALLENGINGIT'S ONE LIKE I HAVEN'TSEEN IN THE 26 YEARSI'VE BEEN HEREBUFFALOEXPERIENCED ITSSECOND WARMESTJANUARY ON RECORDIN 30 YEARS.TERRY ARMSTRONGHAS BEEN RIDINGSINCE HE WAS 8 ANDSAYS IT'S NOT JUST AMATTER OF SNOW,BUT IF THE GROUNDFREEZES OVER."IF THE GROUNDFREEZES THEN ANYSNOW WE GET ON TOPOF THAT PRETTY MUCHSTAYS, BUT THAT JUSTHASN'T BEEN THESITUATION THE LASTCOUPLE OF YEARS."HE CO-OWNS PIONEERMOTORSPORTS INCHAFFEE WITH HISWIFE MICHELLE.SHE SAYS THE WARMWEATHER HAS BEENTAKING A TOLL ONSALES.AT IT'S PEAK-- THESTORE WOULD SELL250 SNOWMOBILES AYEAR-- THIS SEASONIT'S SOLD ABOUT 60."DEFINITELY THE SNOWMOBILE SALES AREDOWN SUBSTANTIALLYFROM LAST YEAR, ANDTHE YEAR BEFORE, IT'SBEEN PROBABLY 5YEARS SINCE WE'VEHAD ANY TYPE OFDECENT YEAR.""THIS TRAIL HAS BEENUSED ONLY A HANDFULOF TIMES THISSEASON, ARMSTRONGSAYS MANY RIDERSHAVE TO TRAVELELSEWHERE FORBETTER RIDINGCONDITONS.""THEY'LL GO TO THEADIRONDACK REGION,THEY'LL GO TOCANADA."AND THAT'S TAKING ATOLL ON THE LOCALECONOMY INSOUTHERN ERIECOUNTY."IT EFFECTS THERESTAURANTS, THEGAS STATIONS, PEOPLEDON'T REALIZE WHENTHERE'S LACK OFWINTER, THERE'S A LOTOF PEOPLE THAT THEIRBUSINESSES SUFFER."EVEN THOUGH NEWYORK STATE HASOVER 10,000 MILES OFTRAIL--ACCORDING TO THEWEBSITES OF MANYLOCAL SNOW MOBILECLUBS-- TRAILS ARECLOSED OR HAVELIMITED CONDITIONS.PLACES LUCKYENOUGH TO HAVESNOW-- HOPE IT WILLLAST."SOME PEOPLE LOVETHE FACT THATTHERE'S NO SNOW,YOU KNOW, BUT THEYDON'T DO WHAT WE DOHERE."IN CHAFFEE, GILATMELAMED,7 EYEWITNESS