On Wednesday, regional tourism officials spoke about the logistics of opening major events this spring and summer after the state issued new guidelines relaxing some COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Monday that events could take place as long as a limit of 500 people is met.

If the community size is greater than 500 people outdoors, all participants over 4 years of age must provide proof of full vaccination status or recent COVID-19 negative test and maintain the required 6 feet social distance between guests.

While regulations have opened up the possibility for some, it has resulted in some events such as the Honor America Days in Rome, Woodsmen’s Field Days in Boonville and the Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts being canceled this summer due to the capacity of the audience would be too difficult to manage.

On Wednesday, Mark Donovan of the Boilermaker Road Race said during a regional tourism forum hosted by The Genesis Group that plans are being made to hopefully bring the event back to Utica this year, but staff are looking into capacity issues and trying to figure out how to get one effective event can be achieved, which is usually a big draw.

During the forum, Oneida County Tourism Director Kelly Blazosky spoke to the government’s Excelsior Pass program and how it could become part of the event. Use of the pass is voluntary, but it does allow users to upload their vaccination and testing information, which can be viewed for entry to an event.

“Companies and venues can scan and validate your passport to ensure you meet any COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements for entry. Along with your passport, you will be asked to show photo ID with your name and date of birth to verify that the passport is yours. Adults can have ID cards for accompanying minors, ”a state website said. Visit ny.gov/excelsiorpass for more information

Among the speakers at the virtual tourism forum on Wednesday was Joel Barkin, spokesman for the Oneida Indian Nation.

Barkin noted that while the Turning Stone Resort and Casino closed last year for the first time in 28 years, it took the opportunity to complete renovations to its entertainment, wedding, dining and meeting rooms. “We have a great year ahead of us,” he said, noting that travel bookings are still ongoing.

There is one obstacle, however. Barkin and Kelly Greene of Enchanted Forest Resort found that finding employees is a challenge right now.

For Greene, attempts to recruit staff to open the resort on June 18 will be restricted by international college students who may not be able to occupy places they normally have due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions would. Greene also said the latest crowd capacity regulations put in place by the state have left her with questions about where in the water park people should be masked and socially distant.

When the park opens this year, visitors can add new slides – Serengeti Stampede, a 293-foot slide; Mamba Strike, a 285-foot body tube slide, and Killermanjaro Revenge, a 207-foot drop slide.

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