Attend our Upcoming Open House!

Please join the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation and Moffatt & Nichol for the Buffalo Cruise Market Study Open House.

June 22, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. **In Person Event Only**

Canalside Pavilion, 130 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203

Open House Meeting Flyer

What is the Vision for Cruising in Buffalo and the Great Lakes Region?

This is the central question posed by the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation and its consultant, Moffatt & Nichol, as they develop the Buffalo Cruise Market Study. We invite you to be a part of this developing process.

Buffalo, NY waterfront and skyline

Source: visitbuffaloniagara.com

Project Overview

In August 2022, New York (NY) Governor Hochul announced accelerated funding to redevelop Buffalo’s waterfront, focusing on several key projects. These projects increase pedestrian waterfront access and recreation, provide road and safety improvements to create waterfront parkways, and invest $87 million in the DL&W Terminal for a new commercial activity center and metro rail station. This plan builds upon the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC)’s work over the past decade to restore 21 historic acres at Canalside and 200 acres on Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, which has resulted in $300 million in new development.[1] ECHDC is tasked with developing and implementing the Governor’s vision of a redeveloped Buffalo waterfront to attract people and businesses.

Critical in the plan making process is learning about issues and priorities from Buffalo’s residents and regional stakeholders. Can Buffalo’s waterfront be considered a viable option for a river cruise homeport or port-of-call? What potential locations are strategic, and hold promise for river cruise infrastructure? What types of amenities are needed? What should be prioritized? How can we best learn from other port cities in the region as we examine the logistics and infrastructure challenges ahead? These and other questions are paramount in understanding the market assessment for a cruise facility along Buffalo’s waterfront.

The Buffalo Cruise Market Study’s goals are to:

  • Assess market potential and measure anticipated economic benefits associated with cruising to the Buffalo region.
  • Establish a strategy involving physical, operational, and marketing investments to maximize available market and economic opportunities.

Project Approach & Schedule

The following outlines the project overview and schedule of the Market Demand Study for the Cruise Industry in Buffalo.

  • Task 1: Assess current and future cruise industry prospects for the Buffalo region and Great Lakes
  • Task 2: Strategy formulation for Buffalo/Niagara to guide the development of the cruise ship industry on the Great Lakes.
  • Task 3: Infrastructure requirements for cruise homeport and port-of-call operations in the Buffalo region.
  • Task 4: Measure potential economic benefits of cruise facility development in the Bufalo region and final reporting.

Buffalo Cruise Market Study Project Schedule

Source: Moffatt & Nichol, 2023

Available Presentations & Downloads

Please check below as we will share the meeting presentation and materials as they become available.