The Lake George Blue Economy

When people think of economic development, they often think of business parks, manufacturing facilities, or office buildings.
In Warren County, one of our most important economic assets is something entirely different: water.
Lake George’s boating and marine economy supports businesses, jobs, tourism, real estate investment, and quality of life across the region. It is a powerful example of how natural resource protection and economic development work hand-in-hand.
Consider the impact:
𝟑𝟓,𝟓𝟎𝟓 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 conducted in 2024 alone, helping protect one of America’s most celebrated lakes from invasive species.
$𝟖𝟓𝟗 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 across Warren County, with boating and water-based recreation representing a major driver of that activity.
𝐃𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐬, 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 support a vibrant waterfront economy.
𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐬 are supported directly and indirectly through tourism, hospitality, recreation, and marine-related businesses.
𝐀 𝟑𝟐-𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞-𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 known as the “Queen of American Lakes,” drawing visitors from across the Northeast and beyond for boating, cruising, fishing, paddling, and waterfront experiences.
At EDC Warren County, we increasingly view stewardship of our natural assets as an economic strategy. The same clean water that supports recreation, tourism, and waterfront investment also helps define our regional identity and competitive advantage.
As we continue conversations around outdoor recreation, freshwater protection, and innovation opportunities, the Lake George Blue Economy reminds us that some of our most valuable economic assets are the ones we are fortunate enough to inherit and responsible enough to protect.