New Falls visitor center for tourists

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) - A visit to Niagara Falls now has one more must-see stop at a brand new visitor center in the honeymoon capital.

The $2.4 million Niagara USA Visitor Center opened Friday with feelings of excitement and anticipation. This is the first new building constructed in the downtown Niagara Falls corridor since 2006.

Various grants, along with federal funding, made the state-of-the-art building possible. Four distinct regions of Niagara County are highlighted: the Falls, river, lake and canal. Various exhibits and flat screen televisions allow visitors to see everything the region has to offer, such as entertainment and attractions that they may have otherwise missed. The hope is to get visitors to stay longer and explore more than just the Falls.

President/CEO of Niagara Tourism and Convention Center John Percy said, "We have wonderful restaurants, we have wonderful shopping, we have wonderful history and heritage, wonderful arts and culture. All that has to be voiced and told to our visitors and this is one avenue we can do that."

Frank Stangio of the Board of Directors of Niagara Tourism and Convention Center said, "It first of all welcomes tourists, it gives them a good feeling of what's going on in the area. So now if they're aware that there is more to do than just these few blocks in Niagara Falls, they may stay an extra day or two to explore the whole region."

The center is centrally located on the new roundabout at Rainbow Noulevard and First Street.