Research


Administrative History

Formerly a program of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Empire State Games were conducted as a series of annual Olympic-style competitions for amateur athletes from all over New York State. The Games were held in both summer and winter, and included two additional series for physically challenged and senior competitor classes.

In order to accommodate as many ages and abilities as possible, the games were split into major divisions: scholastic (approximately 12-17 years old), open (approximately 18-29 years old), and masters (approximately 30-75 years old). While many events consistently remained part of the Games each year, organizers reviewed participation statistics annually, adding or subtracting sports as necessary. Although the Winter Games were always held in Lake Placid, the Summer Games moved around the state from year to year in order to allow all regions to benefit from acting as hosts.

In 2009 and 2011, the Empire State Summer Games were cancelled due to a lack of funding from the State of New York. The 2012 Winter Games, Summer Games, and Games for the Physically Challenged were held due to private donations and community fundraisers. The Empire State Sports Foundation was created in 2012 in order to raise money for the Summer Games. Since its establishment in 1978, the Summer Games, in particular, have expanded to become one of the largest and most extensive amateur state-sponsored athletic programs in the nation, allowing New Yorkers to enjoy watching high-caliber athletes and even some future Olympians.