U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has publicly backed the idea after visiting Olympic facilities in Lake Placid, according to WWNY. Governor Kathy Hochul is also looking at the possibility of forming an exploratory committee to assess whether such a bid could be realistic, according to WAMC.

A bid built on two cities

The proposal would rely on a split model, using Lake Placid’s winter-sport venues alongside major facilities in New York City. Supporters argue that the state already has much of the infrastructure needed, including Lake Placid’s biathlon course, bobsled run and alpine venues, as well as Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center and Yankee Stadium in New York City.

The concept has drawn comparisons with the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, where events are spread across venues separated by long distances. The distance between Lake Placid and New York City, roughly 290 miles, would still pose a major logistical challenge, but backers say it is not without precedent.

The idea gained wider attention after a December 2025 opinion piece in the New York Daily News by Assemblyman Robert Carroll and former North Country Assemblyman D. Billy Jones. Carroll has since renewed his call for a formal exploratory committee.

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“We have the facilities ready to host these Games,” Carroll said during a January panel discussion, pointing to the range of venues available across the state.

The transport question

Transportation remains the biggest obstacle. Lake Placid faced similar concerns when it hosted the 1980 Winter Olympics, and any future bid would need to show how athletes, officials, media and spectators could move efficiently between upstate New York and the city.

Gillibrand has framed that challenge as an opportunity. She suggested that a bid could strengthen the case for long-discussed high-speed rail linking New York City, Albany, Lake Placid and Montreal.

“How long in New York have we talked about having a high-speed rail line,” Gillibrand said. “How amazing would it be to have one through New York, through Albany, Lake Placid and up to Montreal. It would be transformative.”

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A political push gathers pace

The push is now moving beyond talk. State Senator Dan Stec has introduced legislation to create a commission to study a possible bid, with the measure currently in committee.

Hochul has also signalled interest. Speaking to Politico’s Albany Bureau Chief Nick Reisman on March 11, she said she shared Carroll’s enthusiasm for exploring the idea. Her administration has already invested heavily in New York’s Olympic facilities, reinforcing the image of the state as a lasting part of Olympic history.

For now, the bid remains only a possibility. But with senior state and federal officials showing interest, New York’s long-shot Olympic ambition is beginning to look more organised, and harder to dismiss.

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