With more than 4.1 million New Yorkers weighing in, the vote count showed 45.58% supporting the amendment, 42.09% opposing it, 12.29% just leaving it blank and 0.04% voiding their vote.

The “yes” to “no” partial-total was at 1,895,861 to 1,750,855, with around half a million skipping the proposition.

The proposal asked New York voters to approve adding some language to the state constitution and 2,500 acres of land is added to the Forest Preserve.

The vote, though mostly only impacting the Mount Van Hoevenberg complex, was taken by voters statewide, since it amends the state constitution.

To amend Article 14 of the state Constitution like this takes a long process. Both houses of the state legislature needed to pass the proposed amendment in two consecutive legislative sessions. The proposed amendment passed in the 2023-24 session, and then again in June of this year.

It needed a simple majority to be ratified.

To read more about the proposal and environmental outreach, go to tinyurl.com/mwjzerrj.

For years, the state Olympic Regional Development Authority has built out the facilities at the 1,039-acre Mount Van Hoevenberg sports complex it owns and operates — including an Olympic bobsled, skeleton and luge track, and Nordic skiing and biathlon trails.

But some of this work — including tree cutting and building construction — has extended into a constitutionally protected Forest Preserve. Some buildings, roads and parking lots straddle the town-state boundary, and there has been tree cutting on the Forest Preserve beyond what is allowed.

The biathlon stadium crosses into the Forest Preserve, and there are parking lots on state-owned land. The bobsled run at the complex is all on town land, so it’s not a problem.

The solution the state settled on is to authorize the development on these 323 acres around the biathlon stadium, though Article 14 — the “forever wild” clause of the state Constitution — and offset with more land in the park being added to the Forest Preserve.

It places restrictions on ORDA for future development at the site and ensures future development is within those restrictions.

The authorization of this development on these 323 acres from the Forest Preserve would be offset by the purchase of 2,500 acres of land somewhere in the Adirondacks to add to the Forest Preserve, likely in Essex County.

The amendment was crafted by state employees, legislators, green groups and ORDA.

Ever since Mount Van Hoevenberg’s first Unit Management Plan was created in 1986, nearly every UMP since has noted the need to address the “forever wild” status of the state lands there.

While state-owned ski areas at Whiteface Mountain, Gore Mountain and Belleayre Mountain each have Article 14 amendments authorizing their use, there’s never been a constitutional amendment to explicitly authorize the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex. This amendment would create an authorization similar to these ski areas.

The sports complex was first developed in 1929 with the creation of a bobsled run that was later used in the 1932 Olympics.

An enabling legislation also passed both houses. This bill makes sure the amendment is implemented correctly. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed this bill the week prior to Election Day.

It details what the land at the sports complex can and cannot be used for. Banned uses include hotels, condominiums, zip lines, swimming pools, tennis courts, all-terrain vehicle use or paths for the public and “other structures and improvements which are not directly related to and necessary for operation, maintenance and public use of the sports complex; or any structure located at or above an elevation of 2,200 feet above sea level used for the sale of any goods, services, merchandise, food or beverage.”

Former North Country Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay Lake, and downstate Sen. Pete Harckham, D-South Salem, introduced the Constitutional Amendment (S.5227/A.7454) and the enabling legislation (S.6888/A.3628) in their respective houses. North Country state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, co-sponsored the senate legislation.