MONTICELLO, NY — One way of measuring growth in Sullivan County is to count the number of reviews the county planning department performs each year. The department is required to perform a “239 Review” for projects that have “potential countywide or inter-municipal significance.”

According to the latest monthly newsletter put out by county manager Josh Potosek’s office, the county planning department “has conducted more than 200 GML-239 Reviews this year, a third higher than either 2016 or 2015. Much of the reviewed activity has occurred in the Town of Thompson and Village of Monticello.”

This reflects the construction of the Resorts World Catskills casino at the site of the old Concord Hotel, and the YO1 health facility (formerly called Veria Lifestyle Wellness Resort) at the site of Kutsher’s Hotel. But the 239 Reviews also reflect many other projects in the Town of Thompson and Village of Monticello.

The casino will be located within the larger Adelaar resort, which will include an indoor-outdoor water park that is currently under construction. The newsletter says, “The water park and adjacent family hotel sit about half a mile north of the casino complex in Monticello, along Chalet Road, on property that used to host the former Concord Resort Hotel’s International Golf Course, sibling of the Monster course.

“Hundreds of workers have already erected the laminated arches which will support the roof of the water park, along with footings that will hold the slides, which will exit and re-enter the structure. Designed by the same group that operates Aquatopia in the Poconos, the complex will open in 2019, about a year after the casino.”