The Department of Veteran Affairs has reversed course and now says the 27th Annual National Veterans Golden Age Games are back on, after being postponed last week. Last Tuesday, the VA abruptly announced that the games, scheduled for May 30 to June 4, would be postponed. But U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and Rep. Brian Higgins Monday afternoon announced the event will take place, as originally planned.
The VA initially claimed it canceled the games, dubbed locally as “Warriors on the Waterfront,” as it conducted a “comprehensive assessment” of its events and programs. Schumer and Higgins had urged VA leaders to reverse their decision, saying the cancelation would have cost the region $2.2 million in economic impact.
"When we heard that the Department of Veterans Affairs had abruptly and indefinitely postponed this competition for our heroes, we knew we weren’t going down without a fight, and today Western New York’s veteran community and the local economy are victorious,” Schumer said.
The games are expected to bring in about 1,000 veterans to Buffalo for six days of athletic competition.
