Empire State Development meetings

Weekly Foliage Reports Available Every Wednesday Beginning September 8 on iloveny.com   Reports to Include a New Enhanced Interactive Foliage Progression Map This Season  Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of the 2021 fall foliage season in New York State. Fall is one of the most popular travel times in New York, attracting visitors from around the world to explore the state's unique communities and support local businesses. To help travelers and foliage enthusiasts plan a fall getaway, I LOVE NY will begin issuing its weekly fall foliage reports on Wednesday, September 8, and will now include a new enhanced interactive progression map.   "Every autumn, New York State's spectacular foliage and natural beauty beckons travelers to our world-class state parks, majestic overlooks, historic sites and unparalleled attractions," Governor Hochul said. "New Yorkers have long known about the stunning displays of color showcased all across the state, from Niagara Falls to Montauk Point. Now is the perfect time for residents and visitors alike to plan a fall escape and experience this incredibly colorful season in our great state."   Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, "The fall foliage season in New York State is always a magical time of year, and the I LOVE NY weekly foliage report is a great tool for visitors looking to plan a seasonal getaway. Our new interactive fall foliage map highlights a variety of attractions and events, from harvest festivals to Halloween celebrations, craft beverage trails, museums and family fun, helping residents and visitors alike to find what they love while exploring the amazing palette of autumn colors on display across the state."   Read the full press release here. 

The Empire State Jobs Retention Program was created to provide financial incentives to retain strategic businesses and jobs that are at risk of leaving the state due to the impact on business operations from a natural disaster. Below please find charts A & B of the quarterly program report detailing businesses admitted to the program and credits issued for the second quarter, ending 6/30/2021. Empire State Jobs Retention Program Quarterly Report - Chart A: Businesses Admitted To Program Empire State Jobs Retention Program Quarterly Report- Chart B: Credits Issued

Project Encourages Destination Tourism and Provides an Enhanced Visitor Experience in the Region as More People Plan Camping Trips Photo Available Here Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the completion of an $800,000 expansion and enhancement project at Triple R Camping Resort in Franklinville, Cattaraugus County. Headlining the improvements at the resort is the creation of a new spray pad water park called the LeeKee Lagoon. The project was supported by a $106,812 Market New York capital grant from I LOVE NY/New York State's Division of Tourism, awarded through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative. “New York's tourism industry creates jobs, stimulates spending and economic growth, and is vital to building back the state's economy,” said Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi. "The new LeeKee Lagoon at the Triple R Camping Resort in Franklinville gives visitors another great reason to explore the Chautauqua-Allegheny vacation region and enjoy all the activities and attractions the area has to offer. I LOVE NY looks forward to promoting the new spray pad as the latest amenity for visitors to consider when planning a memory-making New York State getaway." The LeeKee Lagoon at Triple R Camping resort is a truly unique spray pad and interactive play center with water features such as water cannons, water curtains, tipping bucket, 4 lane racing slide and more - tailoring to the 12 and under crowd. Patrons of the campground can also enjoy other recent additions including a hot tub oasis and cabanas, which complement the existing on-site swimming pool. The 39-acre campground is located on a 69-acre site and offers more than 200 campsites, cabin rentals, RV site rentals and amenities including volleyball, basketball, gem mining, shuffleboard, horseshoes, jump pad and multiple playgrounds - to name a few. Triple R Camping Resort President John Tinelli said, “The addition of the LeeKee Lagoon and Hot Tub Oasis is not just an enhancement to our park, its is the first ever spray pad in Cattaraugus county. This project has already created increased tourism in Franklinville. We now have visitors from Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, and as far away as Texas coming to our town and helping to increase business like never before. The project has also boosted sales for other local businesses, as well as ours. We offer a special thanks to everyone at Empire State Development for helping us accomplish such an amazing project for tourism in Western NY. This team is obviously dedicated to putting Market NY Grant funds to work for NY and small business.” Owners John and Jennifer Tinelli bought Triple R Campground on Bryant Hill Road nine years ago. Since then, the owners have seen about 30 percent growth each year. The Tinelli’s believe that the new attractions will help generate an additional 10,000 or more new reservations each year. Interest in camping had been growing steadily prior to the pandemic but saw aggressive growth across the U.S. last year as more people sought local, outdoor experiences that provided room for social distancing. The 2021 North American Camping Report shows that more than 86 million U.S. households consider themselves campers, and 48 million of those households took at least one camping trip in 2020 – up more than six million from 2019. Located about 50 miles south of Buffalo in the foothills of the Allegany Mountains, Franklinville provide visitors with a wealth of outdoor experiences, including golf, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, paddle boarding and kayaking, while dozens of nearby shops and restaurants offer small-town charm. For more information on your next New York State vacation, please visit www.iloveny.com. Senator George Borrello said, "Triple R. Camping Resort draws visitors from around the country. This water park enhances Triple R's draw as a tourist destination, exposing more people to the natural wonders and beauty of Cattaraugus County. It makes a great camping experience better and will boost business across the region. Thank you to Empire State Development and the state Division of Tourism for supporting this project." Assembly Member Joseph Giglio said, “The expansion and enhancements at Triple R Campground, using funds available through ESD’s Market New York Grant, provide unique activities for visitors. These improvements will allow visitors of all ages to fully experience the natural beauty of our region while enjoying amenities available at Triple R Campground. Tourism is a key to jumpstarting our regional economy, especially in the height of the summer travel season. Local businesses support one another as travelers explore other attractions and activities, dining opportunities, shopping, and more.  The positive effects of this investment are incredible for Franklinville and surrounding communities.” Franklinville Town Supervisor Bob Breton said, “I congratulate the Tinelli family on the grand opening of the new water park at their Franklinville campground. Every tourist attraction that is added in the area benefits all the local businesses looking to cater to new and returning visitors. This project gives people yet another reason to enjoy all our beautiful region has to offer.” About Empire State Development Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency. The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Hochul’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I LOVE NY” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov. Contact: Pamm Lent | [email protected] | (716) 846-8309 Laura Magee | [email protected] | (716) 846-8239

Program is supported by “CNY Rising,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to revitalize the community and grow the economy Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the five teams selected to take part in round five of the innovative GENIUS NY business accelerator program. Supported by the CNY Rising Upstate Revitalization Initiative and administered by CenterState CEO at the Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse, these startup, unmanned systems industry companies will participate in a yearlong program. The five finalists include teams with international and New York state representation and were selected from a pool of more than 600 submissions. They will compete for $3 million in direct investment, with one grand prize of up to $1 million and four $500,000 awards. The competition is the largest business accelerator competition for the UAS industry in the world. GENIUS NY participants are required to commit to operating their business in Central New York for at least one year. "The GENIUS NY competition has helped to establish Central New York as a hub for unmanned aerial systems by attracting the next generation of innovative entrepreneurs," said Empire State Development Chief Operating Officer and Executive Deputy Commissioner Kevin Younis. "New York's ongoing UAS investment will ensure that continued industry leadership, bringing top quality jobs and growth to the region and beyond." This month, those five companies will move into The Tech Garden, in downtown Syracuse, and will begin to refine work on their business cases which they present at the Pitch Finals event which will be held Thursday, October 21, 2021 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.  “We look forward to welcoming these teams from around the world to our community so we can support their growth and integrate them into the thriving ecosystem we have developed for the unmanned systems industry,” said Kara Jones, director of GENIUS NY. “Over the next year, they will receive targeted business development resources and mentoring that, coupled with the state’s high-value investment, will ensure their success. It has been incredibly rewarding to see the growth of the teams from previous rounds of the competition and I know this new cohort will join them to further establish The Tech Garden as the leading place to grow your UAS company.”  The five selected finalists are: Airial Robotics (Hamburg, Germany): Airial Robotics develops commercial UAVs for surveillance, logistics and agriculture modeled after gyrocopter/helicopter hybrid that are challenging industry performance limits for safety, payload, range and speed. Airtonomy (Grand Forks, North Dakota): Airtonomy's push-button software automates uniform collection, packaging and analysis of data acquired by autonomous vehicles and sensors, specifically targeting critical energy infrastructure.  CarScanner (Krakow, Poland): CarScanner develops a used car inspection robot that autonomously navigates around a car and automatically detects scratches, dents, repainted body surfaces, and other damages with structured light, thermography and machine-learning algorithms. Circle Optics (Rochester, New York): Circle Optics develops high-resolution, wide field-of-view imaging systems that enable real-time capture without the time and expense of post-processing required by other multicamera systems. Paired to a UAS, this technology can enable immersive telepresence, better autonomy and a platform to run edge applications such as self-localization, object recognition/tracking, and volumetric data capture. WindShape (Geneva, Switzerland): WindShape develops indoor weather simulation technology to test and certify drones under controllable and repeatable flight conditions to enable autonomous and scalable drone applications. Throughout the program, teams will engage with community leaders, mentors, and advisers from leading companies in Central New York while also participating in tourism activities. The goal is to encourage all participants to put down roots and stay in the region following the conclusion of the program. “These companies were selected from the most competitive pool of applications we have ever seen,” said Jeff Fuchsberg, vice president of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at CenterState CEO. “This year’s applicant pool and high-growth finalists highlight the program’s ability to drive success and impact the rapid growth of participating teams. As these teams join our innovation ecosystem, they will also benefit from a network of resources we’ve established to support startup companies at The Tech Garden.”   “The success of this program can be seen in the companies from prior rounds that continue to grow and create jobs in our community,” said Rob Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “Their continued success supports regional efforts to be a global leader in the unmanned systems industry.”   Since 2017, GENIUS NY has invested $12 million in 22 companies from around the world and brought them to Central New York to participate in the yearlong in-residence accelerator where they receive assistance with product development, business development, and networking opportunities with investors and business leaders. Participants are also integrated into the larger regional effort to grow unmanned aerial systems in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley, and will have access to world-leading infrastructure and testing assets. Participants also have opportunities to connect with investors for follow on funding. Since 2017, GENIUS NY companies have raised more than $40 million in follow-on funding and have created over 50 jobs in New York. State Senator Rachel May said, "I applaud all of the finalists and participants in the GENIUS NY competition and look forward to the investments they will make in our region and economy. The energy and innovation they represent is vital to continuing to build a thriving entrepreneurship economy in Central New York. By funding business incubators and nourishing the best talent in our region, we are building a platform from which our local economy can prosper as we retain the talent we need to make our region stronger." State Senator John W. Mannion said, “I've lived in Central New York my entire life, and I watched as friends and family lost their jobs when manufacturing plants closed during bad times. Projects like CNY rising are building the economy of the future - I'm so excited to welcome these companies to my hometown and I hope to see them thrive.”  State Senator Al Stirpe said, "Congratulations to all of these teams selected to take part in this year's GENIUS NY Competition. This program has made Central New York a hub for innovations that will not just create jobs for today, but for the futures to come."  Assemblymember William B. Magnarelli said, “Congratulations to this round of finalists. By drawing these companies to the Tech Garden through the GENIUS NY competition, Onondaga County continues to establish itself as a world leader in the drone and technology industry. The partnerships and opportunities created locally during the entrepreneurial stage create a catalyst for growth and industry leadership in this world-wide cutting-edge industry.”  Assemblymember Pamela Hunter said, “The five teams selected for the next round of the GENIUS NY business accelerator program show a great deal of promise. Whatever the results may be, I am excited to welcome them to Central New York and offer my support for them as they look to innovate within our thriving UAS industry.”  Onondaga County Executive, J. Ryan McMahon said, “As we continue our focused work to grow and diversify our local economy, we are incredibly excited to welcome these teams to our community. The GENIUS NY competition is serving as a platform to showcase why Central New York is an exceptional place to grow a business. I wish these innovators the best of luck and we are ready to provide them with any support that they may need.”  City of Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said, “The GENIUS NY competition attracts UAS startups from around the world to Syracuse. When I look at the list of finalists vying for the $1 million grand prize this year from Europe to right here in Central New York, I continue to be reminded that the ripple effects of this opportunity could be on a global scale for Syracuse and all of New York State. I look forward to seeing how these innovative companies set the bar even higher in the UAS industry and I applaud Empire State Development, the CNY Rising Upstate Revitalization Initiative, CenterState CEO, and The Tech Garden for growing this program in the heart of New York State.”  Central New York Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Randy Wolken, President & CEO of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), and Deborah Stanley, President of the State University of New York at Oswego said, "Congratulations to the teams selected to take part in round five of the GENIUS NY competition. We are proud to welcome these imaginative entrepreneurs to the region as they work to grow their innovative ideas. Through the regional council’s continued support for the GENIUS NY competition, we are ensuring that New York state remains at the forefront of the growing UAS industry in Central New York, creating new opportunities and jobs for residents in the region for generations to come." To learn more about the GENIUS NY program visit: www.geniusny.com. To learn more about CenterState CEO and the Tech Garden, visit: https://www.centerstateceo.com/about-us/partners-programs/tech-garden.   Accelerating CNY Rising Today's announcement complements “CNY Rising,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $6.3 billion in the region since 2012 to lay the groundwork for the plan – capitalizing on global market opportunities, strengthening entrepreneurship and creating an inclusive economy. Now, the region is accelerating Central NY Rising with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 5,900 new jobs. More information is available here. About Empire State Development  Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency. The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of "I LOVE NY," the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, please visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov. Contact: Shari Voorhees-Vincent | [email protected] | (585) 399-7055 Press Office | [email protected] | (800) 260-7313