Governor Hochul: "This has been a remarkable week in the history of New York State. Let's just go back to Tuesday. Senator Schumer alluded to this. Now, every country, every state in the nation wanted to attract one of the world's largest semiconductor companies, a $100 billion investment I think this is also a turning point in our state's history, and people realize this is the place for the future technologies and a place to do business."
Hochul: "Two days later, President Biden comes to New York once again and announces with IBM, making a $20 billion investment in New York State And how do you cap off a week like this? The David Geffen Hall is done under budget two years early. What a week in New York's history, my friends. I can't wait to see what next week brings."
Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul joined Lincoln Center and New York Philharmonic leadership to announce the opening of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts' new $550 million David Geffen Hall. The reimagined home of the world-renowned New York Philharmonic has opened two years ahead of schedule with expanded access to public space for the community. The project has transformed David Geffen Hall into an illustrious venue that will further enrich New York City as a vibrant destination for the culture and arts.
VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
AUDIO of the event is available here.
PHOTOS of the event will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks are available below:
What an extraordinary day it is to be here. I am just overjoyed. I am so proud of what was accomplished here, and just another reminder is you don't bet against New Yorkers. They get the job done. So, Katherine Farley, thank you for being the person who never said no. You said we can get this done and I'm honored to call you a friend.
Let's give another round of applause to Katherine Farley.
I will also take note, it is really nice to have your Senator actually be the Majority Leader in the US Senate, and my position is: Let's make sure he stays as our Majority Leader because he's always delivering for New York State. My great friend, Chuck Schumer. To our leaders, Henry Timms and Deborah Borda, and to Oscar Tang and Peter May, you think about the great history people read - or watching maybe on Netflix and other programming - The Gilded Age, The Gilded Age. People will look back at this and say, "This was our age of awesome. The age when we did the impossible when there was no challenge too great that we couldn't overcome." And people will look back and say, "You are the patrons, the visionaries, the people who said, 'We can do this.'" And so, I'm proud to call you my contemporaries, but you will all go down in history when people look at this building 100 and 200 years from now and say, "They got it done in the middle of a global pandemic." That is extraordinary, my friends. That is absolutely extraordinary.
Also, the elected officials you have here. This area is so well represented with Senator Brad Hoylman and Linda Rosenthal and Gale Brewer. I mean, these are people of heart and passion who care deeply about this community, and they'll always deliver for you as well. And I'm blessed to have the dream team in economic development. Hope Knight, the leader of our team, let's give her a round of applause. She's helping make dreams happen everywhere.
I just want to point out today's Saturday. This has been a remarkable week in the history of New York State. Let's just go back to Tuesday. Senator Schumer alluded to this. Now every country, every state in the nation wanted to attract one of the world's largest semiconductor companies, a $100 billion investment, and I think Texas thought they were going to get it. Well, guess who wanted this team here? Senator Schumer and I teamed up to make that happen. I think this is also a turning point in our state's history, and people realize this is the place for future technologies and a place to do business. Literally, two days later, President Biden comes to New York once again and announces with IBM, making a $20 billion investment in New York State. And around the same time, we break a record, 62. Thank you, Aaron Judge, for putting New York on the map again. And how do you cap off a week like this? The David Geffen Hall is done under budget two years early. What a week in New York's history, my friends. I can't wait to see what next week brings.
But to all the people who never gave up, and there was a lot of stress going on here, to these 6,000 workers, when others were zooming into life for two years, the construction teams, the architects, the engineers, the labor unions, and 30 percent MWBE participation, you all showed up to work and you made this magic happen. And I am so proud of what you've done here. This just signals to me, there's nothing that New Yorkers can't do that they put their minds to, and in order to help other cultural institutions who want to emulate the audacity and the boldness of this project. And I thank, David Geffen, for gracing this building with his support. But I'm also saying, "Okay, let's keep up in the game." That's why this week I'm announcing $150 million in capital grants for arts and culturals in the State of New York, so there can be the next projects that need to get finished as well. This is part of our identity. It is who we are. This is how we're known across the world, and we're just getting started. Thank you, everyone, and congratulations.
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