Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and Delta Air Lines Announce Opening of Delta's New Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport, Bringing a Whole New LGA Near Completion

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Rick Cotton and Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian announced the opening of Delta's new Terminal C, which marks the substantial completion of the $8 billion whole new LaGuardia Airport just six years after beginning construction. The opening of Terminal C on June 4, combined with the completion of the new Terminal B earlier this year, means every passenger, except those traveling through the landmarked Marine Air Terminal, will experience new, world-class airport facilities when departing from or arriving to the airport. At a cost of $4 billion - including a $500 million investment by the Port Authority for new roadways and supporting infrastructure -- Terminal C represents Delta's largest ever investment in an airport facility. With today's milestone, coming mere months after the Governor celebrated the completion of the airport's new Terminal B in January, a Whole New LaGuardia Airport becomes the nation's first major new airport in more than 25 years.

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 is available below:

Thank you so much. What an extraordinary day. Thank you all for joining us as we celebrate yet another milestone, not just in the history of LaGuardia Airport, but in the history of the State of New York. This forever will be a point of pride for all New Yorkers, because it's a symbol of our resiliency. This, in its final years, occurred during a global pandemic. I am in awe of the people who are involved in this project from the very beginning, those who answered the call, the challenge I should say, from then Vice-President Biden. Come see this, President Biden, because your jaw is going to drop.

I'm so proud to be joined by the people who made this happen and I'm going to start with the leader of the Port Authority, Executive Director Rick Cotton, who I'm going to dub the magician because he makes magic happen. This project is two years early and we were together just a few months ago, January 27th, for the opening of Terminal B. And I said, well, come on, when is C going to be done? He says, that'll be done this spring. And I said, well, you know, spring is done June 21st. So, you're actually early with this one, too, Rick. So, let's give him a round of applause.

Jeff Lynford, our Vice Chair of the Port Authority is here as well. I want to welcome him. Also to all the commissioners at the Port Authority, you are the people who drove this project to ensure it was done. As well as my predecessor in the past administration, Governor Cuomo, who was the genesis of this, working hard as well. I want to give recognition where it is due.

And also to the leader of Delta Airlines, Ed Bastion. For 25 years, you had a vision of how Delta could be globally recognized as a leader in delivering aviation services to the world. You have exceeded all expectations. We're proud of your work. We're proud to have Delta - I'm going to say, perhaps as your headquarters someday here in New York. I never miss a chance. But we're so proud to have you here and to see what your vision has accomplished, your willingness to just walk into a challenge and say we can get it done. And you got it done early by two years. So, let's go around applause to Ed Bastian.

Rick Blastein, the CEO of OTG. This is extraordinary, the work that went into ensuring that this opportunity was not just for a few, but for many - particularly those who live in this community. Let's give Rick a round of applause as well.

And who actually built this? Gary LaBarbera personally - no, but he's a commissioner so this is personal. He's also the president of New York City Building Trades and I'm going to take a minute because I come from a blue collar family at the other end of Delta's trip, I took it all the time as lieutenant governor up in Buffalo. So, I had family members in these unions and I want to give a shout out to iron workers local 361, laborers local 79, IBEW local3, operating engineers local 14 and 15, the millwright machinery erectors local 740 and the carpenter's local 45 and 46. Let's give them a round of applause because these are the people who showed up during a pandemic and built this masterpiece.

So, today we celebrate basically the completion. There's a little bit more tear down that has to go on, but the buildup is complete. Every person who travels on this airport will have an extraordinary experience. Unthinkable just a few years ago. This has been a six year, $8 billion project. And I'm happy to say most of that did not come from us, it came from Delta and our other partners. So, you know, when I was here before I announced that UNESCO had determined that this received the 2021 global architecture design award for the best new airport in the world. What a statement to go from, to go from worst to the best, not just in America, but in the world. That's what New Yorkers do, that is a symbol of New York exceptionalism. It's something that we lost along the way, but we have regained it, my friends, and I'm telling you, I do love airports.

When Joe Biden made that challenge in 2014, I had literally just become a nominee for lieutenant governor and my daily commute almost was from Buffalo to New York City and back on a Delta airline, a Delta plane. So I got to know everybody here, especially when the planes were late at night. No fault of yours. It was the weather. I guarantee you it was the weather. I'm from Buffalo, what can I say? It happens, it happens.

But so many times I would just walk and meet people. The people that were cleaning the restrooms and thank them for what they do and the people who served us our food late at night. And, you know, just the people that just made you feel so welcome. And that is genuine. I have seen so many people in all these years of public service, but the team at Delta is second to none. And I want your members to know that is not unrecognized because I know they live here and they're proud of this city, their proud of this state, but you have to be so proud of this new home.

So, I will tell all of you, you need to walk through this building. You need to embrace this and look at the artwork, beautiful article in the New York Times that showcase the stories of the artist, all local, telling you stories and their lives through their masterpieces here, but this is just going to have such a wow factor and I'm really excited to be here.

I don't want to go on and on and on, and they have all these details. I'm sure you're going to hear them from somebody, but just notice how bright it feels. Just notice this, absorb this. I believe that all of our transportation centers should have the same experience. Penn Station, I'm coming after you next.

I also want to thank those who determine that we should have the best amenities, the best restaurants. Do they have drinks to go here? I just wonder about that. And to Ryan Marzullo, I want to thank you for what you did in reaching out to the community and making sure that everybody, not just the 9,000 construction jobs, which were extraordinary, but that fact that 60 percent of the people hired for Terminal C are from where, Borough President Donovan Richards? Your borough - they're from Queens, they're from Queens. This is something I know is important to you.

Congressman Greg Meeks was here, also said to us, I want the people from Queens to be working here. I want them to get a share, but let's recognize him as well for his great representation.

And overall $2 billion in MWB contracts at LaGuardia, a state record. That is historic. But now that is our benchmark. We're going to always exceed that in my opinion. Just to make sure the local communities have a shot at this. Why not? They're the ones who put up with all the disruption, they should be the main stakeholders and the beneficiaries of this.

And Queens Museum. Thank you so much for giving your talents and your treasures to help make this just such an uplifting experience. And that's what it should always have been. And now it finally is.

I'm simply here to say this is amazing. I'm so proud to be the governor of a state where we dream big. We also achieve big. A lot of people could have talked about this for many, many years or slowed down or stopped during a pandemic because of the risk involved, but this is when you really leaned into it. And everyone involved in this project, this is your masterpiece. All of you involved, this is a legacy that you'll be telling your kids and your grandkids that you had a part of.

Just like in 1929, when the idea during a crash, the stock market crash right here, people didn't shirk away and say, well, we'll think about big things a decade from now. No, they started planning for the LaGuardia Airport that was opened in 1939, a decade later. What a transformation this has been. But, my friends. This is New York. We're just getting started.