Region Awarded $55 Million for Tourism, Infrastructure
By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
ALBANY
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on December 23 that the Mohawk Valley economic region, which includes Otsego County, would receive $55.4 million in grants. Officials said the money will be used for a mix of tourism, agribusiness, healthcare and infrastructure improvements.
The Regional Economic Development Council Initiative awarded $23.4 million across the region. Projects in Otsego County include: $2,000,000.00 for SUNY Oneonta to renovate Netzer Hall; $200,000.00 for Custom Electronics Inc., a military, commercial, and industrial electronics manufacturer, to add a new electronic printed circuit board assembly line in Oneonta; and $40,000.00 for a Town of Oneonta strategic planning and feasibility study for West End development.
Through the state’s inaugural Advancing Collaboration for High-impact Initiatives for Economic Visions and Expansion competition, the region was awarded $32 million for its “Rooted in the Mohawk Valley” proposal. The proposal was put forward by the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council, chaired by SUNY Cobleskill President Dr. Marion Terenzio and Lawrence T. Gilroy III, president of Gilroy, Kernan & Gilroy Inc. The region also includes Oneida, Herkimer, Schoharie, Fulton, and Montgomery counties.
“I remain grateful for everyone involved in advancing the work of the Regional Economic Development Councils. Their dedication to this ongoing public-private effort has had a transformational impact in every corner of the state,” Gov. Hochul said in a press release. “Congratulations to four regions, named the inaugural winners of the ACHIEVE competition. The focused investments laid out in the locally designed plans will create investment opportunities that will help to build an enduring and successful future for all New Yorkers.”
The competition offered up to $50 million to winning regions. Other winners included Long Island, New York City and the Southern Tier.
A spokesperson for Gov. Hochul’s office said in a statement that ACHIEVE awards did not go to individual projects.
“The proposal will serve as a template for investments and development, similar to the plans submitted as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initia-tive. Empire State Development will be working with each ACHIEVE region in 2026 on how best to implement projects that align with the strategic vision outlined in the region’s proposal,” the spokesperson said.
The Mohawk Valley Economic Development Council’s initial proposal was for more than $85 million, meaning officials will continue working to assign the $32 million that was awarded. All of the proposed projects also had additional match sponsors in varied amounts.
Proposal priorities for Otsego County that could potentially receive portions of the $32 million pie for the six-county region included $3.5 million for an expansion to the National Baseball Hall of Fame; $1 million in improvements at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field; and $400,000.00 for The Makery, a new food manufacturing hub in Oneonta.
Michelle Catan, a Republican member of the Otsego County Board of Representatives representing the Town of Oneonta, told AllOtsego she was excited to assist with the proposal.
“The Makery is an award winning local manufacturer who specializes in frozen treats and employs local developmentally disabled adults from Springbrook, ARC Otsego and Pathfinder Village,” Catan wrote. “This award will allow for the growth of this workforce and fill a need for small batch food manufacturing in the region. The inclusion of the Taste of NY Store will allow many local small businesses to sell their products and The Makery will be able to offer a commissary kitchen and training center.
“Our county is a tourism destination, so the inclusion of SUNY Oneonta developing a microcredential program for tourism, hospitality, and event management is a key project for our county and others within the MV region,” Catan continued.
“It goes without saying that the National Baseball Hall of Fame is a key economic driver for our county. The expansion of the museum and upgrades to Doubleday Field will bring profound growth and return on investment to our area for years to come,” Catan said.
