Over $4.7 Million in Economic Development Funding Coming to Chautauqua County

ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced the recipients of $700 million in economic and community development funding through Round 6 of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.

A centerpiece of the Governor’s strategy to jumpstart the economy and create jobs, the Regional Councils were established in 2011 to replace the state’s old top-down approach to economic development, with one that is community-based and performance-driven.

In Western New York, a total of 105 projects across Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara Counties received $62 million. For Chautauqua County, 23 projects received a total of $4.78 million.

Local award recipients included:

• City of Jamestown receiving $1,480,000 for Tracy Plaza Green Renovations;
• National Comedy Center – $600,000 – for National Comedy Center Gap Funding, and another $234,000 for National Comedy Center Tourism Capital;
• Village of Celoron –  $354,220 – for Lucille Ball Memorial Park Improvements- Phase II Construction;
• Jamestown Renaissance Corporation – $111,297 – for Downtown Jamestown Winter Garden Plaza Phase II;
• Village of Lakewood – $100,000 – for Village of Lakewood, Town of Busti Stormwater Management Engineering Study;
• Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District – $94,200 – for Chautauqua County Highway Erosion Control.
• $40,510 to Libera, Inc. for Employee Enhancement Project;
• $30,000 to Town of Ellicott for Collection System Study; and
• $16,945 to Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Economic Development for Marketing Chautauqua County’s Overland Trails.

County Executive Vince Horrigan said that a total of 50 projects in the county had submitted applications. He said the awards awards will go a long way to help keep Chautauqua County on the move, adding that together with the $10 million Downtown Revitalization award for the City of Jamestown, Chautauqua County is truly benefiting from Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Strategy.

For more information about the awards or the Regional Economic Development Councils, visit www.RegionalCouncils.ny.gov.