ROCHESTER (WXXI and Associated Press) Communities in New York state are splitting $755 million in state economic development funding.
State officials announced the awards Wednesday at an event in Albany. The money will support hundreds of local economic development efforts, including job training, subsidies for expanding businesses and funding for community organizations.
This year's big winners include central New York, the Mohawk Valley, the Albany region, the mid-Hudson Valley and Long Island, which each received more than $80 million.
The Finger Lakes got this lowest amount this time around, receiving the lowest amount at $63.9 million dollars.
State Senator Joe Robach, (R-Rochester), says he's not disappointed that the Finger Lakes Region was last on the list.
He says the region hasn't used all the resources from a half-billion dollar award from several years ago. Robach says that funding goes through a different process, and this money can be used a little more rapidly.
“What I really want to focus on, whether we win the big prize, or smaller size, is to make sure we are really using the money effectively in public-private partnerships to create jobs here in the Rochester area," Robach told WXXI News.
Among the larger items contained in the Finger Lakes proposal is $2 million for redevelopment of the former Medley Centre property; $1.5 million for CGI Communications' expansion plans in downtown Rochester; $1 milion for renovations at the George Eastman Museum, and $1 million for a renovation project at the Rochester Museum and Science Center.
There's also more than $4 million for a sewer project in the Village of Naples.
The Finger Lakes plans also include $550,000 for renovations at The Little Theatre in Rochester which is operated by WXXI.