A rural Western New York community is getting dozens of high-tech jobs. Internet icon Yahoo! announced Tuesday morning that it is coming to the town of Lockport.
That is the message New York Power Authority President Richard Kessel and a number of government officials sent with the announcement that Internet giant Yahoo! is setting up shop in Niagara County.
"I believe that it’s not just the jobs that are gonna come from Yahoo!, but opening up for other companies to say, you know, if an international company like Yahoo! is going, there's magic in Western New York," said Richard Kessel, NYPA President.
The announcement brings a shift in the way people view this community.
"In the past, people would see Western New York and they might say, ‘I'm not even going to pay attention,’ but we have so many things to offer," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, (D) New York.
That now includes a multi-million dollar data center going up in the town of Lockport.
"Because what are we talking about here? A four letter word: J-O-B-S. Jobs," Schumer said.
About 75 jobs will come to Lockport. The data center will receive 10 megawatts of low-cost hydropower from NYPA. The first phase of construction is scheduled to begin this fall.
"There are literally thousands of things that go into running a data center that supports a half billion Internet users around the world. And New York State and greater Buffalo hit the mark for us in many, many ways," said David Dibble, Yahoo!.
The rural Niagara County site was chosen over several other sites around the country, including Medina in Orleans County and Pembroke in Genesee County.
"Between the strong, educated work force, diversity and potential sites, attractive economic development opportunities and competitive hydro power rates from NYPA, Western New York is absolutely world class," Dibble said.
The facility should be operational by January 2011.
Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks said Tuesday that getting and keeping businesses here is what the county continues to focus on.
Brooks says it is tough to be competitive but Yahoo's move to Lockport is proof there is value in upstate.
"We talk to companies all the time and they are always saying the same thing and that is we have a lot of resources and assets to bring to the table; mainly our highly skilled workforce in upstate New York but this is a company that will benefit from that workforce, and the low-cost power they cited in the Lockport area. So it is a win regionally and it does strengthen the economic landscape of upstate New York," she said.
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