Majority Leader Bruno Announces Senate Support for Buffalo Life Sciences Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2004

Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno announced in Buffalo today that the Senate will commit $10 million towards a $40 million plan to fund an expansion of the growing Buffalo-Niagara Life Sciences complex. Senator Bruno hopes Governor Pataki and the State Assembly will also commit $10 million each and that the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Complex will raise an additional $10 million to pay for new research equipment, laboratories, research recruitment and infrastructure improvements at the complex.

At a news conference at the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Complex, Senator Bruno was joined by Senator Dale M. Volker (R-C, Depew), Senator Mary Lou Rath (R-C, Williamsville) and Senator George Maziarz (R-C, Tonawanda) to announce a plan to provide state assistance for the Buffalo-Niagara Pioneers of Science Development Fund and the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus Infrastructure Fund.

"The Senate has made economic growth, especially in biotechnology, a major priority and today's announcement builds on our efforts to strengthen and expand the biotechnology industry in Western New York," Senator Bruno said. "However, these kinds of economic development projects are on hold because the state budget is being held up over school aid for New York City. Our priority in Albany has to be to get together on a new budget that includes funding for projects such as this."

"Senators Volker, Rath, Maziarz and McGee have advocated strongly for the expansion of this complex and what we are proposing today would help make Buffalo one of the leading centers in the world for biotech research and economic development and create thousands of new jobs," Senator Bruno said. "I hope Governor Pataki and the Assembly will be supportive of this effort and will join the Senate in providing full funding for this critically important expansion project"

"The Buffalo-Niagara Medical complex is on the cutting edge of medical science and biomedical innovation that will significantly impact our lives in the immediate and long-term future," Senator Volker said. "The Senate is a major supporter of high technology endeavors that not only benefit the physical health of all New Yorkers, but our economic well-being as well. With public-private research partnerships, comes spin-off businesses, jobs and economic opportunities that benefit our region and state."

"The Buffalo-Niagara Medical Complex has made incredible advances over the years, and helped to make Western New York a major presence in international scientific circles," Senator Rath said. "Today's announcement demonstrates the Senate's commitment to making Western New York a world leader in the field of biomedical research."

"The Senate's plan to fund the expansion of these research facilities will help attract public and private investment dollars and generate thousands of high-paying jobs for the entire Western New York region," Senator McGee said. "It's another example of how New York has become a national leader in biotechnology economic development."

"The Senate is very supportive of investing in biotechnology, particularly in Western New York, and developing our region into a major force for research and new jobs," Senator Maziarz said.

Under the Senate proposal, $20 million in capital funds would be committed to the Buffalo-Niagara Pioneers of Science Development Fund for equipment and related laboratory renovations to recruit recognized leaders in science who will spearhead the continued growth of the Buffalo Life Sciences Complex.

In addition, $20 million in capital funds would be provided for the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus Infrastructure Fund to create state-of-the-art space for start-up companies that develop through the transfer and application of biomedical research to new businesses and jobs. The funds would be used to:

- Develop a parking structure to accommodate expanding employment and enhance access to the access to the institutions and businesses located in the campus;

- Create shovel-ready sites on the campus to help spur private sector and clinical research developments that will complement the large infrastructure already in place; and

- Create industrial co-location space that will bring businesses into the medical campus and provide space for life science start-up companies.

The Senate initiated the largest biotechnology economic development investment in state history with the Gen*NY*sis program. Through Gen*NY*sis, the state has invested more than $225 million in biotechnology research and development partnerships among the public and private sectors and the state's leading research colleges and universities to create thousands of new jobs across the state.

This year the Senate proposed a new program, Excell-NY, to build on the success of the Gen*NY*sis program by providing $50 million to promote venture capital investments in emerging companies, provide information and assistance related to technology transfer, private business development and employee training.

The centerpiece of the Senate's Excell-NY economic development program is the creation of five regional Excell-NY Centers for Innovation, one of which would be located in Western New York. The focus of these not-for-profit centers would be to provide emerging businesses with innovation capital and venture capital and to provide technical and business expertise to further their growth into vibrant, competitive job creating firms.

"Starting with JOBS 2000 (J2K) and continuing with the Gen*NY*sis program and the Governor's Centers of Excellence initiative, New York State has invested approximately $1 billion in biotechnology and high tech research and job creation programs," Senator Bruno said. "The success of these programs has propelled New York State into the forefront for attracting emerging high tech and biotech industries and Excell-NY will continue the kind of momentum we are seeing today in Buffalo and across the state."

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