In 2008 alone:
- Created 232 jobs
- Enabled $60 million of investment
- Completed 43 projects
2003-2007:
- Created 2,361 jobs
- Enabled nearly $402 million of investment
- Participated in 183 projects
Ashley Furniture/ Warehouse Distribution Center, Batavia, NY
Wellsville Carpet Town d/b/a Ashley Furniture needed a location for its warehouse/distribution center for Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania. The company considered renovating a site in Pennsylvania to facilitate an upcoming store expansion.
Incentives:
Ashley Furniture needed an immediate solution. To save time and money, the company thought it would need to retrofit a building. Ashley Furniture also believed the tax structure in New York was too expensive. So the company planned to locate the project in Pennsylvania—even though most of the store expansions were set to take place in the Buffalo and Rochester markets.
The GCEDC used the following tactics to prove Ashley Furniture would save time and resources by building a new facility in Gateway II Industrial Park in Batavia, NY:
- Utilized the Empire Zone
- Accessed state and federal grant dollars
- Worked with the local municipality
Outcome:
The GCEDC’s financial incentive package convinced Ashley Furniture of the benefits of building a new facility in GCEDC’s Gateway II Industrial Park. The project went from announcement to permitting approval in just three weeks. Workers installed the infrastructure as the project broke ground. Ashley Furniture now employs nearly 100 people at its Batavia location.
Darien Lake Theme Park and Resort, Darien, NY
Six Flags planned to sell Darien Lake, a long-time attraction in Genesee County and top sales generator for the region. County officials were troubled by speculation that the park would be shut down.
Incentives:
Parc Management of Jacksonville, Florida, expressed interest in making Darien Lake its flagship. But because the purchase included several parks nationwide, the company was concerned the real property would be assessed unfairly and the increased tax burden would prohibit the transaction.
The GCEDC worked with Parc Management and the State Office of Real Property Service to structure an incentives package that made the deal feasible. The package:
- Included a community benefit agreement
- Allocated payments to the local school district and funding to spur additional economic growth near the park
Outcome:
The new payments funded sewer improvements on the west side of the County and enabled growth at the Pembroke Commerce Park and Buffalo East Technology Park.
