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Message: [QUOTE="Crusty, post: 1527918, member: 2265"] You could see this coming a mile away, and I said so at the time. Cuomo, Mahoney and Syverud simply worked around her. Everyone seems to forget that Mayor Miner put the kibosh on plans to build a new $495 million on the site of the former Kennedy Square housing project between University Hill and the heart of downtown. ([URL='http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/01/mayor_miner_is_blocking_new_su_stadium_proposal_county_legislature_chairman_says.html']One of many articles.[/URL]) In a tiff because the state would not give her $15 million for new sewers, Miner would not back the plan conceived by the county and state. Also, Miner is by profession a labor attorney, with whose backing is how she got elected in the first place, and she wanted guarantees of labor union workers in the construction contracts. That was never going to happen. Remember, it is the work rules as much as the higher hourly rates that balloon costs when union labor is involved. Miner called for a commission to study the plan and the state, county and SU declined to participate. What does that tell you? So, you can thank Mayor Miner (appropriate name) for the "community" losing out. (Although I don't think it matters much on the margin where the facility is located.) Do not be surprised to see the university or some other entity actually build the facility and then do a sale-leaseback with the state to avoid union labor. The state will probably set up some commission to run the facility and SU will be the major tenant. The state will issue long term bonds to finance it, which will be amortized by the SU lease. Remember SU can lease only the stadium portion and continue to own the rest. This will be a win-win situation for all parties. As for the City of Syracuse, go ask Mayor Miner what happened to the half billion dollar investment that could have wound up near downtown. Be thankful that The Good Chancellor has a backbone and will not be deterred by some local petty politician. [/QUOTE]

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