Captain Bill's marks project completion

WATKINS GLEN--Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul was joined by local and state officials for the official ribbon cutting of the new Captain Bill's building on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Constructed using partial funding from the state Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the new Seneca Cruise Terminal Building was celebrated for being the new gateway to the Finger Lakes.
"Watkins Glen is a community that continues to grow as a destination with new development and projects," Hochul said.
Prior to the event, Judy McKinney Cherry, executive director for the Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development, said while COVID-19 has severely impacted the tourism industry, projects like the Captain Bill's building will help Schuyler continue to thrive.
"Our tourism industry is more inherently spaced out so we will be in a good position going forward," McKinney Cherry said.
Hochul also called upon all local leaders, elected or not, to continue to spread the word about maintaining precautions against COVID.
"I know there is COVID fatigue, but it can only take a (little slip up) for numbers to start increasing," Hochul stated.
Hochul added during her multiple visits to the Finger Lakes during the pandemic she has seen nothing but respect towards regulations requiring social distancing and mask-wearing.
"Everyone I have seen has been wearing a mask... keep it up," Hochul remarked.
Along with Hochul, State Senator Tom O'Mara spoke to the resiliency of the tourism industry during the pandemic.
Assemblyman Phil Palmesano agreed the outlook for the region was strong.
"From the outside it may be raining, but from the inside it is bright and shiny," said Palmesano.
Mayor Luke Leszyk thanked Hochul and called the investment into Watkins Glen that has come from the administration of Andrew Cuomo unprecedented.
"Thank you for (helping) with the great improvements to the village," Leszyk said.
County Administrator Tim O'Hearn said while the $10,000,000 investment into Watkins Glen coming from the DRI project does not have to be paid back, he does not believe it to be a handout.
"We didn't ask for a handout, we are confident that these projects will generate enough of a return (to reimburse the state through tax revenue) and then some," O'Hearn said.
Captain Bill's Owner Mark Simiele also thanked Hochul along with everyone else who aided with the project.
"I joked that I would love to work with (project partners) going forward if we were still talking to each other after all of this. Well, we still are, it really went great," Simiele said.