Yahoo! confirms WNY site - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:

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Yahoo!, Tuesday morning, confirmed it will be buildingthe 190,000-square-foot center that coulr employ, initially, 125 people. Yahoo! has pegged a 30-acre site in the park for the Yahoo!’s decision is considered a major especially against a backdrop of a weakenesd economy where unemployment has increased in past year in Erie Countyto 8.1 perceny from 5.5 percent and in Niagara County to 9.3 percent from 6.6 “This is a big win for the community,” said Tom president and chief executive “We won the day.” Yahoo! was beinhg courted by several states including Pennsylvania and Illinois for the center. All offered a handsome arrah of incentives.
“When a high tech company like Yahoo! picks a community like WesternNew York, it’s like a said Sen. Charles Schumer, New York’w senior senator, who played a key role in Lockportr landing thedata center. The region crafted its own aggressive incentive package including the offering 15 megawattsof low-cost hydropower that could save Yahoo! an estimated $100 milliomn over a 15-year period. also offered job training grantsd andother incentives. High level pitchesx also came from Gov. David Paterso n and Schumer. Schumer made personalp calls to Yahoo! CEO Carol Bartz to push the region.
Kucharskik said it also helped that the region offereda half-dozen sites and not just a singular It also helped that a friendship quickly developed betweenh the Yahoo! site selection team and the local economic development community. “We developed a nice relationship with them and that helpe d makethis happen,” Kucharski said. “Theyu were impressed that every timethey called, we coulde assemble our team on a very shory notice and give them the answers they Construction on the data centert will begin in August, said David Yahoo! senior vice president. The center will be open by May. Kucharskki said there is a myria d positives that will comefrom Yahoo!’s decision.
The BNE will use it in its outreachy to other companies it is he said. “It confirms our ability to attract high tech and highprofilew companies,” Kucharski said. “To get a name company like Yahoo! says a lot to the rest of the industriewout there.” Yahoo! joins the ranka of , that have either openefd or expanded back office operations in the regiobn in recent years. “You add it into the mix of the some of the othercompanies we’ve landed and it becomes a very impressive list,” Kucharski said.