SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Micron leaders are outlining what they call a “path to progress” as the company expands its presence in Central New York, using Community Week to highlight long-term investments tied to its planned semiconductor facility in the town of Clay.
“That’s why things like this Community Week and us investing in housing, day care and transportation from Clay to Syracuse are so important. We’re doing those things in advance,” said Scott Gatzemeir, Micron’s vice president of front-end U.S. expansion.
The conversation comes as Micron prepares to bring nearly 9,000 jobs to its planned semiconductor facility in the town of Clay. The project, backed by the New York state government, is expected to total up to $100 billion over time and reshape the economic landscape of Central New York.
But officials say those investments are only part of a much larger plan. During a meeting at the Inspire Innovation Hub in downtown Syracuse, Micron leaders sat down with community members to discuss how the region can prepare for that growth.
“The ability to be creative, the ability to have your opinion, the ability to express your own opinion—these are all things that are sort of beyond the STEM guidelines but will be necessary,” said Steve Bakota, Micron’s vice president of front-end U.S. expansion.
Micron operates on a global scale, manufacturing memory chips across multiple continents, including the United States and Asia. Despite that reach, leaders say their focus remains local as they build relationships within the Central New York community.
“We’d like to source 80% of our construction workers from the state of New York and upstate New York, this region, in particular,” Gatzemeir said.
Gatzemeir says the region is ready to meet the demand.
“This community is scrappy. Micron’s scrappy. We’re tough. We know what it takes to fight. We know what it takes to win,” Gatzemeir said.
The project has already sparked investments in infrastructure, housing, and workforce development across the region. For Central New York, that growth is already taking shape, as local leaders and residents gather at events throughout Micron Community Week to prepare for the changes ahead.