The new JMA Wireless headquarters was officially opened which looks to mark a turning point for Syracuse. Gov. Kathy Hochul attended and participated in the ribbon cutting. The new development in the South Side should bring around 200 new jobs.
Transcript
SAMMY ST. JEAN: Even Governor Kathy Hochul came down for the event. She says the 100-million-dollar project is a turning point for the state and country’s manufacturing.
KATHY HOCHUL:I want other companies to see that this is a rebirth of manufacturing, as a rebirth of upstate manufacturing. So, this is even bigger than the jobs created here, making it here in New York is a huge point of pride for us.
ST.JEAN: JMA Chief Executive Officer John Mezzalingua says Syracuse is now a Five-G hub despite years of experts saying there is little hope for a comeback.
JOHN MEZZALINGUA: And the quote was “it would be difficult to offer any optimistic assessment of the prospects of manufacturing in Syracuse.” And fortunately, I was taught early on not to put too much stock into experts and conventional wisdom.
ST.JEAN:The investment into Syracuse’s South Side is going to add more than 200 jobs. Sammy St. Jean, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — In both a difficult job market and a struggling economy, Syracuse has a reason for hope.
The JMA Wireless headquarters in Syracuse was made official this afternoon with Gov. Kathy Hochul cutting the ribbon. The $100 million project is set to mark a turning point for the city’s manufacturing.
“I want other companies to see that this is a rebirth of manufacturing, as a rebirth of upstate manufacturing. So, this is even bigger than the jobs created here, making it here in New York is a huge point of pride for us,” Hochul said.
JMA Chief Executive Officer John Mezzalingua said he has been hearing from experts for years that Upstate is not going to be a home for manufacturing again. Despite those doubts he wanted to make Syracuse a 5G hub.
“And the quote was ‘it would be difficult to offer any optimistic assessment of the prospects of manufacturing in Syracuse.’ And fortunately, I was taught early on not to put too much stock into experts and conventional wisdom,” Mezzalingua said.
The investment into the city will also bring around 200 jobs into the area. Hochul wants the city and specifically the South Side to have a takeaway from the opening of the headquarters.
Hochul said she wanted to make sure that the people in this area feel like they matter.