A historic announcement made last Friday will ensure that the future will find much more than trees in the Luther Forest Technology Park. The tech park is located in the towns of Malta and Stillwater, and finally has a tenant.
Gov. George E. Pataki and Hector Ruiz, chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), announced plans on Friday at the Albany Center of Excellence to build and operate the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility in the world at the Luther Forest Tech Park.
This is truly a historic day, said Pataki.
The multi-billion dollar agreement, which Pataki called the largest industrial investment ever made in New York, would allow AMD to construct a $600 million, 1.2 million square-foot facility equipped with approximately $2.6 billion worth of state-of-the-art tools used in the production of 300mm microprocessor computing chips.
`The Hudson Valley is going to be America’s next Silicon Valley,` said Pataki, `and we’re well on our way to achieving that.`
The Luther Forest site was selected by AMD after a review of a number of sites nationwide and internationally. New York was selected over competing sites in Europe and Asia.
`This is an enormously com-petitive area,` said Pataki.
Ruiz said New York was chosen for its proximity to local high-tech operations. Such operations include the Albany Center of Excellence, SEMATECH, IBM and INVENT. The state was also chosen for its careful planning and dedication to the project, including a $1.2 billion incentive package.
`I have not seen as well-drafted a vision as I have seen in this part of New York,` said Ruiz.
The plant is expected to produce 1,200 new high-tech jobs, thousands of construction jobs and more than 3,000 indirect jobs, according to a release from the governor’s office.
`Get ready,` said Pataki at the announcement. `You’re going to have new neighbors and you’re going to have more neighbors.`
Expenditures at the facility are projected to total more than $2 billion during the first five years of operation, bringing the projected total investment to $5.2 billion.
At the announcement, Pataki praised the cooperation of all levels of government involved, and made sure to recognize those individuals who were in-strumental in bringing the AMD deal to fruition.
`Luther Forest wouldn’t have happened but for the com-mitment of Joe Bruno,` said Pataki, offering praise for state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, R-Brunswick.
Bruno, at the announcement, spoke of a dream he and others, including state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-New York, had of building a technology infrastructure in the Hudson Valley region that could compete on a level playing field anywhere in the world.
`Well, that dream, for all of us has come true today,` Bruno said.
Speakers focused on the large role the deal will play in the further development of the tech industry within the state.
`Today, this region takes another step forward,` said Silver. `New York state is well on its way to becoming the technology capitol of the world.`
Whatever the future of the tech industry in the state may be, Ruiz seemed assured that his AMD plant would thrive in Saratoga County.
`I have no doubt the people in this region are going to make this factory a great success,` said Ruiz. `Everybody is going to benefit from this project.`
Ground is expected to be broken on the project sometime between July 2007 and July 2009, and is expected to be fully operational sometime between January 2012 and January 2014.
AMD’s selection of the Luther Forest location represents the first time a 300 mm plant would be built at a new campus. In previous instances, similarly sized plants have been expansions or built at existing semiconductor company campuses.
Another factor credited with helping to achieve the plant was the cooperation of all levels of government, from the federal aid received by U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, R-Clifton Park, down to the town level.
`This is all levels of government coming together,` said Pataki.
`What we have achieved here ` public and private, Democrat and Republican ` is something all New Yorkers can take pride in,` said Silver.
AMD, based out of Sunnyvale, Calif., is a global provider of innovative microprocessor solu-tions for computing, communi-cations and consumer electronics markets. Founded in 1969, AMD is dedicated to delivering superior computing solutions based on customer needs that empower users worldwide.
`We’re sincerely grateful for the opportunity to be part of this community,` said Ruiz.“
