William C. Thompson, Jr.
1:39:47
My name is William Thompson, Jr, former controller of the City Of New York, and it is an honor to be here.
1:39:55
Chairperson Riley, Councilperson Schulman, councilperson Moya, it is a pleasure to see all of you today and an honor to speak before you.
1:40:04
Thank you for the opportunity.
1:40:06
I'm gonna be brief, and I will not take two minutes so that you can get out of here earlier.
1:40:10
It I sit here not as a person who's receiving a check, but as a partner in this investment, in this moving forward in building in Queens, in this great opportunity, and it has been it has been pointed out, a generational opportunity.
1:40:28
I could talk about the outreach that has been done, and as you've heard about that before and how much has been done and six community boards who have voted in favor of it.
1:40:36
I don't know that I've seen a project like that that has that kind of support.
1:40:40
The borough board that the borough president had that listened and also supported this, and so many so much other support from across Queens.
1:40:48
I sit here because I've spent a lifetime in working and focused on minority and women owned businesses.
1:40:54
I have yet to see a project that has made this type of commitment to both the community and growing minority and women owned businesses.
1:41:01
You heard Bishop Taylor earlier talk about the incredible opportunity in a loan program that I have yet to see in other places that will help minority businesses have a foothold in this project.
1:41:14
It needs to be replicated in other places, but has been created here.
1:41:19
I serve I I I'm a partner in this.
1:41:22
There are minority and women partners in this also.
1:41:25
I have yet to see that in any other casino project across the City Of New York.
1:41:30
So this is an opportunity for jobs, for growth, for businesses in the Queens and other areas to grow as part of the minority women owned business community.
1:41:40
This is a unique opportunity.
1:41:42
We should not let this go.
1:41:43
I urge the council in this subcommittee to vote yes in favor of this project.
