Oneida County was awarded $23.6 million to develop a premier semiconductor supply chain campus on a parcel of land at Griffiss International Airport in Rome.

“What we’re looking at here in the green is the triangle site. This site is a place where materials can be manufactured, warehoused, where services can be based, global companies can house their head quarters here,” Christian Mercurio, V.P. of Planning and Development for Mohawk Valley Edge, said.

A 332-acre parcel at Griffiss International Airport in Rome will now be the home for a semiconductor supply chain campus. Mercurio says the pandemic showed that this is needed right in Central New York.

“During the pandemic, we saw a massive disruption in the global supply chain for just about everything,” Mercurio said.

Mercurio says they cannot rely on overseas manufacturing and supply in countries that have delicate geopolitical situations.

“For example, COVID could completely sever a supply chain and leave us all hanging. So New York’s been very aggressive in saying you know what, this makes sense to build this in upstate New York,” Mercurio said.

“The grant that we received, along with county dollars, will be able to connect sewer and water, electrical, roadway improvements to the site so that it becomes shovel ready,” Anthony Picente from Mohawk Valley Edge said.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says having this site at Griffiss Air force base is a plus.

“You know, we’re on a general aviation runway in the case of any of those suppliers needing to move product in and out, they could do it easily,” Picente said.

Picente says they hope to start breaking ground as soon as possible.

“The most exciting part of all this, is how many partners have come to the table to make this a reality,” Mercurio said.

This will be the largest shovel ready site in the state, which has the potential to bring in about 3,000 jobs.