SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)– Thursday, Oct. 27 marked a monumental day in Central New York as US President Joe Biden visited Syracuse.
Biden visited Central New York to discuss the enormous Micron Tech project that will result with the eventual construction of a Micron plant in Clay, New York.
Joined by political colleagues and Micron officials, Biden gave a speech inside the SRC Arena on the campus of Onondaga Community College in Syracuse.
Massive lines of people waiting to enter the arena throughout the morning were evident, but most lines slowed down by the early afternoon.
Inside the SRC Arena, as the day went on, the building went from calm to boisterous. By the early afternoon, the bleachers were completely filled, as tons of Central New Yorkers showed up excited and ready to listen to the president.
Several local figures attended Biden’s speech on Thursday. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon made an appearance, and he received a shoutout from Biden during the ceremony.
For the majority of the day, the OCC campus was quiet. In the morning and early afternoon, there was plenty of caution tape and federal personnel around the exterior of the arena, but not an overwhelming amount of security.
OCC students were given the day-off on Thursday, and perhaps the day-off led to no unmanageable traffic.
Biden’s plane landed at the Hancock International Airport in Syracuse a little after 2:00 p.m. After landing, he spoke with Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on the runway.
The conversation between the politicians lasted for approximately five minutes. Usually, Biden goes straight from his plane to a car, but Thursday marked a different story.
U.S. Rep. John Katko was on the plane to Syracuse with Biden. Katko was one of the few republicans who voted in favor of the CHIPS Plus Act , which helped fund the enormous Micron project in Clay.
The presidential motorcade arrived outside the SRC Arena at 2:45 p.m.
Several motorcycles, SUVs, sheriff cars, ambulances and other vehicles made up the motorcade. Upon arrival at the arena, the lights on almost all of the motorcade vehicles were flashing, but their sirens were not on.
Everyone in the motorcade, including Biden, entered the arena before 3:00 p.m.
Throughout Biden’s speech, he shared his high hopes for the American economy and praised Micron for investing in Central New York.
