SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Syracuse may be seeing big changes in the coming years after Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon proposed the construction of an $85 million aquarium and a $25 million sports complex in his 2022 budget proposal on Tuesday. He says the projects will be mutually beneficial.
“When you go for a sports tournament at Hopkins Road and you’re staying Friday through Sunday, where do you think you’re gonna go when you got a day off?” McMahon said. “You’re gonna go to Destiny, you’re gonna go to the aquarium, you’re gonna go and experience the Loop Lake Trail. So everything is happening at Onondaga Lake because we cleaned it up, it has a bright future and the lakefront community is gonna be the epicenter of leisure and recreational activity.”
Julie Abbott-Kenan — Onondaga County Legislator representing District 6 — said she loves the idea behind the proposal but there is still work to be done.
“I agree with what the county executive says,” Abbott-Kenan said. “We have to invest in our future. We rely on sales tax, that’s 52% of our revenue so how do we get there? I think he has a keen eye on tourism… There are large numbers we have to consider but I’m hoping we can get there.”
McMahon envisioned these projects offering long term benefits to the Central New York community in terms of employment and mental wellness.
“This budget is balanced,” McMahon said. “It makes historic investments that will drive jobs and economic opportunity for our residents in every neighborhood in our county.”
The $1.4 billion budget spends $15 million more than last year’s budget. However, $1 million of the ten figure budget would be dedicated to home repairs, which would lead to an equivalent property tax decrease worth over $1 million.
