At a news conference Wednesday announcing the Willets Pointplan's endorsement by City Council speaker Christine Quinn andcouncil member Hiram Monserrate, Mayor Michael Bloomberg stated,"If the Council passes the rezoning, we can begin the process ofturning this into New York's first truly 'green' communitydevelopment with buildings that use the latest energy-efficienttechnology, and eight acres of parks and open spaces that give NewYorkers new places to play. We think there will be a dynamic mix ofretail and entertainment facilities, half-a-million square feet ofoffice space, a new school, a hotel and a convention center--thecity's first, incidentally, outside of Manhattan."

Combined, Bloomberg said, "these developments will create some18,000 construction jobs, over 5,000 permanent jobs, generate $1.3billion in direct city tax revenues, and produce an economic impactof at least $25 billion over 30 years." In a statement issued onThursday, Quinn said, "As we find ourselves in the midst of aneconomic downturn, I urge my fellow members to support responsibleand visionary developments like Willets Point. As we confront suchhard economic times, these important projects will create jobs,generate revenues and help keep our city moving forward."

Bloomberg similarly stressed the importance of moving forward onthe project despite budget constraints. "More than ever it'scritical we continue making these kinds of important investments inour neighborhoods and in our city as a whole," he said at theconference. "And just because we are in the midst of an economicdownturn, and we have to learn to do more with less, doesn't meanthat we can afford to walk away from our long term obligations. Ourcity made that mistake during the tough times in the 1970s and itwas a near disastrous effect. We're simply not going to make thatmistake again."