JAMESTOWN – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had high praise today as he lauded the efforts to make the National Comedy Center a reality. Cuomo cut the ribbon to officially open the NCC at a ceremony at 9 a.m. today.
In a return visit to Jamestown, Cuomo, and Mayor Sam Teresi, surrounded by items from the history of American Comedy, said it was the never give up attitude that helped make the NCC a reality and is also the spirit of New York.
“They (organizers and officials) refused to be deterred. They said ‘We are going to make it happen,’ ” Cuomo told a packed house at the opening ceremony.
“Everything we did was impossible when it was first imagined. The Erie Canal was impossible,” Cuomo said, adding people wanted to impeach Gov. DeWitt Clinton for the idea.
Cooperation at many levels helped turn a vision into a reality because everyone worked together, Cuomo said.
“There’s nothing we can’t do. We are New Yorkers and when we come together. there isn’t anything we can’t do and the National Comedy Center is the spirit of that,” Cuomo said.
He declared a new and shining future for Jamestown and the western New York region.
“New York is back and Jamestown, New York is back and Western New York is back and the National Comedy Center is the manifestation of that,” Cuomo said.
Teresi thanked everyone involved in the process for never giving up on their dream.
He quoted President John F. Kennedy.
“Success has a thousand fathers. Failure is an orphan,” he said. “Happy Fathers’ Day Jamestown.”
Teresi praised Cuomo throughout his speech, saying there has been a sea change in state government over the last eight years.
“I’ve seen a lot of great people in government, but none better than this man sitting in the front row (Cuomo),” Teresi said.
He compared Cuomo to former Chicago Bear William “The Refrigerator” Perry of the 1986 Super Bowl champions.
“Governor Cuomo charged this into the end zone, but we would not be here for today if it wasn’t for Governor Cuomo.”
