Cuomo’s $100 Million Lighting Project Ends in Auction

Over $100 million was spent by New York taxpayers on a lighting project initiated by former Governor Andrew Cuomo, only to be left unused in storage before being auctioned off for a fraction of that cost.

Specifically, $108 million was allocated for Cuomo’s “Harbor of Lights” project, aimed at installing specialized LED lighting on several bridges across New York State University. Initially marketed as a tourism booster, the project has been essentially idle, now sitting in warehouses where it’s been auctioned for less than half of its overall expenditure.

“What is that?” questioned Justin Driscoll, the president and CEO of the New York Electric Power Agency, the principal organization behind the project, during an interview with CBS 6 Albany.

Cuomo announced the initiative in October 2016, expecting it to be completed by February 2018. The project initially had a planned budget of $250 million, but conflicts and shifting priorities led top contractors to cancel orders for the lighting in late 2017. By that time, more than $100 million had already been spent, with much of the unused lighting ending up in storage. CBS 6 Albany indicated that while taxpayers won’t cover the storage costs, maintaining the lighting costs about $2.1 million.

When queried about the project’s status in 2021, a spokesperson for Cuomo stated it was still ongoing. The representative claimed the initiative would spur tourism and help recover a vital part of New York’s economy damaged by the pandemic.

In the end, however, the lighting was auctioned off in late June for only $383,000, which represents a mere 0.35% of the project’s original price. Interestingly, Zoran Mamdani, a Democrat who recently defeated Cuomo in the New York mayoral primary, reportedly bought some of the auctioned lighting for about $50.

Current Governor Kathy Hochul has not commented on the auction that took place during her administration. Cuomo served as New York’s governor from 2011 until August 2021. During his tenure, his administration faced scrutiny over underreporting COVID-19-related deaths in nursing homes.

The Cuomo campaign did not provide a response about this situation.