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D I A M O N D D I S T R I C T
MONTHLYVol.65October 2015
65
The Diamond District Boosts New York Tourism
I’m proud to announce that I have recently been named as
the new Chair of the Assembly Subcommittee on Museums and Cultural Institutions, under the auspices of the Tourism Commit-tee. I am lucky to have a variety of world-class museums and cultural institutions in my district, and I’ve been delighted to work closely with them to ensure they have access to all of the resources they need to continue their excellent work. I’m excited to bring this focus to museums and cultural institutions throughout the five boroughs, as well as across the entire state. New
York State has always been home to some of the world’s best museums, which is a huge draw for New York State tourism.
Museums aren’t the only thing New York has to offer, though. It’s impossible to walk through New York City without noticing that we are a destination for the highest of high-end shopping. The Diamond District is special to NYC. What other city has an entire district de-voted simply to the sale of the finest diamonds in the world?
Continued on page 13
47th Street Business Improvement DistrictT H E D I A M O N D D I S T R I C T
2015 Annual Meeting
Monday, October 19 10:30 AM
Metropolitan Commercial Bank16 West 46th Street,
Between 5th & 6th Avenue
Guest Speakers:
Carolyn MaloneyMember of Congress
Nick MinchinConsulate General Of Australia
Complimentary kosher food and refreshments will be served.
No RSVP Required.
S P O N S O R E D B Y :
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Dan Quart – New York State Member of the Assembly
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DIAMOND DISTRICT MONTHLY 580 5th Avenue, Suite 323
New York, NY 10036
Michael Grumet, Publisher [email protected]
O.O. Barrett, Editor
Natalia Cheviakova, Administrative Director [email protected]
Bernard Rapaport, Advertising Sales [email protected]
P: 212-302-5690 F:212-302-7835
Michael Mitchell, Art Director [email protected]
The Diamond District Monthly is published monthly by the 47th Street
Business Improvement District.
Erroneous IRS Change of Address NoticeDiamond District Businesses — Have you received a change of address notification from the IRS?If so, you are one of many organizations who have re-ceived these notices due to a technical problem in a new IRS filing system.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is using a new Modernized e-File (MeF) system, and as a result of how the system was created, your address may have been changed in error, and you may have received a CP148B (Change in Address) Notice. These notices went out erroneously to many Diamond District businesses.
To correct the address the IRS has on file, you should submit Form (8822-B) the Change of Address or Responsible Party directly to the IRS.
To access this form, go to http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8822b.pdf.
If you decide to file this form with the IRS, please provide your payroll company and your accountant with a copy so they can verify that the address you are submitting to the IRS matches the one they have on file.
When your address is corrected in the IRS system, you’ll most likely receive yet another Change in Address Notice. No action on your part would be required upon the receipt of this notice.
PHOTO CREDIT: JACK WEIR & SONS DIAMONDS AND ESTATE JEWELRY
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ExEcutivE committEEHarvey Nagin – Nagin JewelryPresidentSteven Grauer – Gold Art 18 Kt LLc ChairmanDennis marlow – Solitaire creations SecretaryRobert Hadi – ABS Partners Real Estate, LLcTreasurer Richard Winick – manny Winick & SonRichard Friedman – i. Friedman & SonsRonnie vanderLinden – Diamex inc.Jeffrey mordekai – Petra Jewelers
BoARD mEmBERSS. David Belsky – S.D.Belsky AssociatesChair Audit Committee Jay Holzer – Dyckmans chris ipek – Altin RealtyRaizy Haas – Extell Development corp.Lucy orozco – valley National Bank matt Selig – Leo ingwerJohn Kocak – unique SettingsYale Zoland – Zoland’sDanielle Azeroual – Premier RealtyAdnan Aydin - Futurama Jewelry ExchangeJack Elo – the Elo Groupmoris Yero Shalmi – ABcAlon mor – mor DiamondsJules Fleischer – Jewelry by Alexander Sammy Abramov – AA Pearlmichael oistacher – manhattan Gold & Silverisaac chetrit – Yadidi GroupSunny Yung – central management corp.memhet Gulay – city Property DevelopmentAdam Abramson – Abramson Brothers Bill de Blasio – mayorScott Stringer – New York city comptroller Gale Brewer – manhattan Borough President Daniel Garodnick – council memberJohn Glaister – ResidentReuven Kaufman – Diamond Dealers club
StAFFmichael Grumet – Executive DirectorNatalia cheviakova – Administrator Director
LAW OFFICES OF LEONARD M. WEINER LLC
206 East 38th StreetNew York, New York 10016Telephone (212) 370-1660; Fax (212) 370-1669E-Mail: [email protected]
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ADT150023_en_0415_DDD_DiamondDistrict_May_v8.indd 1 9/1/15 9:06 AM
• TheConflictMineralsRulelitigationcouldextendwellbeyondtheMay31,2016filingdeadlineofthenextFormSD.AsYogiBerrasaid,“Itain’tovertilit’sover,”andtheConflictMineralsRulelitigationisnotyetover.InaNovember2014orderthatwasissuedalongwiththeordergrantingthepanelrehearing,thecourtdeferredthepetitionsthathadpreviouslybeenfiledseekingarehearingenbanc—i.e.,beforethefullD.C.Circuit.Inanorderissuedtoday,thosepetitionsweredismissedasmoot.However,today’sorderalsostartedanewperiodforpetitioningforenbancreview.Especiallyinlightoftoday’ssplitdecision,wethinkitislikelythattheSECwillseekrehearingenbanc.Onlytimewilltellwhetherthatpetition,iffiled,willbegranted.Assumingthatrehearingenbancissought,itcouldtakeseveralmonthsforthecourttoissueadecisiononwhethertograntrehearing.Ifthepetitionisgranted,adecisiononthemeritswouldlikelybeatleastseveralmonthsfurtherdowntheroad.
• Registrantsshouldcontinuewiththeircompliance.Ex-ceptasmodifiedbytheSEC’sApril29,2014Statement,whichisdiscussedbelow,theConflictMineralsRulecontinuesineffect.Inaseparateorderissuedtoday,theclerkofcourtwasorderedtowithholdissuanceofthemandatecontainedintoday’sopinionuntilsevendaysafterdispositionofanytimelypetitionforrehearingenbanc.FollowingtheApril2014decision,thepetitionerssoughtastayoftheentirerule,anditispossiblethattheywilldosoagain.However,thepriorstayrequestwasdeniedbyboththeSECandthecourt.
• TheApril29,2014StatementbytheSECcontinuesinef-fect.InthatStatement,theSECindicatedthatcompaniesarenotrequiredtoidentifyproductsas“DRCconflictfree,”having“notbeenfoundtobe‘DRCconflictfree’”or“DRCconflictundeterminable.”TheSECalsoindicatedthat,pendingfurtheraction,anindependentprivatesec-
toraudit(“IPSA”)willnotberequiredunlessacompanyvoluntarilyelectstodescribeaproductas“DRCconflictfree”initsConflictMineralsReport.TheStatementislikelytoremainineffectpendingtheoutcomeofthelitigation.AlthoughtheSECcouldmodifytheStatementtoreinstatetheauditrequirement(delinkingitfromthe“labeling”requirements),wethinkthatisunlikely.Accordingly,today’sdecisionmakesitunlikelythatanIPSAwillberequiredforcalendaryear2015.
• IrrespectiveoftheoutcomeoftheConflictMineralsRulelitigation,manycompanieswillcontinuetofaceincreasingresponsible-sourcingpressure.Aswehavenotedonotheroccasions,irrespectiveoftheoutcomeoftheConflictMineralsRulelitigation,manylargercompanies—inavarietyofindustries—intendtocontinueimplementingtheir3TGtraceabilityandresponsiblesourcinginitiatives.Thiswillcontinuetoputpressureontheentirepublic-andprivate-companysupplychaintoimplementcomplianceprogramsaswell.Manylargercompaniesalsoshouldcontinuetoexpectvaryingdegreesofpressurefromotherconstituenciestomaintainresponsiblesourcingmomentum,suchasNGOs,sociallyresponsibleinvestmentfunds,publicpensionfundsandconsumers.
Michael R. Littenberg is a partner at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and heads the firm’s public companies practice. Michael has been especially active in advising companies on the SEC’s Conflict Minerals Rule. In addition to his client work in this area, he frequently speaks at programs and is the most widely quoted and published attorney in the United States on the rule. Farzad F. Damania is a special counsel at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, where his practice focuses on capital markets and securities law, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate law. Farzad also advises public and private com-panies on the SEC’s Conflict Minerals Rule.
by Michael R. littenbeRg and FaRzad F. daMania
In a split decision, [1] the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reaffirmed its April 2014 decision in the litigation surrounding the Conflict Minerals Rule. In that decision, a majority of the panel held that the requirement to describe products as having “not been found to be DRC conflict free” is compelled speech that violates the First Amendment.
D.C. Circuit Panel Reaffirms Conflict Minerals Rule Decision
2013 to 2014 (% Change in value of U.S. exports, HS Code 7113 articles of jewelry & parts, of precious metal or clad)
totaL 128
711319—JEWELRY AND PARTS THEREOF; OF OTH PRECIOUS METAL 130
711311—JEWELRY AND PARTS THEREOF; OF SILVER* -2
711320—JEWELRY AND PARTS; BASE METAL CLAD W PREC METAL -53
ytd export vaLUe Hs 7113item YTD 2012 YTD 2013 YTD 2014
totaL 74,932,966 70,416,551 90,344,192
711319—JEWELRY AND PARTS THEREOF; OF OTH PRECIOUS METAL 74,189,460 69,412,988 88,620,437
711311—JEWELRY AND PARTS THEREOF; OF SILVER* 739,406 948,526 985,191
711320—JEWELRY AND PARTS; BASE METAL CLAD W PREC METAL 4,100 55,037 738,564
HistoricaL excHange rate of rUBLe/U.s. doLLaryear rate
2010 30.7
2011 29.3
2012 31.0
2013 31.8
2014 38.5
*HTS 711311 (Jewelry and parts thereof; of precious metal excluding silver) made up 50.54% of export value in Year to Date of 2014.
For more information about selling overseas please visit the U.S. Department of Commerce website www.export.gov.
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
ANNUAL EXPORT VALUE OF HS 71132012
2013
2014
$278,260 $1,441,227
$8,876,359
Valu
e in
US
Dol
lars
RUBLE/US DOLLAR
Exch
ange
Rat
e
25
30
35
40
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
fineJewelryMarket Russia
annUaL export vaLUe of Hs 7113item 2012 2013 2014
totaL 3,464,896 9,291,405 21,200,942
711319—JEWELRY AND PARTS THEREOF; OF OTH PRECIOUS METAL 3,417,110 9,162,380 21,080,543
711311—JEWELRY AND PARTS THEREOF; OF SILVER* 39,026 118,315 115,367
711320—JEWELRY AND PARTS; BASE METAL CLAD W PREC METAL 8,760 10,710 5,032
trade sHows in rUssia name date Link description
Jeweler expo Kazan
July 1-5, 2015
http://10times.com/jeweler-ex-po-kazan
Jeweler expo Kazan is a 5-day event held from July 1st to 5th, 2015, at the Kazanskaya yarmarka exhibition center in Kazan, russia. this event showcases gems and jewelry industry products including jewelry, antiques, watches, clocks, equipment, tools, packaging, accessories, jeweler’s security, etc.
Best adornments of russia. piter Jeweller
January 27-31, 2016
http://10times.com/best-jewel-ry-stpetersburg
Best adornments of russia. piter Jeweller, is a 5-day trade show promoting growth and development of leading national and international jewelers doing business in the region. the event plays a major role in introducing new and innovative market trends and prospective business technologies. Best adornments of russia. piter Jeweller is the ultimate destination for fash-ionable visitors, potential customers and trade professionals from all over the world. the show’s specialized customers are exposed to a wide range of jewelry products and services including the latest jewelry designs and collec-tions featuring some of the world’s most wonderful gems, beads and stones.
international Jewelry forum
February 3-7, 2016
http://10times.com/interna-tional-jewel-lery-forum
the international Jewelry forum will be held from february 3rd to 7th, 2016, at the expo forum convention and exhibition centre. it is one of the leading trade shows offering large comprehensive platforms for manufacturers and wholesale traders to determine industry trends for the year. the show provides optimum opportunities for launching new collections, marketing jewelry novelties, and strategic production and trade planning including the latest trends and product offerings.
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
ANNUAL EXPORT VALUE OF HS 71132012
2013
2014
$278,260 $1,441,227
$8,876,359
Valu
e in
US
Dol
lars
RUBLE/US DOLLAR
Exch
ange
Rat
e
25
30
35
40
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
fineJewelryMarket Russia
For more information about selling overseas please visit the U.S. Department of Commerce website www.export.gov.
25 Rockwood Place, #210 • Englewood, NJ 07631 • 201-720-7700
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Paul Silverman | Renee Merhige
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“On Demand” Pick Up and Drop O� Services
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12 APRIL 2015 DIAMOND DISTRICT MONTHLY
ה”בRadio City Synagogue
Chabad of the diamond diStRiCt
times for Prayer and torah Study(Monday-Thursday)
12:40p.m Mincha 1:00 followed by Daf Yomi Shiur
1:45p.m. Mincha followed by Chassidus and Musar
4:15/4:45p.m Mincha/Maariv followed byTanya Shiur
30 W 47th Street, suite 305
Every Wednesday at 2:00p.m “Lunch and Learn” Shiur on the Parsha
For more info: 347-415-2271 or 612-968-1229 or email [email protected]
www.chabad47.com
A DiviSion of ChAbAD LubAviTCh of MiDTown MAnhATTAn
GIA is offering more than 125 scholarships worldwide for its Fall 2015 Gemology and Jewelry Manufacturing Arts programs, courses and lab classes. This semi-annual scholarship cycle, totaling approximately $588,000, aligns with GIA’s goals of providing quality education in gemology and jewelry to the trade and aspiring pro-fessionals. The Institute is accepting applications now through April 30 on its website at http://www.gia.edu/scholarships.
Scholarships are available for distance education eLearn-ing courses and for classes at the Institute’s campuses in Bangkok, Carlsbad, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Taiwan; and at the GIA branch in Dubai. Sponsored by private donors and the GIA endowment fund, the scholarships supplement GIA’s wider scope of offerings.
for more information, call (760) 603-4131 or email [email protected].
scholarships
Reuven Kaufman Re-Elected President of DDC
The Confucius Institute for Business at SUNY (CIB) is the destination for people and companies currently or seeking to be engaged with the Chinese business world. CIB builds bridges between the U.S. and New York met-ropolitan area, and China through leadership, education, special events and cultural and business exchanges. Upcoming course offerings include:
CHINESE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SERIES• CBC 101: September 16, 23, 30, October 8, 15,
22; from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM• CBC 201: October 5, 19, 26, November 2, 9, 16;
from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM CIB’s Business Communication Series helps partic-ipants communicate effectively in Chinese business environments. The courses integrate language in busi-ness situations and emphasize cultural understanding. These programs are offered via individual sessions for executives, or in groups of corporate participants, and can accommodate all levels from beginner to advanced.
WEEkENd INTENSIvE PROgRAMS• October 9 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, and
October 10 from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
• december 4 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM and december 5 from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Weekend Intensive Programs offer an opportunity to quickly learn about doing business in China. Topics in-clude: fundamental and essential Chinese management protocol, food and restaurant etiquette, contemporary Chinese value systems and history highlights.
CUSTOMIzEd CORPORATE TRAININg PROgRAMSCIB partners with companies to deliver programs cus-tomized to company needs, to its industry sector, and to the language, culture, and business skills and knowledge needed to achieve success. The Chinese Business Com-munication Courses and Weekend/Daylong Intensive Courses can be combined in unique ways to suit the customized needs of every corporate client.
You can register for these courses and get more infor-mation at: www.confuciusbusiness.suny.edu/The CIB also presents a number of educational and cul-tural programs throughout the year, most conducted at the SUNY Global Center, 116 East 55th Street ( between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue).
Fall Courses Offered at Confucius Institute For Business
Reuven Kaufman was re-elect-ed President of the Diamond
Dealers Club of New York in elec-tions held on Wednesday, August 19th, 2015 at the DDC, America’s largest diamond trading exchange.
Mr. Kaufman said he was partic-ularly pleased to be serving with an exceptional team of Officers: Newly-elected Vice President Israel Ashkenazy, newly-elected Treasurer Abraham Einhorn, and re-elected Secretary Elliot Krischer.
Elected to serve on the Board of Directors were: Moish (Mil-ton) Basch, Fishel Beigel, Isaac
(Shmuel) Bornstein, Isaac Brown, Colin Coates, Solomon Cohen, Gershon Fruchter, Sushil Goyal, Isaac Jacob, Yehuda Mandelbaum, Robert Moskovitz, Meyer Neiman, Efraim Reiss, Pranav Shah, Beny Sofer, and Lawrence Turkel.
Reuven Kaufman added that, “The Diamond Dealers Club is fortunate to have for the next two years an outstanding group of Of-ficers and Directors. Under their leadership and guidance, we look forward to the Club’s playing an innovative role in helping bring about the success of our member-ship and industry.” Reuven Kaufman – President Of DDC
If there’s broad agreement that small businesses are the engine that powers the American economy,
shouldn’t it be easier to fuel the tank?Access to credit continues to bedevil too many U.S.
entrepreneurs. Eighty percent of small business loan applications are rejected, according to some industry estimates, and more applications than we can count are never filed because of the difficulty of getting an appointment with a loan officer.
There’s a hunger among entrepreneurs to find fi-nancing to get their business off the ground or take the next big step in their expansion plan. Across the country, thousands of small business owners pound the pavement every day looking for term loans, equipment financing, lines of credit, invoice financing, and real estate loans to help them hire and grow. But too often, they’re wasting time they don’t have cold-calling and door-knocking their way to a lucky break. It shouldn’t be this way. If you have a bankable business idea backed by good credit and sound financial planning, you shouldn’t have to go begging to borrow.
Technology can help us address this problem. Online matchmaking services pairing lenders with prospec-tive borrowers comprise a multibillion dollar industry. Perhaps you’ve seen the TV commercial in which a creditworthy home buyer goes online and is delighted to find banks competing to finance her house. Small businesses lending is the next frontier for these match-making services. Using the power of the Internet, commercial lenders are finding creditworthy small business borrowers, while entrepreneurs are finding loan officers who are ready to sit down and talk.
The SBA not only supports this concept, we’re im-plementing it. We have a new SBA initiative called LINC (Leveraging Information and Networks to access Capital). Our matchmaking service will help entrepreneurs get a date with a lender.
We spent months surveying our lending partners to discern what information they need before they’re ready to receive a loan pitch. Based on those talks, we’ve developed a simple online form with 20 ques-tions that takes minutes to fill out. Once completed,
the form is blasted out to participating SBA lenders in an applicant’s county, as well as financial institutions with a statewide or national reach.
While a positive “hit” it won’t ensure entrepreneurs will receive a loan, it will put them on a fast track, because they will have been pre-screened. If LINC doesn’t produce an immediate match, entrepreneurs will be directed to their local SBA adviser for additional assistance with their loan application.
To me, this is what good government is all about, acting as a virtual public square, where citizens can convene and collaborate. LINC is expanding small business lending options beyond someone’s local bank. Instead, technology can help them get their foot in the door on their merits at one of many commercial lenders.
The SBA is virtualizing what happens every day when a borrower walks into a bank to transact business, and we’re facilitating these connections for free. To my knowledge, this is the first time the federal govern-ment has implemented online matchmaking to help Americans access the capital they need. It’s part of SBA’s commitment to modernize to be as innovative as the small businesses we serve.
We’re rolling out LINC in two phases. We will begin connecting small business owners with nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in microlending, smaller loans (our Community Ad-vantage program), and real estate financing (our 504 program). Phase 1 is off to a strong start. We already have participating LINC lenders in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. These lenders have made a combined 42,000 loans totaling more than $17 billion since 2009.
Later this year, in phase 2, we plan to add more traditional banks that offer an even wider array of financial products. In the longer term, we also believe LINC could be modified to facilitate government con-tracting by connecting eligible small businesses with procurement officers, prime contractors, and federal buyers. The future is upon us, and the SBA is proud to be leading the way.
United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Launches Online Matchmaking for Small Business Loansby MaRia contReRas-sweet, sba adMinistRatoR
DIAMOND DISTRICT MONTHLY JULY 2015 13
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer CoNTiNueD froM PAGe 1
13
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that, “Over the past few years, however, the future of the city’s small businesses—and specifically street-level retail stores and restaurants—has begun to look murky. High rents, corporate competition, and real estate development deals are creating challenges over and above the ones small businesses typically face.” She continued by saying that,” Supporters of small businesses note that commercial landlords regularly try to evict small businesses to make space available to corporate franchises or a na-tional bank which has the deep pockets and ability to pay higher rents. Vast stretches where mom-and-pop stores once prevailed have disappeared from Clinton and Chel-sea to Little Italy and the Bowery. Empty storefronts persist for weeks, months and even years, and more and more street corners are claimed by major banks and corporate chains.”
Ms. Brewer made four recommenda-tions to help small businesses: l) Have government help small businesses cope in
the current real estate market. 2) Improve government interaction with small busi-nesses. 3) Reform the city’s Commercial Rent Tax which unfairly targets only com-mercial businesses below 92nd Street in Manhattan. 4) Maximize resources among government agencies.
To obtain the entire report, contact: Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan Borough
President, 1 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007, (212) 669-8300.
After Ms. Brewer’s presentation, a lively discussion ensued — with the main complaint expressed from the commercial tenants in the District being that after many years of successful operation of a business in one location many property owners have recently given notice to ten-ants that the tenant must vacate their space in sometimes as little as 30 days. Ms. Brewer’s legislation would require much more lenient tenant notification terms and also call for mediation in the case of commercial rent increases. Commercial
tenants also complained that their square footage was often recalculated much to the property owners benefit without a standard form of calculation, which left them no recourse to challenge a higher rent based on a newly declared larger square footage of the commercial unit.
Another complaint lodged to the Bor-ough President by the commercial tenants was the City’s reissuance of licensure to comply with laws requiring repairs to fa-cades but no requirement that the repairs be done in a timely manner.
Borough President Brewer took copious notes from the commercial tenants pres-ent and promised to take their concerns into consideration in the legislation that is being formed. She also promised to continue the dialog with the Diamond District Community and use her powers to help this iconic economic engine of New York City retain its vibrancy and importance as a manufacturing, retailing, wholesaling and exporting center.
The Diamond District Boosts New York Tourism CONTINUeD FROM PAGe 1
However, just like so many of the famous shopping districts in NYC, the Diamond District benefits from advertising and marketing. I’m very proud of two state tourism programs that are designed to help local or-ganizations improve their strategic marketing. The I Love NY Tourism Matching Grant Program has been incredibly successful for local tourism entities, helping them to coordinate outreach and develop new marketing strategies. Most importantly, this pro-gram matches spending by local agen-cies – these funds are critical for many agencies, and incentivize the agencies to do their own spending, as well. I’m pleased to announce that funding for this program was maintained in this year’s state budget, at $3.815 million. These funds support the work done by local tourism promotion agencies while ensuring that those agencies are able to direct the funds to where
they will do the most good.Market NY provides funding for
tourism marketing projects through the Regional Economic Development Council competitive funding process. Funding is distributed by region and on a project basis, allowing for funding requests that wouldn’t qualify for the Matching Grant Program, or for fund-ing requests that won’t be matched by the local agency. Market NY received $5 million of funding in the 2015-2016 state budget.
Each of these programs is critical for tourism agencies across the state, and I’m proud that state government has recognized this and funded both programs appropriately. Tourism is an enormous piece of New York’s economy, and these marketing pro-grams have high rates of return – they boost our economy by bringing in visitors spending money, while also serving as job creators. Full funding
of these programs is essential to en-suring that New York continues to be a world-class destination for visitors from across the world.
In New York City, we’re lucky enough to have our own tourism organization. NYC & Company supports tourism efforts throughout the five boroughs by promoting its membership and helping them innovate new marketing and communications strategies. They print the Official Visitor Guide, shar-ing their membership listings with 1.2 million people each year.
As a member of the Assembly Com-mittee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development, I have fought to ensure that our tourism programs are fully funded and well directed. I know how important it is to ensure that our visitors know about the unique offerings of New York City, including our unparalleled Dia-mond District.
DIAMOND DISTRICT MONTHLY APRIL 2015 9
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take the survey:http://www1.nyc.gov/site/wenyc/survey/survey.page
12 JULY 2015 DIAMOND DISTRICT MONTHLY
B U S I N E S S W O R T H ?We understand that it’s much more than diamonds,
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It’s also your passion for what you do and the relationships you’ve built.
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