Today I emailed Empire State Development’s Finger Lakes office to open a pre-application conversation about the Rochester–Monroe Transformation Initiative (RMTI): the $225M state capital program that fits a permanent High Falls / Pont de Rennes attraction.
That is the step ESD recommends before anyone submits a Consolidated Funding Application. It is not an application and not an award request. Official program page: esd.ny.gov/rochester-monroe-transformation-initiative.
What we locked locally
- Official RMTI guidelines and CFA question map (program ID 821)
- Hard floors: $5M minimum project cost, $2M minimum award, capital-only uses
- Two-ledger finance: RMTI for capital; separate irrevocable trust for O&M
- Site-control reality: City of Rochester owns Pont de Rennes; park interface may need OPRHP
- A one-page concept brief ready to share when ESD replies
What’s next
Wait for ESD guidance on applicant structure. In parallel: site visit documentation, capital scenarios, safety systems list, and a City outreach draft held until sequencing is clear.
No CFA will be opened until site control / consent and an eligible applicant are real.