Construction is expected to begin soon on a new cruise ship terminal along Buffalo's Outer Harbor, a project state officials say will help attract more Great Lakes cruise traffic.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the project Monday, saying many cruise itineraries currently bypass Buffalo despite its location on the Great Lakes.
She said she was struck by that during a meeting with Canadian and U.S. governors in Quebec last year, where a cruise line's map showed ships traveling from Port Colborne, Ontario, to Erie, Pennsylvania, without stopping in Western New York.
The announcement comes after a passenger cruise made stops in both Rochester and Buffalo in early June, marking the first such visits to the two ports in years.
The new terminal is expected to open in time for the 2028 summer cruise season.