Assemblyman Kevin Byrne (R,C,Ref-Mahopac) and Sen. Pete Harckham (40th SD) are pleased to announce that Governor Cuomo has officially signed their bill that helps allow a business to continue with its plans to build a multi-million dollar distillery in Carmel, NY. The legislation was signed into law by the Governor on October 4, 2019. The company, the Alexandrion Group, has estimated that it will invest $40 million constructing their facility. The 118,400-square foot distillery will be built in the heart of the Hamlet of Carmel, and will include a visitors center and tasting rooms for patrons.
The bill permits the distillery to manufacture alcoholic products and sell their own products as a retailer. Byrne and Harckham were alerted of the need for legislative action late in the 2019 session. With little time left, the Assemblyman and Senator moved quickly to introduce legislation to fix the problem, and then worked together to ensure the bill passed their respective committees and reached the floor for a vote before session ended for the year.
“I thank the Governor for signing our legislation into law. This distillery will help provide an economic boost to our community and provide a new stream of revenue to Putnam County,” said Assemblyman Byrne. “I am thrilled that by working together, we were able to get this bill introduced, passed in both houses and signed into law in less than six months. The construction and operation of the distillery will bring over a hundred jobs to the area and help generate new revenue to ease the local tax burden. It’s encouraging to see a business-friendly bill like this move through the process at such a quick pace.”
“I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this important legislation, and once again, I applaud both Assemblyman Byrne and Sen. Harckham for getting this legislation passed in such a short amount of time. The Town of Carmel stands to benefit greatly from this project; whether it is through job-creation, easing of the tax burden or greater economic activity for local merchants. It’s a win-win for us all,” said Ken Schmitt, Carmel Town Supervisor.
Stelios Savva, CEO of Alexandrian, added, “Alexandrion is sincerely thankful to Governor Cuomo for signing this bill. It has been a pleasure to work with Senator Harkham and Assemblyman Byrne on the legislation and we are looking forward to commence our project. With all the support we have been given it is clear we made the right decision to build the largest distillery on the east coast here in New York.”