▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁sp ending ▁around ▁the ▁Buff alo ▁area . ▁ ▁In ▁February , ▁three ▁execut ives ▁who ▁worked ▁for ▁L PC imin elli ▁Development ▁who ▁were ▁arrested ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁in ▁a ▁federal ▁bid - rig ging ▁investigation ▁motion ed ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁case ▁against ▁them ▁either ▁dismiss ed ▁or ▁moved ▁from ▁Manh attan ▁to ▁Buff alo . ▁The ▁three ▁men ▁face ▁a ▁ 1 4 - count ▁ind ict ment ▁for ▁wire ▁fra ud ▁and ▁b ri ber y ▁and ▁alleg ed ▁bid ▁rig ging ▁of ▁the ▁Sol ar City ▁River B end ▁construction ▁contract . ▁Additionally , ▁five ▁other ▁people ▁have ▁been ▁charged ▁with ▁related ▁cr imes . ▁The ▁tri als ▁will ▁begin ▁in ▁late ▁spring ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁An ▁Alb any ▁firm ▁called ▁Whit man ▁Ost erman ▁and ▁Hann ah ▁represented ▁both ▁L PC imin elli ▁and ▁Fort ▁Sch uy ler ▁Management ▁Corporation , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁S UN Y ▁Poly techn ic ▁that ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁contract ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁site ▁where ▁Sol ar City ▁is ▁being ▁built . ▁The ▁governor ' s ▁office ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁formal ▁award ing ▁of ▁the ▁Sol ar City ▁contract ▁was ▁made ▁by ▁Fort ▁Sch uy ler ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁state . ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁Public ▁Author ities ▁Control ▁Board ▁delayed ▁a ▁meeting ▁at ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁set ▁to ▁appro ve ▁$ 4 8 5 ▁million ▁in