After this is announced, it is also made public that Liberty and Comcast (never really a secret about being the lead tenant) are
trying to work out a situation that would grant them Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) status, a new-business initiative started by
then-governor Tom Ridge to encourage development in areas in need of assistance. Therein lie a controversy: this proposed tower was
on a prime slice of urban real estate in a relatively healthy downtown, and other building owners weren't hearing it. Mayor John
Street and now-governor Ed Rendell (whose gubernatorial campaign had contributors from Comcast) backed the KOZ status, but
Pennsylvania state legislature did not, as evidenced by a long, drawn out, ugly battle in Harrisburg over the course of 2004.
Ultimately, the KOZ was nixed, but Rendell managed a $40M+ grant to get the project rolling once and for all. And fair enough, as
the Suburban Station aspect of the project is worth that alone in state money.
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