UPDATE 6:10 p.m. -- It's official: The New York Wheel and Empire Outlets have been approved by the New York City Council.

"I'm ecstatic," Councilwoman Debi Rose said. "And to quote (Councilman) Vinny Ignizio, I'm wheely, wheely, wheely, happy," she added, quoting what wasn't the day's only wheel pun, but might have been the most ridiculous.

Check back for reaction from the developers, who have been in attendance for today's vote -- Wheel CEO Rich Marin with circular tins of mints bearing a picture of the New York Wheel in hand.

Oddo said in a pre-meeting press conference that the process may not be pretty -- but what matters is where things end up.

"I think Debi did right by her district, and did right by the people of Staten Island," Oddo said.

UPDATE, 5 p.m.

-- The City Council's full stated meeting has begun -- and they will momentarily vote to approve the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets project.

The vote effectively ends the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, required for the two projects to be built on city land.

The Council will also vote on a package of Hurricane Sandy related legislation, and on legislation to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21.

UPDATE, 4:50 p.m. --

Council staff has clarified that there were no tax incentives offered by the City Council as part of the negotiation -- though there may have been some offered by other parties, such as the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

The Advance has asked the NYCEDC to clarify what, if any, incentives were offered.

4:30 p.m. --

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said there were no city subsidies offered to the developers of the outlet mall, BFC Partners, as a "quid pro quo" for using 100 percent union labor.

She said that's not to say there are no tax incentives in the project -- but that they weren't offered to make up the cost difference in using 15 percent union labor as opposed to 100 percent.

4:15 p.m. --

Councilwoman Debi Rose told reporters negotiating the deal was unique and exhausting.

"This is the biggest thing that ever happened to the North Shore of Staten Island," she said. "In fact it is the biggest observation wheel in the world."

The project will generate $101 million in returns to the city, she said.

While she wanted the best project for the borough, her concerns were first and foremost about her community and Staten Island as a whole, she said.

"I was constantly harassed for that, I must add," Ms. Rose said.

Those concerns are part of what yielded the list, below, after lengthy negotiations.

4 p.m. --

A press conference with Council Speaker Christine Quinn and the Staten Island Council delegation is now under way.

They are currently discussing smoking and Hurricane Sandy legislation, but will discuss and take questions on the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets deal shortly.

Then, the full Council will vote on the projects -- making it official after the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises approved it moments ago.

The Staten Island Council delegation, Speaker Christine Quinn and others are gathering for a pre-Council meeting press conference.

3:40 p.m. --

Among the benefits that came out of negotiations that will come with the projects, according to Ms. Rose:

$1 million for traffic mitigation fund

$700,000 for planning study for replacing Cromwell Community Center

Commuter parking levels maintained thoughout construction

Parking rates will be capped

100 percent union hiring

NYC support for actvitation of North Shore right of way/North Shore rail

Public access to bay street landing

$2 million for repairs to Richmond Terrace Esplanade

Plans for pirvate ferry service

Plans for ferry service to Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens

Signage plan for ferry and ferry terminal

Improved signage plan for Kiss and Ride

Imrpoved NYPD enforcement of the area

Welcome center

Wifi on ferry and in terminal

Complimentary ridership for Staten Island school children on the Wheel, and all city school children in the first year

Free use of space in wheel terminal building for community groups

Community association advisory board

$75,000 for a Jersey Street local development corporation

New Brighton re-zoning

New pedestrian crossings in St. George

Eco-dock near Homeport

Aesthetic improvements

3:25 p.m. --

The subcommittee has approved the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets project.

Councilwoman Debi Rose -- though she doesn't have a vote on the subcommittee -- has just rattled off the details of the deal.

"I am happy to stand here today and say the elusive win-win has been achieved," Ms. Rose said.

The projects represent a $580 million private investment, along with $51 million in commitments from the city.

2:51 p.m. --

Members of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchise are gathering now -- Chairman Mark Weprin is gathering up a quorum -- to vote on the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets project.

Councilman Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore) is the only borough member of the subcommittee and he just arrived.

"Quick and painless, right?" Ignizio joked. "The 9:45 a.m. meeting is about to begin?"

Stayed tuned for more on the vote when the hearing starts.

1:36 p.m. --

Council staff is doing sound checks in the committee room that will host the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchise hearing on the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets project -- but there's still no sign of the committee taking its seats.

Meanwhile, reporters have assembled in City Hall's Red Room in advance of a press conference with Council Speaker Christine Quinn is expected to discuss the projects -- but that won't happen until the subcommittee votes.

Land use negotiations routinely hold up the Council's business -- the subcommittee vote was scheduled for 9:45 a.m.; the Speaker's press conference was supposed to start at 12:30.

It's not as if this is all that's on their plate, either -- the Council will also consider a law to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco to 21, and several pieces of Hurricane Sandy related legislation.

A vote is expected within the next half hour or so -- so stay tuned for more updates.

--

Jillian Jorgensen

1:00 p.m. --

A final deal may be moments away in the City Council.

"We're almost there," Councilwoman Debi Rose told reporters moments ago.

"I'm excited about the outcome of negotiations and as it was my goal to get the best project for Staten Island. I think we've achieved that goal," Ms. Rose said.

A vote is expected in the Subcommittee for Zoning and Franchises shortly.



UPDATE, 12:15 p.m. --

The message Staten Island union workers delivered outside City Hall Wednesday morning was a far cry from their rally call last week at Borough Hall.

Watch the above video at the top of the page for local union reaction.

"Now with the agreement we have with the developer we know we're going to be guaranteed good jobs," said Reinaldo Torres, a St. George resident and sheet metal worker with Local 26.

"This is something I think all Islanders should enjoy," he said from outside City Hall prior to the Council's vote on the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets project.

"When I first moved to Staten Island there was talk of developing St. George. I watched nothing really happen...but right now I see good economic development on Staten Island. I think this will be a positive."

-- Ryan Lavis



UPDATE, 11:45 a.m.

-- Donald Capoccia and Joseph Ferarra, principals of BFC Partners, developers of the New York Wheel, were just spotted walking into City Hall.

The pair wouldn't comment to reporters and headed upstairs, likely into a closed-door meeting to continue final negotiations before the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises meets to vote on the project.

With Capoccia and Ferrara were James Prendamano and John Pitera, of Cassandra Properties, which also been working on the outlets project.

There's still no word on just when the subcommittee hearing will begin. It's late start -- it was supposed to begin at 9:45 a.m. -- will likely hold up the pre-City Council meeting press conference that's scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

--

Jillian Jorgensen

CITY HALL -- What a difference a deal makes.

The mood among stakeholders in the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets is relatively subdued this morning, after the most contentious issue -- whether to use union labor for the Empire Outlets mall, developed by BFC Partners -- was settled Tuesday evening.

Union members in bright orange t-shirts, who were recently protesting the deal and urging Council members to vote no, are arriving outside City Hall and instead urging them to vote yes. The change comes after an agreement between BFC Partners and the Building and Construction Trades Council to use 100 percent union labor in building the project.

But even with that matter settled, negotiations on other major aspects of the project -- like traffic -- are still ongoing Wednesday morning.

The projects need to be voted on by the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises before the full Council can consider it. They were scheduled to meet at 9:45 a.m., but like most City Council hearings -- and particularly those concerning land use deals -- they are already about an hour late and have yet to convene.

Outside, union members were pleased with the agreement struck on Empire Outlets. The New York Wheel had always pledged to use all union labor.

"We're glad it went the way it's going," Marc Altieri of Levittown, Long Island, a member of Local 46 Metallic Lathers and Reinforcing Ironworkers.

Tim Winterhalter of Queens, also a Local 46 member, said a chance to work on the project would be like his father's working on the iconic Coney Island Parachute Jump.

"You're talking about the world's largest Ferris wheel, to be a part of that," he said.

Build Up NYC, once opposed to the Empire Outlets project, is now urging City Council members to approve it after striking a deal with developers BFC Partners. Staten Island Advance/Jillian Jorgensen

According to sources with knowledge of the negotiations, the deal with the Trade Council includes a promise that union contractors will hire Staten Islanders to do much of the work.

The union members were at City Hall with Build Up NY, once a fierce opponent of the project, now in support of it.

Stay tuned to SILive.com for more live coverage from Advance reporters Jillian Jorgensen and Ryan Lavis.

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Jillian Jorgensen