BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The state comptroller's office said it still has lingering questions about contracts and payments associated with Buffalo's RiverBend construction site.
A spokesperson said Tuesday the comptroller wired $33 million so contractors could avoid layoffs, but the office has yet to approve another $121 million in payments.
Communications Officer Jennifer Freeman said they're still waiting for some routine answers.
"Our job is to review contracts and make payments. When the executive and public authorities send requests to us, they are generally required to include proper documentation and necessary approvals. That did not happen in this case," Freeman wrote in an email.
Freeman said OSC is not responsible for the delay, and in the past has approved payments associated with the Buffalo Billion project within days of the request. She referred questions about the timing of the payments to Empire State Development and the Governor's Office.
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said the state is doing everything it can to make sure the project remains on schedule.
"People are being trained in the jobs that are coming right now," said Hochul, D-New York. "We're expecting over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs. There's a lot of excitement around it and we're working closely with the comptroller's office to make sure payments are always in a timely fashion."
A spokesperson for Empire State Development said the agency is working with the comptroller as well, but also believes it has submitted all the required documentation on time and has answered questions quickly.
Lead contractor LPCiminellii says another round of payments is due at the end of next week.