Governor Andrew Cuomo will join President Barack Obama in Buffalo Thursday. Ticket information for the president's speech at the University at Buffalo has been made public.
Cuomo told public radio's "The Capitol Pressroom" Monday he will greet his fellow Democrat at the start of Obama's two-day bus tour of upstate New York and northeast Pennsylvania.
"I want to go say hello to welcome the president to Buffalo. He comes in Thursday and I want to welcome him that morning," Cuomo told host Susan Arbetter.
The governor told Arbetter he was due to open the State Fair in Syracuse Thursday, but Lt. Governor Robert Duffy will take his place instead. He said he will visit the fair on another day.
Obama will speak at UB's Alumni Arena at 11:15 a.m. Thursday. Air Force One is scheduled to arrive at Buffalo Niagara International Airport at 10:30 a.m.
Cuomo's exact involvement in the president's visit is unclear. He will not accompany Obama during his stops in Syracuse and Binghamton.
Cuomo says he is spending much of the week helping his two daughters move into college.
Tickets to see President Obama at UB will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The tickets, one per person, will be free at the Alumni Arena box office starting Tuesday at 5 p.m. There will also be a block of tickets available to UB students, faculty and staff through an online lottery.
University at Buffalo Assistant Vice President for Media Relations John DellaContrada says it is still not clear how many people will be allowed to attend.
"Those details are still being worked out. The venue, Alumni Arena, has hosted many national and international figures before, so we're certainly able to accommodate any size audience that the president desires," DellaContrada told WBFO.
The president is expected to discuss issues important to America's middle class, including the rising cost of higher education. Thursday's event marks the first time a sitting president has spoken at UB since 1853 when UB Chancellor Millard Fillmore was in the White House.
"Students are arriving on campus this week and we're hearing that they're extremely excited that during their first week of classes and settling in, the President of the United States is going to be on campus," DellaContrada added.
Doors for the speech at Alumni Arena will open at 9 a.m. and airport-like security will be in place.
