Meanwhile, my administration has settled a long-standing lawsuit with the "Niagara Falls Six" – a group of city workers who complained of a pattern of racial discrimination on the job. They fought for seven years for dignity for all people in the workplace. Two previous administrations fought back. But we chose to acknowledge our city's past flaws, settle the case, and get about the work of bringing our community together.
Toward that end, working with the office of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, we settled a 16-month state investigation into the city's policies and practices on diversity and discrimination. We are in the process of hiring an equal opportunity officer, and we continue to be more aggressive in recruiting a diverse city workforce, including in public safety. We've made a firm commitment to change, and we're not turning back.
We will continue to work with the Human Rights Commission to provide mandatory cultural diversity training sessions for key staff. In 2009, we trained 42 rank and file employees, and offered two cultural diversity refresher classes for 26 supervisors. These efforts will continue. As mayor, I will not allow racism and discrimination to poison our community.
Our second goal is to redevelop our city's economy so our people can live well and support their families.
Again, my administration is seizing the initiative. Our Economic Development Department initiated or responded to more than 400 direct business contacts in 2009. Through our NFC Development Corporation, we approved over $800,000 in grants and loans to 14 different businesses. At our urging, the Urban Renewal Agency and the City Council have just approved a new Core City Urban Renewal Plan to direct our development efforts downtown and in the north end. This document, along with the new zoning ordinances and master plan that were updated in 2009, gives us the tools we need to pursue new business development and housing initiatives in our urban core.
That process is well underway. More than $100 million in development projects are in progress in our downtown tourist and entertainment area. You heard that right: more than $100 million. Thanks to USA Niagara Development Corporation and $10.7 million invested by them on Old Falls Street, we have a new road, new sidewalks, new parking and new gardens to greet our visitors. The heart of the City is once again open to the flow of visitors from the State Park. Now, we're working to fill the retail spaces in that area, creating jobs for small vendors who can prosper from tourism while enhancing the tourist experience.
To that same end, we made sorely needed emergency repairs to the municipal parking ramp on Rainbow Boulevard. They are not permanent fixes, but they improved safety and secured the parking fees that we get from the ramp, which reduces the tax burden on taxpayers. Now we're working on a long-term solution for the ramp as part of our plans to reinvigorate the Rainbow Mall. More on that later.
Free outdoor concerts are another factor in our downtown development strategy. Last year, we invested $145,000 of casino funds on a series of concerts in partnership with the Hard Rock Café, including our first-ever New Year's Eve guitar drop. On concert nights, our parking ramp makes more money. Our downtown area is buzzing. These concerts, at almost no cost to city taxpayers, are positioning Niagara Falls as a vibrant entertainment center for locals and visitors alike.
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