The 79-year-old Senator announced Tuesday that he would officially leave office by Friday.

Bruno has held the position in the 43rd Senate District since 1976 and was the chamber’s Republican majority leader before stepping down shortly after announcing his decision not to seek re-election since 1995.

“At the conclusion of the 2008 legislative session, I announced I would not seek re-election this fall because, after 32 years of public service, I wanted to move on with my life, give my constituents an opportunity for new representation and my colleagues in the Senate an opportunity for new leadership.” Bruno said in a statement on Tuesday.

In what was his last public appearance in Saratoga Springs on Wednesday Bruno delivered $6 million from the state Dormitory Authority to help fund the rehabilitation and expansion of the Saratoga Springs City Center.

“As Saratoga continues to be one of the fastest growing counties in the State, it is important that the City of Saratoga Springs has a venue that can attract larger conventions, conferences and trade shows,” Bruno said. “This increased activity will spur additional economic activity, creating new jobs while generating more revenue for the local and State governments.”

His announcement of the additional funding completes his previous promise to deliver $12 million toward the $16 million project – he previously delivered $6 million in 2006. The City Center Authority raised another $4 million in funds to balance out the remainder of the money needed to complete the expansion, which will increase the facility from 52,500 square feet to 77,000 square feet.

“The funding secured by Senator Bruno is vital to our efforts in making Saratoga Springs a magnet for conventions and visitors year round,” City Center Authority Chairman Michael Toohey said in a statement. “Senator Bruno understands the positive impact that the City Center expansion will have on local businesses, attracting tens of thousands of new visitors and adding millions to the local economy.”

Construction is set to begin as early as spring 2009 and will take 12 to 14 months to complete. It will include renovations to the front of the building and an expansion that will provide additional exhibit space and conference rooms.

“The City Center has been crucial to the growth and viability of Saratoga’s downtown district,” City Center President Mark Baker said. “It has turned the city into a year round destination.”

The City Center was built in 1984 as part of urban renewal project. Since being constructed the building has generated hundreds of millions of dollars and has provided much needed sales tax revenue to the city and county.

Aside from providing money to the City Center expansion project, this week Bruno also announced an agreement between IBM and New York that has the potential to create up to 1,000 new jobs, plans to build a state-of-the-art Technology Center and Global Headquarters in Rensselaer County and the construction of a new state-of-the art biomedical facility at the University at Albany’s East Campus.

“As a businessman, job creation was my top priority and I’m proud that these new projects are in place to build on our economic successes in the Capital Region and boost the economy of all of Upstate New York,” he said in a statement. “I’ve always enjoyed telling everyone to ‘stay tuned,’ but it’s the people in the business community, our leaders in higher education and my partners in government that have played such important roles in making these projects and announcements possible.”

Bruno says that he intends to return to the private sector where according to him he has received eight or nine opportunities since announcing that he would not seek re-election.

In his announcement on Tuesday, Bruno adamantly denied that his decision to leave office had anything to do with a pending FBI investigation that has been looking into his business dealing for more than two years.

Bruno was replaced by Republican Sen. Dean Skelos of Long Island as majority leader and he has endorsed Assemblyman Roy McDonald to replace him in the 43rd Senate District.

“This has been a great trip and it is time for me to ride off into the sunset,” he said.