in response to this recommendation, mayor bloomberg launched a competition to build an applied sciences campus in new york city with a focus on entrepreneurship and job creation. in december 2010, the city requested expressions of interest from leading universities. eighteen universities responded. next, in july 2011, new york city published a request for proposals for the construction of an applied sciences campus. the winner would receive $100 million and free land; roosevelt island, governor’s island, downtown brooklyn, and the brooklyn navy yard were discussed as locations.