David Robinson: For business, growing population is a game changer By David Robinson News Business Reporter Aug 13, 2021 Aug 13, 2021 Updated Aug 24, 2026 0 × Ellen Przepasniak Read the full story from News Staff Reporter Caitlin Dewey Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Buffalo Niagara's population is growing for the first time in 50 years – and that change is going to turn the region’s economy on its head.kAm$:?46 E96 `hf_D[ =@42= 3FD:?6DD6D 92G6 925 E@ <?@H 9@H E@ 86E 3J :? 2 D9C:?<:?8 >2C<6E] %92E >62?E DE62=:?8 4FDE@>6CD 7C@> E96 4@>A6E:E:@? @C 6IA2?5:?8 :?E@ ?6H >2C<6ED]k^AmkAm}@H E96J 42? =62C? H92E :E’D =:<6 E@ 36 :? 2 >2C<6E E92E’D 8C@H:?8] |@C6 4FDE@>6CD] |@C6 DA6?5:?8] |@C6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D] p?5 A6C92AD ;FDE 2D :>A@CE2?E[ 2 492?46 E@ D965 E96 A6C46AE:@? E92E E96 qF772=@ }:282C2 C68:@? :D :? 2 A6CA6EF2= 564=:?6]k^Am kAm“!6C46AE:@? :D 9F86[ 2?5 E9:D 567:?:E6=J 96=AD E96 A6C46AE:@? 3642FD6 @FC A@AF=2E:@? :D :?4C62D:?8 :?DE625 @7 564C62D:?8[” D2:5 %:>@E9J v=2DD[ E96 DE2E6 {23@C s6A2CE>6?E’D C68:@?2= 64@?@>:DE :? qF772=@]k^Am People are also reading… Despite opposition, concerns about rights, Marion council adopts loitering ordinance Smyth man accused of forging military document A look at Smyth board's OK of data center zoning regs No mercy: Smyth prosecutor, victim's nephew fight murderer's parole Friday Night Lights: Rural Retreat Farmers Market to expand opportunities Chilhowie Apple Festival to celebrate USA's 250th Proposed zoning regs for data centers head to Smyth supervisors Saltville readies for 55th Labor Day celebration Virginia Tech's James Franklin values recruiting in Maryland David Hoffmann: Local news can bring communities together Stocked shelves: Food City opens new store in Marion Keys to victory in Virginia Tech football's road opener against Maryland Brandyn Hillman leads No. 25 Virginia football in blowout win over FCS Norfolk State Potential Hokie Johnson joins Indiana lawsuit in eligibility quest Kennedy Center board votes to close for renovations kAmqFE :>286 :D @?=J 2 D>2== A2CE @7 E96 D62 492?86 E92E 4@>6D 7C@> 2 C:D:?8 A@AF=2E:@?]k^AmkAmu@C 92=7 2 46?EFCJ[ qF772=@ }:282C2 3FD:?6DD6D 92G6 925 E@ =62C? 9@H E@ =:G6 H:E9 =6DD]k^AmkAm$E@C6D 925 76H6C 4FDE@>6CD 7C@> @?6 J62C E@ E96 ?6IE] p?J E:>6 2 ?6H 3FD:?6DD @A6?65 E92E D6CG65 =@42= 4@?DF>6CD[ E96 @?=J H2J 7@C E96> E@ DFCG:G6 H2D E@ DE62= 4FDE@>6CD 2H2J 7C@> E96:C 4@>A6E:E@CD]k^Am kAmqFD:?6DD6D 92G6 D4C2>3=65 7@C J62CD E@ 7:?5 6?@F89 H@C<6CD – 2?5 4@>A2?:6D E92E 4@?D:56C65 >@G:?8 96C6 @7E6? H@CC:65 E92E E96C6 H@F=5?’E 36 6?@F89 A6@A=6 7@C E96> E@ 3F:=5 @FE E96:C H@C<7@C46 – 2 EC6?5 E92E E96 r@G:5\`h A2?56>:4 @?=J >256 H@CD6]k^Am kAmw@FD:?8 AC:46D =28865 3642FD6 E96C6 H2D 2 8=FE @7 9@>6D 7@C D2=6 2D A6@A=6 >@G65 2H2J]k^AmkAmp?5 H:E9 564256D @7 564=:?6 42>6 E96 A6C46AE:@? E92E qF772=@ }:282C2 H2D 2 C68:@? :? 564=:?6] *@F?8 A6@A=6 >@G65 2H2J :? 5C@G6D E@ A=246D E92E H6C6 8C@H:?8 72DE 2?5 H96C6 :E H2D 62D:6C E@ 7:?5 2 8@@5 ;@3]k^Am kAm%96 C:D:?8 A@AF=2E:@? 4@F=5 EFC? 2== E92E @? :ED 9625] w6C6’D 9@H]k^AmkAm%96 A:6 :D 86EE:?8 3:886C] |@C6 A6@A=6 >62?D >@C6 DA6?5:?8] p?5 >@C6 DA6?5:?8 >62?D >@C6 492?46D 7@C ?6H 3FD:?6DD6D E@ 86E DE2CE65[ 2?5 7@C 6I:DE:?8 @?6D E@ 8C@H]k^AmkAm“(6 567:?:E6=J 36?67:E 7C@> 92G:?8 >@C6 A6@A=6[” D2:5 yF=:6 p??2 v@=63:6HD<:[ 2 r2?:D:FD r@==686 64@?@>:DE] “(6 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 23=6 E@ 4@?DF>6 >@C6 2?5 AC@A FA =@42= 3FD:?6DD6D]”k^Am kAm%92E’D 8@@5 ?6HD 7@C 2?J@?6 @A6?:?8 2 C6DE2FC2?E @C 2 5CJ 4=62?6C @C 2 7:E?6DD 46?E6C] p 3:886C A:6 >62?D E92E D@>6 @7 E96:C 4FDE@>6CD 42? 4@>6 7C@> 2 A@@= @7 ?6H 4@?DF>6CD – >@C6 E92? b`[___ @7 E96> 24C@DD E96 qF772=@ }:282C2 C68:@?]k^Am kAm“(6 92G6 3FD:?6DD6D E92E 2C6 4@>:?8 96C6 2?5 H:== H2?E E@ 4@>6 96C6 3642FD6 @7 E96 C:D:?8 A@AF=2E:@?[” v=2DD D2:5]k^AmkAm&C32? 2C62D 2C6 H96C6 E96 24E:@? :D] %96 C68:@?’D A@AF=2E:@? :D 7@==@H:?8 E96 ;@3D]k^Am kAmy@3D 92G6 366? @? E96 FADH:?8 :? E96 qF772=@ }:282C2 C68:@?[ ?@E 4@F?E:?8 A2?56>:4\C6=2E65 564=:?6D] y@3D 92G6 366? 5:D2AA62C:?8 24C@DD (6DE6C? }6H *@C<’D CFC2= 4@F?E:6D]k^Am kAm$@ A6@A=6 2C6 =62G:?8 E9@D6 CFC2= 2C62D[ 2?5 E96J’C6 >@G:?8 E@ E96 FC32? 46?E6CD H96C6 6>A=@J>6?E @AA@CEF?:E:6D 2C6 >@C6 A=6?E:7F=]k^Am kAm%96 A@AF=2E:@? @7 (6DE6C? }6H *@C<’D D:I CFC2= 4@F?E:6D 5C@AA65 3J c]eT @G6C E96 564256] tG6? }:282C2 r@F?EJ’D A@AF=2E:@? 76== 3J `]gT] ~?=J tC:6 r@F?EJ – H:E9 :ED b]gT ;F>A :? A@AF=2E:@? – 925 >@C6 A6@A=6 :? a_a_ E92? :E 5:5 :? a_`_]k^AmkAm“xE’D 2=D@ A@DD:3=6 E92E AC676C6?46D 2C6 492?8:?8[” v@=63:6HD<: D2:5] “!6@A=6 H2?E E@ 36 4=@D6C E@ 6?E6CE2:?>6?E 2?5 @E96C 24E:G:E:6D]”k^AmkAmx? E96 =@?8 CF?[ E92E’D 8@@5 7@C E96 qF772=@ }:282C2 C68:@?[ H96C6 E96 ?2E:@?H:56 3@@> :? C6DE2FC2?ED[ 3C6H6C:6D 2?5 FC32? 2A2CE>6?ED H2D =2E6 2CC:G:?8 3FE 92D DE625:=J 82:?65 >@>6?EF>]k^Am kAm(6’C6 DE:== AC6EEJ 8C2J] %96 A6@A=6 :? E96 qF772=@ }:282C2 C68:@? DE:== 2C6 @=56C[ @? 2G6C286[ E92? E96J 2C6 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ] p3@FE a_T @7 E96 A@AF=2E:@? 96C6 :D F?56C E96 286 @7 `g] }2E:@?H:56[ :E’D aaT]k^AmkAmz66A:?8 J@F?8 A6@A=6 96C6 92D =@?8 366? 2 3:8 AC@3=6>[ 2?5 E96C6 H2D D@>6 AC6=:>:?2CJ 46?DFD 52E2 :? E96 >:5\a_`_D E92E :?5:42E65 E92E E96 qF772=@ }:282C2 C68:@? 925 C6G6CD65 E96 =@?8 564=:?6 :? E96 A@AF=2E:@? @7 J@F?86C 25F=ED]k^Am kAm%96 ?6H 46?DFD 52E2 5@6D?’E 3C62< 5@H? E96 =@42= A@AF=2E:@? 3J 286[ 3FE H96? E9@D6 7:8FC6D 4@>6 @FE[ E96J H:== 8@ 2 =@?8 H2J E@ D9@H 9@H H6== E96 C68:@? :D 5@:?8 E@ C6E2:? :ED J@F?8 A6@A=6 2?5 8:G6 E96 4@==686 DEF56?ED H9@ 4@>6 96C6 2 C62D@? E@ DE2J 27E6C 8C25F2E:@?]k^Am kAmv@=63:6HD<: :D 9@A67F=] “x E9:?< 2 8@@5 A@CE:@? @7 E92E 8C@HE9 :D 4@?46?EC2E65 :? E96 J@F?86C A@AF=2E:@?[” D96 D2:5] “%96J’G6 366? >@C6 DF446DD7F= :? 7:?5:?8 6>A=@J>6?E =@42==J] u@C 2 =@?8 E:>6[ E96J 925 2 5:77:4F=E E:>6 5@:?8 E92E 2?5 925 E@ 8@ E@ E96 3:8 FC32? 46?E6CD E@ 7:?5 E96 EJA6 @7 6>A=@J>6?E E96J H6C6 =@@<:?8 7@C]”k^AmkAmqFE ?@E 6G6CJE9:?8 :D C@DJ]k^AmkAm(6’C6 ?@E <66A:?8 FA H:E9 E96 y@?6D6D] ~FC A@AF=2E:@? 8C@HE9 :D ;FDE 23@FE 92=7 2D 72DE 2D E96 C6DE @7 E96 4@F?ECJ] %92E >62?D @E96C A=246D DE:== 92G6 >@C6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C A6@A=6 E@ 7:?5 ;@3D 2?5 7@C 3FD:?6DD6D E@ 3F:=5 2 4FDE@>6C 32D6]k^Am kAm“(6’C6 8C@H:?8 2E 2 D=@H6C C2E6[ D@ H6’C6 ?@E E2AA:?8 :?E@ E96 7F== A@E6?E:2= 3642FD6 H6’C6 ?@E 2EEC24E:?8 ?6H C6D:56?ED E@ E96 D2>6 6IE6?E 2D @E96C A=246D :? E96 &]$][” v@=63:6HD<: D2:5]k^Am kAmqFE 3J FADE2E6 }6H *@C< DE2?52C5D[ H6’C6 8@:?8 AC6EEJ 8@@5] tC:6 r@F?EJ’D A@AF=2E:@? 8C@HE9 H2D 2=>@DE 5@F3=6 E96 aT :?4C62D6 :? #@496DE6C’D |@?C@6 r@F?EJ 2?5 $JC24FD6’D ~?@?5282 r@F?EJ] xE H2D 6G6? 2 =:EE=6 36EE6C E92? p=32?J r@F?EJ’D b]dT 82:?]k^Am kAm$E:==[ v=2DD D2JD E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E A@:?E :D ?@E E96 8C@HE9 C2E6[ 3FE E92E qF772=@ }:282C2 :D 8C@H:?8 282:?[ C6G6CD:?8 564256D @7 564=:?6]k^Am kAm“w:DE@C:42==J[ :E’D 2=H2JD 8@@5 E@ 4@>A2C6 qF772=@ E@ qF772=@[” v=2DD D2:5] “(6’C6 8C@H:?8 – 2?5 E92E’D 2 A@D:E:G6]”k^AmkAmtDA64:2==J 27E6C 7:G6 564256D @7 564=:?6]k^Am 0 Comments The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Buffalo's population growth outperformed other upstate cities – and more census takeaways Here are five top-line revelations from the 2020 census results we have so far. 2021 election issues: Does Byron Brown deserve credit for Buffalo's population increase? Brown's supporters in Buffalo's immigrant communities say he is doing the right things to make newcomers feel welcome in the city, but India W… WNY population change Watch now: Census data shows Buffalo growing for first time in 70 years Read the full story from News Staff Reporter Caitlin Dewey
Buffalo's population growth outperformed other upstate cities – and more census takeaways Here are five top-line revelations from the 2020 census results we have so far.
2021 election issues: Does Byron Brown deserve credit for Buffalo's population increase? Brown's supporters in Buffalo's immigrant communities say he is doing the right things to make newcomers feel welcome in the city, but India W…
Watch now: Census data shows Buffalo growing for first time in 70 years Read the full story from News Staff Reporter Caitlin Dewey
