"This is the election of the year," said Jim Fink of Business First, referring to the May 6 Buffalo School Board elections. During WBFO's Press Pass, Fink called the elections "a defining moment for Buffalo."
Despite the progress on the Buffalo development scene, Fink believes the city cannot reach its potential without major improvement in its public schools. According to Fink, several groups are working to get out the vote in the May 6 elections. Voter turnout for School Board elections are traditionally low.
The emergence of Nick Sinatra on the real estate scene presents a positive sign for Buffalo. Fink says Sinatra, who lived away from the area for some time, returned to Buffalo because he saw opportunities that were not present a few years ago. Sinatra is working to purchase a portion of the Market Arcade and is planning to construct 40 apartment units in the Phoenix Brewery building.
"He's making a difference," said Fink, who cited other small developers like Jim Swiezy and Paul Kolkmeyer who are following suit in working to transform Buffalo.
Fink also discusses a recent tourism conference in Niagara Falls, New York. Though tourism continues to be one of the city's top industries, the American city lags far behind its Canadian counterpart in economic activity. According to Fink, tourists typically visit Niagara Falls, New York for a few hours; visitors stay, on average, nearly three days in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
