BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Twenty years ago a WKBW reporter, John Kosich, wanted to paint a picture of the future. He asked local politicians and business leaders about their predictions. Some of them were really on the money.
You can watch the original story here:
In his story, Kosich said, “the spotlight in 2020 is going to be on the newer symbols, like the growing waterfront area.”
Now known as Canalside, it certainly doesn't look renderings from 2000, but the area continues to be a focus for development.
“Mayor Anthony Masiello sees the now forming ‘Byte Belt’ as being the cornerstone of that growth,” reported Kosich. ‘Byte Belt’ certainly isn’t in our vernacular today, but there was plenty of growth in the medical corridor.
In the story University at Buffalo's Dean of Arts and Science Kerry Grant says most people will shop over the internet in 2020, there will always need some malls.
That’s true, for now. However, Eastern Hills Mall and the Boulevard Malls are about to turn into mixed use developments.
“As for some of our fuzzier predictions: you’ll find the City of Niagara Falls enjoying a second life as a casino city. The introduction of gambling really changed the place. They did however draw the line at Donald Trump's offer to purchase the American Falls to be a part of the lobby of the new Trump Casino,” predicted Kosich.
Hey, how about them Bills?
2020 #BillsMafia predictions from 2000, per @WKBW's (now @WEWS) @KosichJohn... Way off. And yet, so accurate. pic.twitter.com/VGb0VRRwOr
— Jeff Rusack (@JeffRusack) December 30, 2019
“By the year 2020, the Bills will have played in another four Super Bowls. The bad news is, there's always 2021,” added Kosich.
