AMHERST, N.Y. -- It has been a very good year economically for the Buffalo-Niagara Region. That was the message Buffalo Niagara Partnership President & CEO Andrew Rudnick delivered to members during their 19th annual region report at the University at Buffalo Tuesday.

Rudnick told the crowd it's hard to believe so much money was invested in the Buffalo-Niagara Region. Major projects were announced like the passage of UB 20-20, Governor Cuomo committed a billion dollars for Buffalo, more than $100 million dollars was awarded to the area by the state's Economic Development Council, and the list goes on and on.

Rudnick said, "In a time when the country and maybe the whole world is undergoing some economic confusion about its future, ours is more stable and stronger than it's ever been."

But as good as the last year has been, Rudnick said we still have a long way to go.

"We're getting there," Rudnick said. "We're ahead of many of our metropolitan piers across the country. But we won't be there until far more people are employed, there's far more business success, and people see a future that I don't think they see yet."

Local business leaders who attended the event agreed.

Bill Collins, Principal at Travers Collins advertising firm said, "Last year was not a great year by anyone's' standards. I think the economy has everyone cautious, holding back, and waiting to see if conditions improve. But lately we've seen a lot of activity and we're getting more business opportunities today than we did last year at this time."

There are other major worries for the region including the recent announcement that the Canadian Consulate is closing its offices inside the HSBC Tower in downtown Buffalo, and the ongoing holdup for a new Peace Bridge. However right now, Collins says the region is improving.

"I think we've come out of the worst and we're looking ahead to a brighter future," Collins said. "We are poised to take advantage of it."

Officials with the Buffalo Niagara Partnership said if the next year is anywhere as good as the last then we'll be in pretty good shape.