Finger Lakes plan is a winner

We checked out the competition, and it is obvious to us. The Finger Lakes Region should be one of the winners in our state's version of The Hunger Games.

There are six other regions vying for three $500 million awards in the governor's Upstate Revitalization Initiative competition. Some of the regions' plans, like that of the Finger Lakes, have auspicious-sounding names: CNY Rising, Sparking Transformation, Ignite. Most bemoan the current economic state of their communities, while also trying to show that they are on the cusp of something better.

Some regions have similar ambitions to those of the Finger Lakes. For instance, we are pitching agriculture and food production as an industry pillar, and Mohawk Valley, the Southern Tier and Central New York are also calling for investments in agribusiness, food and food safety. Every region points to some type of technological strength that could serve as a jumping-off point. We propose leveraging our strengths in optics, photonics and imaging, while others are flaunting assets such as biotechnology, aerospace, precision-sensing and cyber security.

The North Country has the biggest dream: bring the Olympics back to New York.

The Mid-Hudson is trying to make itself stand out as a broken bridge between the "growth areas of New York City and the Capital Region," while the Capital Region is making bold promises to attract and retain 10,000 new residents and add 40,000 new jobs over the next five years.

There are many claims for Cuomo administration officials to analyze   over the next month or so, as they determine who the winners will be.

Rochester is a standout for several reasons.

Led by Wegmans CEO Danny Wegman and University of Rochester President Joel Seligman, the Finger Lakes region has arguably developed one of the three most detailed plans. It rigidly follows the Upstate Revitalization Initiative's call to address specific concepts, and favors substance over hyperbole.

The region appears to have been the most successful at getting the community engaged in the process. The visions set forth build on plans the community is already working toward and investing in — with federal, state and private dollars — which adheres to the governor's call for regions to "be yourself." The plan feels real; it is optimistic without crossing too far over into pie-in-the-sky territory.

It is aligned with the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative, which gives us an advantage in helping make sure all members of our community are part of this potential economic transformation.

And, while we recently chided those involved with Rochester photonics for their embarrassing lack of unity, that is not our view when it comes to the development and overall implementation of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative plan. Over the past few months, we witnessed a high level of collaboration, inclusion and transparency.

The Finger Lakes proposal can, and should, be a winner.