Southwest Florida's economic outlook sunny Get out your sunglasses, Southwest Florida, because when it comes to the area's economic outlook, the future's so bright, you gotta wear shades. Presenters at the 10th annual Economic Outlook Conference in September said that optimism is well founded.
Experts say the region's prognosis is one of the healthiest in the nation.
Most cite the new university as a primary reason. David Birch, president of Cognetics Inc. of Cambridge, Mass., notes that Southwest Florida is currently the third-fastes growing area of the U.S., behind Las Vegas and Austin. The arrival of the university will radically change the community. It will be a great step forward.