BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Howard Zemsky says a little more than three months ago, Gov. Andrew Cuomo came to Buffalo and called for Buffalo Billion part II.

"We were really trying to have the greatest impact per dollar as we could," said Zemsky, Empire State Development president.

Led by Zemsky, Western New York leaders looked to the strategy developed five years ago for Phase I.

"This plan has a big focus on place-based investments, revitalization, what we call smart growth. It has a big emphasis again on workforce development and innovation and entrepreneurship," he said.

Among other things, Phase II proposes the expansion of the city's light-rail, funding for the city's impoverished east side and continued waterfront development.

"From a publicity standpoint, if what you believe is that the way to keep things going is to have momentum then that's really what this plan is all about," said Fred Floss, SUNY Buffalo State economics professor.

What Phase II doesn't include is a RiverBend-type project. The nearly billion dollar manufacturing hub that became the trademark project of the initiatives initial manifestation. The jobs promised to be created by tenant SolarCity, now connected to Tesla and Panasonic, largely aren't here yet.

"We're betting pretty strongly on RiverBend working, so the question is do we continue to do that and I think we probably do," Floss said.

Zemsky scoffed at cynics, pointing out, for instance, that millennials are moving back to the region at a notable pace.

"I don't think that's fair or reasonable," he said. "This has been the most dramatic economic transformation of this region in 50 years, period."

Phase II also focuses on tourism across the region.

"That's all part of a purposeful strategy to extend stays," Zemsky said. "We're seeing that work. We can add another 5- or 10,000 jobs just if we continue to extend stays among existing visitors. It's a big opportunity for us."

The state hasn't made specific job projections for Phase II. Zemsky said part of the reason was the short timeline, but he says the proposal does earmark tens of millions for business attractions and growth. He said there's synergy between all of the plans and believes the legislature should fund them all.