I don't have the wherewithal to go through this entire thread and watch monkey's throwing poo at each other. I'm a political atheist.
I'll just give my local experience. I live in WNC, close to Ashe Vegas. a huge diphole.

The company I work for has grown by about at least 30% in total employment, we actually bought a company in Atlanta and are incorporating them, while allowing them to stay themselves, just having them do things our way is the main goal, I am not including this in that 30% growth either (that 30% growth is just the one I see, we actually have people working in closets now b/c we grew so fast), and they are hiring even more for the Atlanta "location" now. This after we bought a company in Texas, and also one all the way over in the UK. We have so many new faces that I feel like I don't know anyone anymore,,, I've been there quite a while and hope to be there for more. It's losing the family feel and feels so much more corporate now though..

There are two large breweries who are both setting up shop in the area. Sierra Nevada and New Belgium are both setting up shop for their eastern operations here.

There's more going on than just that, but, just an example I could give you folks.

Anyone saying there isn't opportunity here, well, I dunno. That said, wages are low comparative to the cost of living. Wish that would even out a little.

Ashe Vegas is a dippy idiot shithole of, I dunno, liberal/progressive crap?.. I don't know b/c I don't like either extreme, but the progressive idiots piss me off more than conservatives outside of town around here do. But, as soon as you get 10 miles down the road in any direction, things even out and you actually have normal people who work and have families. And not trust fund trendies like you see in town.


Overall, it's the best I've seen it, but, that is my location, and my experience. YMMV.