Bennington doesn't have much going for it although it has a lot of potential given its location. Cottage industry only goes so far. You need a diversified economy for things to thrive.

Investment coming in will provide employment opportunities for local residents. You can bash it for catering to out of Towners if you want, but I'm not sure what this sub would consider to be a good alternative to help the local economy considering there are so many examples of small towns in VT being supported by out of state tourism.

What about all the ski areas that attract lots of out of Towners that keep folks in small towns employed during the winter months? Are you going to bash those people visiting and spending tourism dollars because they don't have in-state residency? Having a tourism draw has been a strong economic force in helping support local economies, especially in Vermont. I'm not sure there's a better alternative. You need investment for things to improve.