Mark Holan
Staff Writer
Email: markholan@bizjournals.com
Pittsburgh economic development and job recruitment officials are marketing the city as aggressively as the city’s football team will be playing offense and defense on Sunday.
The ImaginePittsburgh.com campaign is capitalizing on the Steelers attempt to win a seventh Super Bowl with special events in markets with high concentrations of former residents, including Tampa.
The message on the “Pittsburgh Nation” T-shirts being given away at Tanks Tap Room, 13150 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, says it all: “The City of Champions is Growing. We Have Jobs.”
According to ImaginePittsburgh.com, employers across the 10-county Pittsburgh region are currently hiring to fill more than 20,000 jobs for a variety of in-demand careers including engineers, accountants and medical professionals.
Pittsburgh’s unemployment rate is 7.9 percent compared with 12 percent locally.
“The heart of the Pittsburgh region is the City of Champions, a place where a winning spirit has never died,” said Dennis Yablonsky, chief executive officer of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, which maintains ImaginePittsburgh.com. “Today our team’s winning and so is our economy, with jobs opening up faster than regional employers can fill them.”
The T-shirts feature a QR code on the sleeve that, when photographed with a cell or smart phone, will connect directly to the ImaginePittsburgh.com site.
The other cities are Charlotte, N.C., Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Boston, New York and Dallas, site of Sunday’s big game. Here’s a media advisory on the local event.
As mentioned in a previous blog, I’m a Pittsburgh native and will be cheering for the Steelers on Sunday. But on Monday morning I’ll be rooting for Tampa Bay, my home since 2002, to jump-start its own economic development and job growth.
Read more: Tampa Super Bowl viewers to learn of ‘Pittsburgh Nation’ | Tampa Bay Business Journal
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Bold Move Brings Early Returns For Whitfield County
John Pless
Brighter days appear on the horizon for Whitfield County which has been under the clouds of plant cutbacks and closures resulting in double-digit unemployment far worse than state and national averages.
A bold move by County Commissioners to jump start the local economy is paying off more quickly than anyone thought. They and local business leaders are doing something they've never done before -- creating a diverse economic development plan.
The good news, in part, hinges on XL Brands which has made adhesives for carpet and hard flooring for 32 years. Unlike other northwest Georgia flooring related businesses that have been pummeled by the recession, they've experienced so much growth they need a new place to call home.
"We've got a group of people that are committed to doing things different and better within the market place," XL Brands Vice President Joe Tuttolomondo said.
XL Brands has outgrown three buildings in Whitfield and Gordon counties. But instead of moving elsewhere XL Brands committed to Whitfield County and is building an all-new 122,000 square foot facility that gives them 50% more room under one roof in the soon-to-be Carbondale Business Park.
"We're truly committed to economic development and we are open for business in Dalton and Whitfield County," Dalton-Whitfield County Joint Development Authority Executive Director Elyse Cochran said.
Cochran said Whitfield County Commissioners took a bold step for a local government during times of recession by getting $12-million in bonds to buy and develop just under 200 acres of land along I-75 at Carbondale Road.
Up until recently Whitfield County did not have a business-industrial park to promote diverse growth nor did it have an economic development plant until now. It was assumed the carpet industry was immune to economic downturns.
"We told the world that we are open for business and we can compete in a global economy, but the one missing link was that we did not have an industrial park," Cochran said.
Now plans call for attracting a diverse range of companies to the Carbondale Business Park, which is expected to create 1,900 jobs over ten years. Having a first tenant early, XL Brands, goes a long way to marketing the business park.
"Whitfield County really came to the party and assisted us in a variety of different ways and this particular facility is geographically located in a strategic manner that will expedite our move and consolidation," Tuttolomondo said.
Construction for XL Brands' new home begins in March with an expected completion by the end of the year.
Cochran said development of the Carbondale Business Park will evolve in two phases and will be in concert with the Georgia Department of Transportation's plans to completely re-design and re-construct the I-75 interchange with Carbondale Road ahead of the growth expected in southern Whitfield County.
Brighter days appear on the horizon for Whitfield County which has been under the clouds of plant cutbacks and closures resulting in double-digit unemployment far worse than state and national averages.
A bold move by County Commissioners to jump start the local economy is paying off more quickly than anyone thought. They and local business leaders are doing something they've never done before -- creating a diverse economic development plan.
The good news, in part, hinges on XL Brands which has made adhesives for carpet and hard flooring for 32 years. Unlike other northwest Georgia flooring related businesses that have been pummeled by the recession, they've experienced so much growth they need a new place to call home.
"We've got a group of people that are committed to doing things different and better within the market place," XL Brands Vice President Joe Tuttolomondo said.
XL Brands has outgrown three buildings in Whitfield and Gordon counties. But instead of moving elsewhere XL Brands committed to Whitfield County and is building an all-new 122,000 square foot facility that gives them 50% more room under one roof in the soon-to-be Carbondale Business Park.
"We're truly committed to economic development and we are open for business in Dalton and Whitfield County," Dalton-Whitfield County Joint Development Authority Executive Director Elyse Cochran said.
Cochran said Whitfield County Commissioners took a bold step for a local government during times of recession by getting $12-million in bonds to buy and develop just under 200 acres of land along I-75 at Carbondale Road.
Up until recently Whitfield County did not have a business-industrial park to promote diverse growth nor did it have an economic development plant until now. It was assumed the carpet industry was immune to economic downturns.
"We told the world that we are open for business and we can compete in a global economy, but the one missing link was that we did not have an industrial park," Cochran said.
Now plans call for attracting a diverse range of companies to the Carbondale Business Park, which is expected to create 1,900 jobs over ten years. Having a first tenant early, XL Brands, goes a long way to marketing the business park.
"Whitfield County really came to the party and assisted us in a variety of different ways and this particular facility is geographically located in a strategic manner that will expedite our move and consolidation," Tuttolomondo said.
Construction for XL Brands' new home begins in March with an expected completion by the end of the year.
Cochran said development of the Carbondale Business Park will evolve in two phases and will be in concert with the Georgia Department of Transportation's plans to completely re-design and re-construct the I-75 interchange with Carbondale Road ahead of the growth expected in southern Whitfield County.
Business leaders make Lee County pitch
Written by: Tim Engstrom
tengstrom@news-press.com
1:10 A.M. — Businesses leaders will pitch Lee County’s economic attributes in a new marketing campaign to encourage others to expand or locate here.
Building on 2010’s “Together, We Mean Business” campaign, the new theme is “We Chose Lee County” and features executives extolling the area.
The testimonials of existing businesses is effective in attracting others and it reflects local priorities, said Jim Moore, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Office.
“The business that is here is the most important business to Lee County,” Moore said. “It always has been and it always will be, but those businesses can help us grow.”
Moore outlined the campaign Friday at the Horizon Council Annual Meeting at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers.
The Horizon Council includes business leaders and government representatives who advise Lee County commissioners on economic development issues.
The group celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
The marketing campaign, which features print ads and videos, features Edmundo Muniz, chief executive officer of Tigris Pharmaceuticals in Bonita Springs; Bob Simpson, CEO of LeeSar; Daniel Dosoretz, founder of 21st Century Oncology and others.
Just this week, the economic development office announced an incentive agreement with 21st Century Oncology that will allow the company to earn up to $300,000 in state and local money to hire up to 40 additional employees.
That agreement was one of 10 announced this year, resulting in commitments for 941 new jobs, Moore said.
At least four more are in the pipeline, Moore said, and the marketing effort should attract more.
The campaign, like all local economic development marketing efforts, will be paid for by local business donations.
Lee businesses already have pledged $268,000 for 2011 efforts, more than 77 percent of the goal for the year, said Wayne Kirkwood, the new chairman of the Horizon Council.
The Horizon Foundation — the council’s fundraising arm — has set $350,000 as its goal for 2011, up from $336,705 last year.
That commitment demonstrates how Lee County works together to succeed, said Kirkwood, who is also chief executive officer of Kirkwood Electric in Cape Coral.
“As Lee County, we can become a force to compete nationally and internationally and win,” Kirkwood said at the meeting.
Kirkwood called 2011 “the year of recovery” and congratulated almost 400 business leaders in attendance for their part.
“If you are in this room, you are a survivor of the single worst economic storm this county has ever seen,” Kirkwood said.
Those donations are impressive in still-challenging economic times, said Ryan Goldberg, local market president for Regions Bank.
“It’s a good indicator of the commitment to economic development,” Goldberg said.
tengstrom@news-press.com
1:10 A.M. — Businesses leaders will pitch Lee County’s economic attributes in a new marketing campaign to encourage others to expand or locate here.
Building on 2010’s “Together, We Mean Business” campaign, the new theme is “We Chose Lee County” and features executives extolling the area.
The testimonials of existing businesses is effective in attracting others and it reflects local priorities, said Jim Moore, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Office.
“The business that is here is the most important business to Lee County,” Moore said. “It always has been and it always will be, but those businesses can help us grow.”
Moore outlined the campaign Friday at the Horizon Council Annual Meeting at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers.
The Horizon Council includes business leaders and government representatives who advise Lee County commissioners on economic development issues.
The group celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
The marketing campaign, which features print ads and videos, features Edmundo Muniz, chief executive officer of Tigris Pharmaceuticals in Bonita Springs; Bob Simpson, CEO of LeeSar; Daniel Dosoretz, founder of 21st Century Oncology and others.
Just this week, the economic development office announced an incentive agreement with 21st Century Oncology that will allow the company to earn up to $300,000 in state and local money to hire up to 40 additional employees.
That agreement was one of 10 announced this year, resulting in commitments for 941 new jobs, Moore said.
At least four more are in the pipeline, Moore said, and the marketing effort should attract more.
The campaign, like all local economic development marketing efforts, will be paid for by local business donations.
Lee businesses already have pledged $268,000 for 2011 efforts, more than 77 percent of the goal for the year, said Wayne Kirkwood, the new chairman of the Horizon Council.
The Horizon Foundation — the council’s fundraising arm — has set $350,000 as its goal for 2011, up from $336,705 last year.
That commitment demonstrates how Lee County works together to succeed, said Kirkwood, who is also chief executive officer of Kirkwood Electric in Cape Coral.
“As Lee County, we can become a force to compete nationally and internationally and win,” Kirkwood said at the meeting.
Kirkwood called 2011 “the year of recovery” and congratulated almost 400 business leaders in attendance for their part.
“If you are in this room, you are a survivor of the single worst economic storm this county has ever seen,” Kirkwood said.
Those donations are impressive in still-challenging economic times, said Ryan Goldberg, local market president for Regions Bank.
“It’s a good indicator of the commitment to economic development,” Goldberg said.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Business leaders make Lee County pitch
By Tim Engstrom • tengstrom@news-press.com • January 29, 2011
Businesses leaders will pitch Lee County’s economic attributes in a new marketing campaign to encourage others to expand or locate here.
Building on 2010’s “Together, We Mean Business” campaign, the new theme is “We Chose Lee County” and features executives extolling the area.
The testimonials of existing businesses is effective in attracting others and it reflects local priorities, said Jim Moore, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Office.
“The business that is here is the most important business to Lee County,” Moore said. “It always has been and it always will be, but those businesses can help us grow.”
Moore outlined the campaign Friday at the Horizon Council Annual Meeting at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers.
The Horizon Council includes business leaders and government representatives who advise Lee County commissioners on economic development issues.
The group celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
The marketing campaign, which features print ads and videos, features Edmundo Muniz, chief executive officer of Tigris Pharmaceuticals in Bonita Springs; Bob Simpson, CEO of LeeSar; Daniel Dosoretz, founder of 21st Century Oncology and others.
Just this week, the economic development office announced an incentive agreement with 21st Century Oncology that will allow the company to earn up to $300,000 in state and local money to hire up to 40 additional employees.
That agreement was one of 10 announced this year, resulting in commitments for 941 new jobs, Moore said.
At least four more are in the pipeline, Moore said, and the marketing effort should attract more.
The campaign, like all local economic development marketing efforts, will be paid for by local business donations.
Lee businesses already have pledged $268,000 for 2011 efforts, more than 77 percent of the goal for the year, said Wayne Kirkwood, the new chairman of the Horizon Council.
The Horizon Foundation — the council’s fundraising arm — has set $350,000 as its goal for 2011, up from $336,705 last year.
That commitment demonstrates how Lee County works together to succeed, said Kirkwood, who is also chief executive officer of Kirkwood Electric in Cape Coral.
“As Lee County, we can become a force to compete nationally and internationally and win,” Kirkwood said at the meeting.
Kirkwood called 2011 “the year of recovery” and congratulated almost 400 business leaders in attendance for their part.
“If you are in this room, you are a survivor of the single worst economic storm this county has ever seen,” Kirkwood said.
Those donations are impressive in still-challenging economic times, said Ryan Goldberg, local market president for Regions Bank.
“It’s a good indicator of the commitment to economic development,” Goldberg said.
Businesses leaders will pitch Lee County’s economic attributes in a new marketing campaign to encourage others to expand or locate here.
Building on 2010’s “Together, We Mean Business” campaign, the new theme is “We Chose Lee County” and features executives extolling the area.
The testimonials of existing businesses is effective in attracting others and it reflects local priorities, said Jim Moore, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Office.
“The business that is here is the most important business to Lee County,” Moore said. “It always has been and it always will be, but those businesses can help us grow.”
Moore outlined the campaign Friday at the Horizon Council Annual Meeting at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers.
The Horizon Council includes business leaders and government representatives who advise Lee County commissioners on economic development issues.
The group celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
The marketing campaign, which features print ads and videos, features Edmundo Muniz, chief executive officer of Tigris Pharmaceuticals in Bonita Springs; Bob Simpson, CEO of LeeSar; Daniel Dosoretz, founder of 21st Century Oncology and others.
Just this week, the economic development office announced an incentive agreement with 21st Century Oncology that will allow the company to earn up to $300,000 in state and local money to hire up to 40 additional employees.
That agreement was one of 10 announced this year, resulting in commitments for 941 new jobs, Moore said.
At least four more are in the pipeline, Moore said, and the marketing effort should attract more.
The campaign, like all local economic development marketing efforts, will be paid for by local business donations.
Lee businesses already have pledged $268,000 for 2011 efforts, more than 77 percent of the goal for the year, said Wayne Kirkwood, the new chairman of the Horizon Council.
The Horizon Foundation — the council’s fundraising arm — has set $350,000 as its goal for 2011, up from $336,705 last year.
That commitment demonstrates how Lee County works together to succeed, said Kirkwood, who is also chief executive officer of Kirkwood Electric in Cape Coral.
“As Lee County, we can become a force to compete nationally and internationally and win,” Kirkwood said at the meeting.
Kirkwood called 2011 “the year of recovery” and congratulated almost 400 business leaders in attendance for their part.
“If you are in this room, you are a survivor of the single worst economic storm this county has ever seen,” Kirkwood said.
Those donations are impressive in still-challenging economic times, said Ryan Goldberg, local market president for Regions Bank.
“It’s a good indicator of the commitment to economic development,” Goldberg said.
A second plant for Hyundai?
Posted: Jan 28, 2011 7:25 PM EST
Updated: Jan 28, 2011 7:25 PM EST
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
More than anyone Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange knows the effort it takes to beat out other states and land a company like Hyundai. When Alabama sealed the deal with a Hyundai a few years ago, Don Siegelman was governor and Strange was the director of the Alabama Economic Development Office.
"We anticipate in the next week or two to have a conversation with the senior leadership at Hyundai and to explain to them eye-to-eye that we desire to have that expansion here in Montgomery, Alabama," said Mayor Strange.
Some facts as we know them now; Hyundai has not made a decision whether to expand. States like Florida could join the mix if the company decides to add a plant.
Neal Wade who succeeded Strange as the state's economic development director is now with a private real estate development company in Florida. Wade also works with the Florida governor on economic projects.
"We want to do what's best for Hyundai," said Wade.
Wade told WSFA 12 News by phone that much like leaders in Montgomery, Florida has also had discussions with the car company.
"We've already had discussions with the private and public sector about how we can position northwest Florida in competition for this plant," Wade said.
Winning over a company such as Hyundai is a very competitive battle but this time it could be more difficult regardless of who joins the bidding process.
For the current production plant in South Montgomery County, Alabama offered Hyundai $253 million dollars in tax incentives, cash, job training and infrastructure.
Today, it's a different ball game considering the economy.
"This is a very tough time right now from an economic standpoint. This will be an interesting situation to see what kind of package the states put together if Hyundai chooses to open up the process," said Wade.
A lot of uncertainties but those in the thick of it are certain about this; a decision by Hyundai could come in about a year.
For now Hyundai Motor Manufacturing in Montgomery is doing very well. They employ 2,500 people who built 300,000 vehicles last year alone.
©2010 WSFA. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
Updated: Jan 28, 2011 7:25 PM EST
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
More than anyone Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange knows the effort it takes to beat out other states and land a company like Hyundai. When Alabama sealed the deal with a Hyundai a few years ago, Don Siegelman was governor and Strange was the director of the Alabama Economic Development Office.
"We anticipate in the next week or two to have a conversation with the senior leadership at Hyundai and to explain to them eye-to-eye that we desire to have that expansion here in Montgomery, Alabama," said Mayor Strange.
Some facts as we know them now; Hyundai has not made a decision whether to expand. States like Florida could join the mix if the company decides to add a plant.
Neal Wade who succeeded Strange as the state's economic development director is now with a private real estate development company in Florida. Wade also works with the Florida governor on economic projects.
"We want to do what's best for Hyundai," said Wade.
Wade told WSFA 12 News by phone that much like leaders in Montgomery, Florida has also had discussions with the car company.
"We've already had discussions with the private and public sector about how we can position northwest Florida in competition for this plant," Wade said.
Winning over a company such as Hyundai is a very competitive battle but this time it could be more difficult regardless of who joins the bidding process.
For the current production plant in South Montgomery County, Alabama offered Hyundai $253 million dollars in tax incentives, cash, job training and infrastructure.
Today, it's a different ball game considering the economy.
"This is a very tough time right now from an economic standpoint. This will be an interesting situation to see what kind of package the states put together if Hyundai chooses to open up the process," said Wade.
A lot of uncertainties but those in the thick of it are certain about this; a decision by Hyundai could come in about a year.
For now Hyundai Motor Manufacturing in Montgomery is doing very well. They employ 2,500 people who built 300,000 vehicles last year alone.
©2010 WSFA. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
States Let Private Sector Seal Deals
By CONOR DOUGHERTY
Wall Street Journal
Some cash-strapped states have identified another job they want to shift to the private sector: economic development.
A number of governors are working to turn their development offices into some form of nonprofit private entity, a move that would transfer the task of giving out state grants, tax breaks and other economic incentives from the hands of government.
The idea, which has as much to do with economic philosophies as with saving money, is mainly gaining ground in states with Republican governors, including Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Arizona.
"It's a matter of greater flexibility and the ability to act more like a chamber [of commerce] rather than a state agency," said Wisconsin's new Republican governor Scott Walker, adding that private groups are better equipped to create jobs and attract companies.
As tax revenue has shriveled in recent years, cities and states have moved to privatize various operations, such as state-run liquor stores, local libraries and parking meters.
Seven states, including Michigan and Florida, already have some form of private group filling the economic-development role. Critics say handing this power to a private entity can create conflicts of interest, because the nonprofits usually have boards made up of public officials and private business leaders. This can create conflicts as these boards help steer tax breaks and incentives.
Also, in many cases private economic-development agencies aren't subject to the same standards for public disclosure as government agencies, even though they receive government money. In Ohio, where newly elected Gov. John Kasich has proposed dissolving the state's Department of Development and creating an entity called JobsOhio, lawmakers have pushed to increase disclosures and allow the state's inspector general to investigate the proposed entity.
Advocates say it makes sense to separate the task of creating jobs from large government agencies that often have a broader mission. In Wisconsin, the current Department of Commerce has responsibility for regulation as well as economic development. Among the 400 employees in Ohio's Department of Development, 60 are focused on economic development; the balance handle areas including homeless programs, community development and home energy assistance.
The structure of private economic-development groups varies, but in general they are set up as nonprofit corporations that receive seed money and regular funding infusions from the state budget but are also free to solicit donations from corporations much like a chamber of commerce. Also, instead of reporting to the governor directly, they are usually run by a board of directors. By operating outside government, private authorities can make faster decisions, says Debi Durham, who was recently hired as director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Under a plan expected to be proposed by Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday, that department would be dissolved into a new entity called the Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress.
Jeffrey Finkle, president of the International Economic Development Council, a trade group for economic development agencies, including some nonprofit private groups, says there has been little to show that a private structure is better than an agency under the government's purview. "There is this naive assumption that a private-run state economic-development agency is better than a public one and I don't see evidence that that's true," he says.
The move to privatize economic-development agencies started two decades ago, according to Good Jobs First, a Washington nonprofit research group that monitors how states and localities use economic incentives. Several states have seen parts of their economic development agencies go from public to private and back to public again. "One of those was Wisconsin, where the concept is now being presented as something new," said a recent Good Jobs First report on the recent privatization trend.
Write to Conor Dougherty at conor.dougherty@wsj.com
Wall Street Journal
Some cash-strapped states have identified another job they want to shift to the private sector: economic development.
A number of governors are working to turn their development offices into some form of nonprofit private entity, a move that would transfer the task of giving out state grants, tax breaks and other economic incentives from the hands of government.
The idea, which has as much to do with economic philosophies as with saving money, is mainly gaining ground in states with Republican governors, including Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Arizona.
"It's a matter of greater flexibility and the ability to act more like a chamber [of commerce] rather than a state agency," said Wisconsin's new Republican governor Scott Walker, adding that private groups are better equipped to create jobs and attract companies.
As tax revenue has shriveled in recent years, cities and states have moved to privatize various operations, such as state-run liquor stores, local libraries and parking meters.
Seven states, including Michigan and Florida, already have some form of private group filling the economic-development role. Critics say handing this power to a private entity can create conflicts of interest, because the nonprofits usually have boards made up of public officials and private business leaders. This can create conflicts as these boards help steer tax breaks and incentives.
Also, in many cases private economic-development agencies aren't subject to the same standards for public disclosure as government agencies, even though they receive government money. In Ohio, where newly elected Gov. John Kasich has proposed dissolving the state's Department of Development and creating an entity called JobsOhio, lawmakers have pushed to increase disclosures and allow the state's inspector general to investigate the proposed entity.
Advocates say it makes sense to separate the task of creating jobs from large government agencies that often have a broader mission. In Wisconsin, the current Department of Commerce has responsibility for regulation as well as economic development. Among the 400 employees in Ohio's Department of Development, 60 are focused on economic development; the balance handle areas including homeless programs, community development and home energy assistance.
The structure of private economic-development groups varies, but in general they are set up as nonprofit corporations that receive seed money and regular funding infusions from the state budget but are also free to solicit donations from corporations much like a chamber of commerce. Also, instead of reporting to the governor directly, they are usually run by a board of directors. By operating outside government, private authorities can make faster decisions, says Debi Durham, who was recently hired as director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Under a plan expected to be proposed by Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday, that department would be dissolved into a new entity called the Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress.
Jeffrey Finkle, president of the International Economic Development Council, a trade group for economic development agencies, including some nonprofit private groups, says there has been little to show that a private structure is better than an agency under the government's purview. "There is this naive assumption that a private-run state economic-development agency is better than a public one and I don't see evidence that that's true," he says.
The move to privatize economic-development agencies started two decades ago, according to Good Jobs First, a Washington nonprofit research group that monitors how states and localities use economic incentives. Several states have seen parts of their economic development agencies go from public to private and back to public again. "One of those was Wisconsin, where the concept is now being presented as something new," said a recent Good Jobs First report on the recent privatization trend.
Write to Conor Dougherty at conor.dougherty@wsj.com
Steel city transformation prompts marketing tool recommendation
Tampa Bay Business Journal - by Mark Holan
Date: Friday, January 28, 2011, 4:30pm EST
Email: markholan@bizjournals.com
Earlier this week a Princeton, N.J., consultant sang the praises of Pittsburgh to a group of Tampa economic development officials.
I felt a pang of pride. Though I’m 25 years removed from my hometown at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, I still visit family there and you better believe I’ll be rooting for the Black and Gold in next week’s Super Bowl.
But forget the sportscaster clichés about the “Steel City.” Pittsburgh has transformed itself since the mills began closing in the late 1970s. The city has diversified into energy, financial services, information technology and health care.
Pittsburgh’s largest employer isn’t US Steel; it’s the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
And it wasn’t by coincidence that Pittsburgh hosted the G-20 Summit in 2009. Pittsburgh has become a positive role model for other rust-belt cities such as Detroit.
On Tuesday Andy Shapiro of Biggins Lacy & Shapiro told businesspeople and elected officials about a simple yet effective economic development tool Pittsburgh uses to market itself across the country and around the world.
The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance urges business travelers to pack flash drive presentations loaded with economic data about the city and western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh executives also have economic development contacts printed on the back of their own business cards, as the Pittsburgh Business Times reported last March.
“They have deputized the private sector,” Shapiro said. “It’s a cool program.”
The Tampa Bay Partnership did something like that in the past, Communications Director Betty Carlin said. But the Partnership shifted to more tailored presentations and targeting professional site selection consultants. Now it’s considering a new flash drive program.
“It’s something we’ve had on our radar to reinstate,” Carlin said.
Pittsburgh Regional Alliance spokesman Philip Cynar said his organization’s flash drive presentations are regularly customized to suit the needs of Pittsburgh business travelers with the most pertinent and up-to-date information.
“We leverage the relationship we have with our corporate community,” he said. “They are willing to allow themselves to be used as ambassadors for the region.”
Tampa Bay, which has enjoyed the good fortune of marketing itself while hosting more Super Bowls (1984, 1991, 2001 and 2009, and now trying for 2015) than it has been able to play in (2003), could do the same thing.
Meanwhile, on Super Bowl Sunday: “Go Steelers!”
Read more: Steel city transformation prompts marketing tool recommendation | Tampa Bay Business Journal
Date: Friday, January 28, 2011, 4:30pm EST
Email: markholan@bizjournals.com
Earlier this week a Princeton, N.J., consultant sang the praises of Pittsburgh to a group of Tampa economic development officials.
I felt a pang of pride. Though I’m 25 years removed from my hometown at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, I still visit family there and you better believe I’ll be rooting for the Black and Gold in next week’s Super Bowl.
But forget the sportscaster clichés about the “Steel City.” Pittsburgh has transformed itself since the mills began closing in the late 1970s. The city has diversified into energy, financial services, information technology and health care.
Pittsburgh’s largest employer isn’t US Steel; it’s the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
And it wasn’t by coincidence that Pittsburgh hosted the G-20 Summit in 2009. Pittsburgh has become a positive role model for other rust-belt cities such as Detroit.
On Tuesday Andy Shapiro of Biggins Lacy & Shapiro told businesspeople and elected officials about a simple yet effective economic development tool Pittsburgh uses to market itself across the country and around the world.
The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance urges business travelers to pack flash drive presentations loaded with economic data about the city and western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh executives also have economic development contacts printed on the back of their own business cards, as the Pittsburgh Business Times reported last March.
“They have deputized the private sector,” Shapiro said. “It’s a cool program.”
The Tampa Bay Partnership did something like that in the past, Communications Director Betty Carlin said. But the Partnership shifted to more tailored presentations and targeting professional site selection consultants. Now it’s considering a new flash drive program.
“It’s something we’ve had on our radar to reinstate,” Carlin said.
Pittsburgh Regional Alliance spokesman Philip Cynar said his organization’s flash drive presentations are regularly customized to suit the needs of Pittsburgh business travelers with the most pertinent and up-to-date information.
“We leverage the relationship we have with our corporate community,” he said. “They are willing to allow themselves to be used as ambassadors for the region.”
Tampa Bay, which has enjoyed the good fortune of marketing itself while hosting more Super Bowls (1984, 1991, 2001 and 2009, and now trying for 2015) than it has been able to play in (2003), could do the same thing.
Meanwhile, on Super Bowl Sunday: “Go Steelers!”
Read more: Steel city transformation prompts marketing tool recommendation | Tampa Bay Business Journal
To make our cities healthier, think regional
Most of America lives in large metropolitan areas with economies the size of nations. Yet governments -- local, state and national -- behave as if it's the wild, wild West, a land of isolation, unconnected settlements and battles over resources.
Those days are gone. The United States is no longer a nation of farms or singular cities and suburbs, but one of interconnected metropolitan regions that cross city, county and even state lines. Local governments must become more regional in how they deliver services, tax residents, and plan investments and developments.
Government at all levels needs to push smart policies that sustain regional economies and encourage local officials to think, plan and act beyond their borders. The next president -- working with governments, mayors and other regional leaders -- should develop a policy for metro areas that includes incentives to encourage shared services and even government mergers.
Covering only 12% of the land, the nation's 100 largest metro areas produce two-thirds of the jobs and three-quarters of the economic output, reports the Brookings Institution's MetroPolicy study. These metros, ranging in population from 500,000 in Lansing to 19 million in New York City, are home to two-thirds of Americans. They harbor the roads, railways, shipyards and airports that connect the nation's metropolitan economies to each other and to the world.
Still, our political boundaries -- and our political thinking -- are more suited to the America of covered wagons and small farms. In Michigan and other Midwest states, for example, pint-sized township governments, developing out of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, now provide unnecessary layers of government that impede efforts at regional cooperation. The Indiana Commission on Local Government Reform, in a report released last December, recommended essentially eliminating township governments and transferring their responsibilities to counties.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the federal government rewarded regional planning with financial incentives in transportation, housing, environmental and other block grants. Those efforts were largely abandoned in the 1980s and 1990s, even as the need for urban policies that worked across municipal boundaries grew.
Encourage cooperation
Now more than ever, with sky-high gas prices, global warming and crumbling roads, the nation must work regionally to meet its energy, environmental and economic needs. The federal government should ensure -- again, through financial carrots -- that local metropolitan planning organizations coordinate regional transportation and land-use planning.
"The success of the nation is at stake," said Mark Muro, policy director for the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program. "There's clearly a federal role in ensuring that metropolitan areas are organized to deliver."
The Brookings report, "MetroPolicy: Shaping a New Federal Partnership for a Metropolitan Nation," offers sound advice on how the federal government can push metropolitan unity, including financial assistance that rewards regional and interstate cooperation, technical assistance and funding to regions that start new collaborative efforts, and federal "challenge" grants for the boldest and most innovative proposals for metropolitan governance.
State governments ought to provide similar incentives to local governments. Former Grand Rapids Mayor John Logie has proposed a metropolitan rebate, for example. Local governments in regions that agree to consolidate significant government services would get back part of the state income tax collected from that region.
However they're delivered, economic incentives are needed to nudge local governments to work together.
Consolidation pays off
Following an abysmal absence of federal leadership, locally elected leaders from both parties have taken the lead on regional issues. Portland, Minneapolis and Indianapolis, for example, have followed distinct, locally driven routes to regionalism. All three metropolitans have benefited with relatively healthy regional economies and strong central cities.
All politicians should aim to preserve the invaluable assets of a central city, reduce waste, and eliminate unnecessary layers of governments. In Indianapolis, it was Republicans, especially then-Mayor Richard Lugar, who led a successful local effort called Unigov to consolidate local governments.
As in most urban regions, sprawl and white flight hurt the central city of Indianapolis during the 1960s. The surrounding suburbs were growing, but in a hodge-podge manner. Indianapolis and its sleepy downtown were sometimes called "India-no-place" or "Nap Town."
On Jan. 1, 1970, with the help of new state legislation, Unigov consolidated Indianapolis and Marion County government, except for a handful of excluded cities. The central city limits expanded to include all Marion County.
Unigov wasn't a panacea for the county's economic and social problems. Nor did it undo the stark inequities between the old city of Indianapolis and the rest of the county. Eleven school districts, with uneven resources and graduation rates, remained autonomous, as they do today. Indianapolis didn't consolidate police services until 2005. Fire services are still not fully merged.
But most government services were consolidated. Even more important, Unigov created a shared tax base and destiny. With a population of 785,000, Indianapolis is one of the nation's few growing big cities.
Many large cities report poverty rates above 20%, generally more than double the rate of their states. By contrast, the poverty rate for Indianapolis -- 11.9% -- is only slightly higher than Indiana's. Marion County's poorest neighborhoods remain concentrated in the old city, but it still maintains many affluent families and well-maintained mansions.
Indianapolis' example
Downtown Indianapolis has perhaps benefited most from Unigov, which has steered large-scale investments to the city's center and branded itself the Amateur Sports Capital of the World. The 160,000 jobs in downtown Indianapolis at least doubles Detroit's downtown job total, even though Indianapolis has fewer people.
Major downtown developments under Unigov include Conseco Fieldhouse, Market Square Arena, the 100-store Circle Centre mall, Victory Field stadium, the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome, and White River State Park, which includes the Indianapolis Zoo and Indiana State Museum. Since Unigov, the convention center has expanded three times while Detroit's Cobo Hall remains an outdated, regional stumbling block.
The new $675-million Lucas Oil Stadium, which will host Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, was financed with a nine-county food and beverage sales tax passed in 2007.
"Unigov is probably the largest single determinant of Indianapolis' fate," said Deputy Mayor Nick Webber. "When Lucas Oil went up, there wasn't a question in this community about where we build it. Unigov had set that stage: You support your core city."
That may be a little hyperbolic, but Unigov has helped create a regional ethic in Indianapolis. City and civic leaders hope to build on the stadium tax's success by developing a transit system for nine-county central Indiana, including rapid transit bus or light-rail service.
Regionalism in Indianapolis means something far different than it did in 1970, when the urban area surrounding the city almost ended at the county line. Unigov, in effect, created a new set of fast growing and affluent suburbs outside Marion County, particularly to the north. Roughly half of the metropolitan region once again lives outside Indianapolis, as it did before Unigov expanded the city's boundaries.
"We're getting back to the point we were 40 years ago," said former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. "We're still better off than most places, but the wealth disparities between the county and suburbs are getting extreme."
Peterson said there's no political will to expand the city's boundaries again, but Unigov has taught the people and politicians of central Indiana to think beyond their borders.
Slow the sprawl
Efforts at regional government are still in their infancy. Portland and Minneapolis may be the nation's strongest examples.
With an elected regional government that since 1979 has overseen an urban growth boundary, Portland arrested urban sprawl. A population increase of 25% in metro Portland resulted in only a 1.5% increase in developed land. The growth boundary around Portland has shielded outlying forests and farmland and pushed development back into the central city. By contrast, the population of southeast Michigan has increased 4.3% in the last 30 years, while the area of developed land has increased more than 40%. Meantime, the central city of Detroit lost population and jobs at an alarming rate.
Anyone who has visited Portland, Minneapolis or Indianapolis lately knows they are in far better shape than Detroit -- the poster child for a divided region -- and most other older central cities. Their regions likewise do better, because central cities project a region's identity and image, as well as control most of the transportation networks, educational and cultural institutions, and physical assets such as water and sewer lines.
Regional government efforts are hardly the sole reason for the success of Minneapolis, Portland or Indianapolis, but they have helped and will become even more important. Local government cannot control the health of major industries, such as Detroit's ailing auto industry, but they can improve a region's ability to adapt to new economic conditions.
A regional political culture has social and civic benefits, too. It's probably no coincidence that Portland and Minneapolis-St. Paul have the highest adult volunteer rates, along with Salt Lake City, among all U.S. big cities. Governments working together for a common good could help repair America's tattered social fabric.
Voters pose stumbling block
Political leaders with a vested interest in the status quo will continue to resist change. In Michigan, such change must include making it easier for large townships to become cities and revamping, if not eliminating, most of the state's 1,242 township governments. A bill last year by Rep. Paul Condino, D-Southfield, would have helped by stripping townships of the power to collect property taxes, administer elections and assess property. But future efforts to transfer powers from townships to counties must compensate counties for added responsibilities by shifting township tax and special assessment revenues to them.
Politicians are not the only barrier to regional cooperation. To their credit, local elected leaders in southeast Michigan have negotiated dozens of shared agreements for police, fire, telecommunications, recreation and other services. Even township governments are sharing services, especially fire departments, or contracting them with other units. Unfortunately, politicians who push these sensible measures are often opposed -- even recalled -- by citizens who believe hometown identity and local control are threatened.
"There's a disconnect," SEMCOG Executive Director Paul Tait said. "Voters want better services without paying more taxes, yet they tend to punish elected officials who try to do that by merging services with their neighbors."
New federal and state policies are needed that recognize and reinforce the regional nature of America's urban centers. In the dawn of the 21st Century, the nation's cities, states and regions can no longer afford governments that don't reach beyond their borders.
On the net: www.brookings.edu/reports/2008/06_metropolicy.aspx
Those days are gone. The United States is no longer a nation of farms or singular cities and suburbs, but one of interconnected metropolitan regions that cross city, county and even state lines. Local governments must become more regional in how they deliver services, tax residents, and plan investments and developments.
Government at all levels needs to push smart policies that sustain regional economies and encourage local officials to think, plan and act beyond their borders. The next president -- working with governments, mayors and other regional leaders -- should develop a policy for metro areas that includes incentives to encourage shared services and even government mergers.
Covering only 12% of the land, the nation's 100 largest metro areas produce two-thirds of the jobs and three-quarters of the economic output, reports the Brookings Institution's MetroPolicy study. These metros, ranging in population from 500,000 in Lansing to 19 million in New York City, are home to two-thirds of Americans. They harbor the roads, railways, shipyards and airports that connect the nation's metropolitan economies to each other and to the world.
Still, our political boundaries -- and our political thinking -- are more suited to the America of covered wagons and small farms. In Michigan and other Midwest states, for example, pint-sized township governments, developing out of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, now provide unnecessary layers of government that impede efforts at regional cooperation. The Indiana Commission on Local Government Reform, in a report released last December, recommended essentially eliminating township governments and transferring their responsibilities to counties.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the federal government rewarded regional planning with financial incentives in transportation, housing, environmental and other block grants. Those efforts were largely abandoned in the 1980s and 1990s, even as the need for urban policies that worked across municipal boundaries grew.
Encourage cooperation
Now more than ever, with sky-high gas prices, global warming and crumbling roads, the nation must work regionally to meet its energy, environmental and economic needs. The federal government should ensure -- again, through financial carrots -- that local metropolitan planning organizations coordinate regional transportation and land-use planning.
"The success of the nation is at stake," said Mark Muro, policy director for the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program. "There's clearly a federal role in ensuring that metropolitan areas are organized to deliver."
The Brookings report, "MetroPolicy: Shaping a New Federal Partnership for a Metropolitan Nation," offers sound advice on how the federal government can push metropolitan unity, including financial assistance that rewards regional and interstate cooperation, technical assistance and funding to regions that start new collaborative efforts, and federal "challenge" grants for the boldest and most innovative proposals for metropolitan governance.
State governments ought to provide similar incentives to local governments. Former Grand Rapids Mayor John Logie has proposed a metropolitan rebate, for example. Local governments in regions that agree to consolidate significant government services would get back part of the state income tax collected from that region.
However they're delivered, economic incentives are needed to nudge local governments to work together.
Consolidation pays off
Following an abysmal absence of federal leadership, locally elected leaders from both parties have taken the lead on regional issues. Portland, Minneapolis and Indianapolis, for example, have followed distinct, locally driven routes to regionalism. All three metropolitans have benefited with relatively healthy regional economies and strong central cities.
All politicians should aim to preserve the invaluable assets of a central city, reduce waste, and eliminate unnecessary layers of governments. In Indianapolis, it was Republicans, especially then-Mayor Richard Lugar, who led a successful local effort called Unigov to consolidate local governments.
As in most urban regions, sprawl and white flight hurt the central city of Indianapolis during the 1960s. The surrounding suburbs were growing, but in a hodge-podge manner. Indianapolis and its sleepy downtown were sometimes called "India-no-place" or "Nap Town."
On Jan. 1, 1970, with the help of new state legislation, Unigov consolidated Indianapolis and Marion County government, except for a handful of excluded cities. The central city limits expanded to include all Marion County.
Unigov wasn't a panacea for the county's economic and social problems. Nor did it undo the stark inequities between the old city of Indianapolis and the rest of the county. Eleven school districts, with uneven resources and graduation rates, remained autonomous, as they do today. Indianapolis didn't consolidate police services until 2005. Fire services are still not fully merged.
But most government services were consolidated. Even more important, Unigov created a shared tax base and destiny. With a population of 785,000, Indianapolis is one of the nation's few growing big cities.
Many large cities report poverty rates above 20%, generally more than double the rate of their states. By contrast, the poverty rate for Indianapolis -- 11.9% -- is only slightly higher than Indiana's. Marion County's poorest neighborhoods remain concentrated in the old city, but it still maintains many affluent families and well-maintained mansions.
Indianapolis' example
Downtown Indianapolis has perhaps benefited most from Unigov, which has steered large-scale investments to the city's center and branded itself the Amateur Sports Capital of the World. The 160,000 jobs in downtown Indianapolis at least doubles Detroit's downtown job total, even though Indianapolis has fewer people.
Major downtown developments under Unigov include Conseco Fieldhouse, Market Square Arena, the 100-store Circle Centre mall, Victory Field stadium, the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome, and White River State Park, which includes the Indianapolis Zoo and Indiana State Museum. Since Unigov, the convention center has expanded three times while Detroit's Cobo Hall remains an outdated, regional stumbling block.
The new $675-million Lucas Oil Stadium, which will host Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, was financed with a nine-county food and beverage sales tax passed in 2007.
"Unigov is probably the largest single determinant of Indianapolis' fate," said Deputy Mayor Nick Webber. "When Lucas Oil went up, there wasn't a question in this community about where we build it. Unigov had set that stage: You support your core city."
That may be a little hyperbolic, but Unigov has helped create a regional ethic in Indianapolis. City and civic leaders hope to build on the stadium tax's success by developing a transit system for nine-county central Indiana, including rapid transit bus or light-rail service.
Regionalism in Indianapolis means something far different than it did in 1970, when the urban area surrounding the city almost ended at the county line. Unigov, in effect, created a new set of fast growing and affluent suburbs outside Marion County, particularly to the north. Roughly half of the metropolitan region once again lives outside Indianapolis, as it did before Unigov expanded the city's boundaries.
"We're getting back to the point we were 40 years ago," said former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. "We're still better off than most places, but the wealth disparities between the county and suburbs are getting extreme."
Peterson said there's no political will to expand the city's boundaries again, but Unigov has taught the people and politicians of central Indiana to think beyond their borders.
Slow the sprawl
Efforts at regional government are still in their infancy. Portland and Minneapolis may be the nation's strongest examples.
With an elected regional government that since 1979 has overseen an urban growth boundary, Portland arrested urban sprawl. A population increase of 25% in metro Portland resulted in only a 1.5% increase in developed land. The growth boundary around Portland has shielded outlying forests and farmland and pushed development back into the central city. By contrast, the population of southeast Michigan has increased 4.3% in the last 30 years, while the area of developed land has increased more than 40%. Meantime, the central city of Detroit lost population and jobs at an alarming rate.
Anyone who has visited Portland, Minneapolis or Indianapolis lately knows they are in far better shape than Detroit -- the poster child for a divided region -- and most other older central cities. Their regions likewise do better, because central cities project a region's identity and image, as well as control most of the transportation networks, educational and cultural institutions, and physical assets such as water and sewer lines.
Regional government efforts are hardly the sole reason for the success of Minneapolis, Portland or Indianapolis, but they have helped and will become even more important. Local government cannot control the health of major industries, such as Detroit's ailing auto industry, but they can improve a region's ability to adapt to new economic conditions.
A regional political culture has social and civic benefits, too. It's probably no coincidence that Portland and Minneapolis-St. Paul have the highest adult volunteer rates, along with Salt Lake City, among all U.S. big cities. Governments working together for a common good could help repair America's tattered social fabric.
Voters pose stumbling block
Political leaders with a vested interest in the status quo will continue to resist change. In Michigan, such change must include making it easier for large townships to become cities and revamping, if not eliminating, most of the state's 1,242 township governments. A bill last year by Rep. Paul Condino, D-Southfield, would have helped by stripping townships of the power to collect property taxes, administer elections and assess property. But future efforts to transfer powers from townships to counties must compensate counties for added responsibilities by shifting township tax and special assessment revenues to them.
Politicians are not the only barrier to regional cooperation. To their credit, local elected leaders in southeast Michigan have negotiated dozens of shared agreements for police, fire, telecommunications, recreation and other services. Even township governments are sharing services, especially fire departments, or contracting them with other units. Unfortunately, politicians who push these sensible measures are often opposed -- even recalled -- by citizens who believe hometown identity and local control are threatened.
"There's a disconnect," SEMCOG Executive Director Paul Tait said. "Voters want better services without paying more taxes, yet they tend to punish elected officials who try to do that by merging services with their neighbors."
New federal and state policies are needed that recognize and reinforce the regional nature of America's urban centers. In the dawn of the 21st Century, the nation's cities, states and regions can no longer afford governments that don't reach beyond their borders.
On the net: www.brookings.edu/reports/2008/06_metropolicy.aspx
Economic development officials try to lure next big catch to Oklahoma City
BY STEVE LACKMEYER Oklahoman
January 27, 2011
Following the successful recruitment of Whole Foods and 550 Boeing jobs, executives with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber say they’re in the hunt for a North American headquarters for a “large international company” and also are in talks with two grocery stores looking to open locations downtown.
The development prospects were revealed this week as part of a quarterly report delivered to the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust, which reviews potential retail and jobs incentives issued by the city.
Robin Roberts-Kreiger, executive vice president of Economic Development, said the chamber has visited with some of the companies over the past couple of weeks.
“We showed Oklahoma City to a large company last week,” said Roberts-Kreiger, who is not permitted to discuss names of prospects. “It’s a very large project, and we’re on their short list. This week we have a large international company in town looking at North American headquarters.”
Alison Oshel, who oversees retail recruitment for the chamber, reported prospects are up as well in the effort to lure shops, stores and restaurants not currently found in Oklahoma City.
“We have 30 really solid leads to locate retailers in Oklahoma City,” Oshel said. “Two are downtown grocery stores, which we feel as optimistic as we’ve felt yet and we think we may see a downtown grocery store in the next few years.”
The activity, Oshel said, isn’t just a “blip on the radar screen.”
“We feel as if the worst of the recession may be over,” Oshel said.
Roberts-Kreiger echoed Oshel’s sentiments.
“We’re seeing increased activity,” Roberts-Kreiger said. “Based on trends, we believe it’s based on the economy and some companies that were sitting on cash are starting to move because of that.”
Read more: http://newsok.com/economic-development-officials-try-to-lure-next-big-catch-to-oklahoma-city/article/3535790#ixzz1CridGIJz
January 27, 2011
Following the successful recruitment of Whole Foods and 550 Boeing jobs, executives with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber say they’re in the hunt for a North American headquarters for a “large international company” and also are in talks with two grocery stores looking to open locations downtown.
The development prospects were revealed this week as part of a quarterly report delivered to the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust, which reviews potential retail and jobs incentives issued by the city.
Robin Roberts-Kreiger, executive vice president of Economic Development, said the chamber has visited with some of the companies over the past couple of weeks.
“We showed Oklahoma City to a large company last week,” said Roberts-Kreiger, who is not permitted to discuss names of prospects. “It’s a very large project, and we’re on their short list. This week we have a large international company in town looking at North American headquarters.”
Alison Oshel, who oversees retail recruitment for the chamber, reported prospects are up as well in the effort to lure shops, stores and restaurants not currently found in Oklahoma City.
“We have 30 really solid leads to locate retailers in Oklahoma City,” Oshel said. “Two are downtown grocery stores, which we feel as optimistic as we’ve felt yet and we think we may see a downtown grocery store in the next few years.”
The activity, Oshel said, isn’t just a “blip on the radar screen.”
“We feel as if the worst of the recession may be over,” Oshel said.
Roberts-Kreiger echoed Oshel’s sentiments.
“We’re seeing increased activity,” Roberts-Kreiger said. “Based on trends, we believe it’s based on the economy and some companies that were sitting on cash are starting to move because of that.”
Read more: http://newsok.com/economic-development-officials-try-to-lure-next-big-catch-to-oklahoma-city/article/3535790#ixzz1CridGIJz
Organization will help market Delaware to businesses
By KRISTINA THOMAS
Published: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 6:19 PM EST
Delaware leaders are putting more effort into marketing the city and making it attractive for new business.
Kenny McDonald, chief economic officer of Columbus 2020!, presented information to Delaware City Council during its meeting Monday, Jan. 24 about how Delaware can improve its economic development strategy.
"The goal of Columbus 2020! is to raise public and private funds in order to attract, create and retain businesses in the Columbus area, and specifically Delaware," McDonald said.
McDonald said the organization is a public-private partnership with the goal to grow the Columbus-area economy.
According to the Columbus 2020! website, its specific goals for the organization are to create 180,000 net new jobs, increase personal income by 40 percent, and be recognized as a national leader in economic development.
"We want to double the jobs here," McDonald said. "We want Delaware to be a place where businesses want to come."
One of the ways Columbus 2020! works toward its goals is by providing marketable information about the Columbus region to businesses around the country and world, in order to show them what Central Ohio has to offer.
Councilwoman Carolyn Riggle asked how the group specifically would market to Delaware, as opposed to the Columbus area in general.
McDonald said the companies each have specific aspects they are looking at, such as work force, location and proximity to an airport. The specific things companies want will narrow down the options, he said.
"We provide them all the information they need about this community. It will be up to them to decide to come here," McDonald said.
Councilwoman Lisa Keller asked how Delaware can better prepare itself to attract new businesses.
"Find your niche markets and take advantage of them by promoting them," said Shannon Hammonds, Delaware's economic development coordinator.
Hammonds said he currently is working on brochures and information for the website to make what Delaware has to offer more readily available.
Keller mentioned Westerville has an impressive website that lists all the available property.
Hammonds said when he worked for the city of Westerville, he designed and created all the material she saw. He is working on doing the same for Delaware, he said.
Vice Mayor Windell Wheeler said part of Columbus 2020! is TechColumbus, and he encouraged his fellow council members to sit in on one of its meetings.
"Delaware has been unsuccessful in some areas due to technology infrastructure," Wheeler said. "TechColumbus shows us exactly what is happening in our community and what we can do to be successful."
Published: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 6:19 PM EST
Delaware leaders are putting more effort into marketing the city and making it attractive for new business.
Kenny McDonald, chief economic officer of Columbus 2020!, presented information to Delaware City Council during its meeting Monday, Jan. 24 about how Delaware can improve its economic development strategy.
"The goal of Columbus 2020! is to raise public and private funds in order to attract, create and retain businesses in the Columbus area, and specifically Delaware," McDonald said.
McDonald said the organization is a public-private partnership with the goal to grow the Columbus-area economy.
According to the Columbus 2020! website, its specific goals for the organization are to create 180,000 net new jobs, increase personal income by 40 percent, and be recognized as a national leader in economic development.
"We want to double the jobs here," McDonald said. "We want Delaware to be a place where businesses want to come."
One of the ways Columbus 2020! works toward its goals is by providing marketable information about the Columbus region to businesses around the country and world, in order to show them what Central Ohio has to offer.
Councilwoman Carolyn Riggle asked how the group specifically would market to Delaware, as opposed to the Columbus area in general.
McDonald said the companies each have specific aspects they are looking at, such as work force, location and proximity to an airport. The specific things companies want will narrow down the options, he said.
"We provide them all the information they need about this community. It will be up to them to decide to come here," McDonald said.
Councilwoman Lisa Keller asked how Delaware can better prepare itself to attract new businesses.
"Find your niche markets and take advantage of them by promoting them," said Shannon Hammonds, Delaware's economic development coordinator.
Hammonds said he currently is working on brochures and information for the website to make what Delaware has to offer more readily available.
Keller mentioned Westerville has an impressive website that lists all the available property.
Hammonds said when he worked for the city of Westerville, he designed and created all the material she saw. He is working on doing the same for Delaware, he said.
Vice Mayor Windell Wheeler said part of Columbus 2020! is TechColumbus, and he encouraged his fellow council members to sit in on one of its meetings.
"Delaware has been unsuccessful in some areas due to technology infrastructure," Wheeler said. "TechColumbus shows us exactly what is happening in our community and what we can do to be successful."
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