International Economic Development Council Leadership Summit

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) held it's 2008 Leadership Summit this past week in Orlando. The Conference was well worth the investment for many reasons. First, the number of attendees is much less than the the Annual Conference which make for a more intimate experience. Next, those who do attend are normally the more experienced and senior ED's and more often than not are in Leadership positions of their respective organizations. The fact that the Conference was held in Orlando where the weather was just about perfect made for a great three days.

The most compelling part of the conference for me was my participation in a Economic Development Research Partners Program (EDRP)focusing on Globalization. The project's title is " Road map to Globalization". The stated objective of the project is as follows:

• Identify the core components of Globalization through an economic development lens
• Provide core facts and figures that demonstrate the urgency of this challenge
• Highlight the opportunities and challenges that Globalization poses to EDO's

The participants in the EDRP are all highly experienced and skilled ED professionals whose communities are highly sensitive to the Globalization phenomenon. More importantly ,they are committed to positioning their EDO's to benefit from the dramatic changes they believe will impact the way all of us do business in a global marketplace.

I look forward to my ongoing participation in the EDRP and when possible I will share details of our findings and recommendations.

City versus Suburbs

So here I am spending a relaxing afternoon wandering my local book store with my lovely wife when I spy the November 2007 Details Magazine; a trendy men’s style publication.

Now I’m not the kind of guy to go for this type of reading material and I would never buy a magazine with Ben Affleck’s face on the cover, but the teaser title demanded I stop and pick up the rag…I mean mag.

WHY THE SUBURBS ARE COOLER THAN DOWNTOWN

This kind of thing really gets me. It’s yet one more poorly researched, cutesy article based on little fact that flies in the face of reality.

I flipped to the story, written by David Hochman. He makes a few points hidden inside a lot of BS. His sources are a few former yuppies and author, Joel Kotkin who he quotes,

“Cities are becoming less interesting and the suburbs are increasingly where the action is. Cities have become homogenized, inhospitable, and expensive beyond belief,”

Basically Hochman draws the following conclusions:

• The things we thought we needed cities for (unique restaurants, boutiques, entertainment) are being rebuilt in long-ignored suburban outposts with cool arts facilities and retro-chic cafes.

• American cities are becoming perversely suburban; downtowns are becoming sanitized by wealthy residents who are pricing out the stragglers and are brining in block after block of Equinoxes, Starbucks and Jamba Juices.

Here’s where a little research would have served the article well. In June 2006 CNNMoney.com reported: People are moving back to the city. The trend, which began in the late 1990s, marks a reversal of the post-war urban flight to the suburbs, and is strengthening.

CNN staff writer, Les Christie reports that cities are hot again and that after years of urban flight, Americans are finding the appeal of places like Philadelphia, Nashville and Seattle.

John McIlwain, senior fellow for housing at the Urban Land Institute says, "I think [this trend] is likely to continue for the next 15 years. Boomers are aging and people think of cities as a good place to retire to, as well as to continue to work." This from a guy who studies urban issues – I think he’s a reliable source.

At a teleconference last year of Coldwell Banker real estate brokers from around the country, the theme was repeated over and over: People are moving back downtown.

Professionals in the real estate field watch these trends carefully, and report the increase in city residents are from three demographics; retirees, empty nesters and young professionals. All three groups benefit from some of the same aspects of city living: little to no commute; carefree living; and access to great restaurants (a short walk or a phone call away) and preferred activities, like movies, theater, concerts, professional sports, galleries and clubs. Real estate professionals – their job is to know the housing market, are saying the complete opposite of what Hochman reports in Details.

My counsel is simple; don’t look to a men’s style magazine for real estate guidance – that read is better suited for your wardrobe and hair gel advice.

Zoos as Economic Drivers

Zoos are so much more than a place to go and look at animals. Besides the benefit of walking through manicured gardens, spending an hour or two outdoors and sharing time with fascinating creatures, zoos can have a profound economic effect on a community.

Let’s take Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for example. I chose this zoo for several reasons: I love zoos and I love Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in particular; and in the interest of full disclosure I am a trustee of Cleveland Zoological Society, the nonprofit advancement partner for the Zoo.

The Clevealnd Zoological  Society is led by Liz Fowler our Exceutive Director ( pictured here on safari). Liz works hand in hand with Steve Taylor the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Director. It is a wonderful partnership that appears seamless to the community and shares a commonn vision of animal conservation and welfare and economic impact for Northeast Ohio.

Nationally, the Cleveland zoo is a leader in its educational outreach programs and conservation science programs, as well as one of the top 10 zoos in the U.S. for attendance. Regionally, it is one of the best civic assets in Northeast Ohio – accessible to all ages and income levels, and open 363 days a year. In my work as a trustee, corporate leaders tell me the Zoo is a highlight of a Cleveland-area recruitment tour for prospective employees, trailing spouses and families.

Now that I’ve come clean – consider these numbers.
The Cleveland Zoo:
- attracts over 1.2 million annual visitors
- boasts 41,000 member households
- delivers $85 million annual economic impact
- employs 250 FTE’s
- operates a $12 million payroll
- attracts 500 active volunteers
- educates 125,000 students annually through Zoo programming
- ranks 3rd in Northeast Ohio’s visited attractions behind Cedar Point and the Cleveland Indians and ahead of Geauga lake, the Cavaliers and Browns, the art museum, natural history museum and the botanical gardens

In addition, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo / Cleveland Zoological Society is viewed as a regional asset, adding positively to the resident’s quality of life and is a source of civic pride.

How and where does your zoo fit into your economic development planning? Where do zoo’s rank against other cultural attractions such as museums, entertainment venues and professional sports team in your area?

Perhaps it is time for you to take a fresh look at your zoo and it's impact on your local economy.

To learn more about the best zoos in the U.S., visit aza.org

To learn more about Cleveland:  ClevelandZooSociety.org

Economic Development – Attraction Difference Makers

Over the last few months I  have had the opportunity to hear a number of economic development (ED) experts speak to the ways communities can make their respective spheres of influence more attractive to businesses, residents and visitors. The most often asked question:

“How can we best compete in this extremely competitive environment?”

ED professionals, governmental leaders, consultants - they all seem to have similar ideas and opinions. The template is essentially the same  no matter who is delivering the message. To be competitive and well positioned for growth and sustainability  communities at a minimum must:

• be innovated
• attract talent
• provide distance communication
• provide green space for gathering
• offer a friendly tax environment
• offer affordable housing
• update infrastructure
• ensure quality education at all levels
• leverage local universities
• be clean and safe
• offer livability
• provide a platform for talent connection opportunities
• works toward racial harmony
• provide jobs that other locales cannot

As I thought about this I wondered what is the difference between successful communities and those that fail to meet expectations. I have come to the conclusion that the one consistent theme within the “gets and not gets” is leadership.

• Why does Chicago continue to be one of the world’s greatest cities?
• Why is a small town like Greenville , Michigan looking forward to recovering after the relocation of its major employer?
• Why are Charlotte NC, Denver CO, Grand Rapids, Mi., Salem, Ma., San Jose, Ca. on someone’s "best places to live" list almost always?

Because each of these cities has strong leadership.

• Chicago’s Mayor Daly is the poster child for making the tough decisions, considering only what’s best for his town. The results are clear. The only thing he seems unable to influence is Chicago’s weather. But the climate is either irrelevant or celebrated, whichever attracts visitors and citizens.
• Greenville, Michigan leadership includes the Mayor, a very involved and active DDA, and engaged citizens. After it's major  employer decided to relocate 2,700 jobs to Mexico the combined leadership of Greenville decided not to assume a “victim” mentality and instead launched steps to put itself in the position for recovery and growth.

What makes a stellar leader?  I will share my thoughts and specific examples soon.