Grow the local economy: It’s not just about jobs anymore

April 9th, 2009 by Mike Knutson

Michigan’s economy has been pounded by job losses in recent years. To reverse this trend some communities have attempted to increase their investment in traditional marketing and business recruiting. According to Dan Gilmartin, the Michigan Municipal League’s CEO and executive director, those efforts may be misplaced.

According to an article in the The Daily Telegraph , Gilmartin told the Adrian (MI) City Commission that community leaders need to focus on making their communities more attractive places to live if they hope to become a part of the knowledge economy. This is important because younger people (Gen Y) identify places they want to live first and then they focus on employment.

So what makes a community a place where people want to live? One of the features Gilmartin identified is third places. (Read more about our thoughts on third places here.)

Gilmartin also dropped a bombshell that is probably still reverberating among community leaders. When asked where the city should invest $100,000 in the chamber of commerce and traditional marketing or quality of life issues, Gilmartin told them quality of life. (Hopefully the chamber is working on these issues already.)

You will find a lot of other interesting ideas in The Daily Telegraph article that Gilmartin shared with the Adrian City Council. I hope you will read it and check out the additional links I’ve provided below. We could all benefit from learning more about what will make the economy of the future click.

Other Resources

Dan Gilmartin’s guest columns on the MetroMode blog. Gilmartin provides his thoughts about important issues for Michigan’s cities to consider as they develop a knowledge economy.

Dan Gilmartin: What is Michigan’s Redevelopment Plan. In this Slideshare presentation, Gilmartin outlines Michigan’s current effort to redevelop their economy.

Adrian Area Chamber of Commerce Website. A quick review of their website suggests the chamber is already looking at some quality of life issues.

“Localism: What’s the attraction” on the New Geography Blog. Written by Connie Loden, the Executive Director for Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance, the article describes the impact ”localism” and “sense of place” have on attracting people to a community.

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