Racine County Economic Development Corporation, Wisconsin
Economic Development Strategy
Challenge
Traditionally dependent on heavy industry, Racine County leaders sought to foster an environment where technology-based industries can develop and thrive. TIP, in partnership with the IC2 Institute at the University of Texas, was engaged by the Racine County Economic Development Corporation (RCEDC) to design a plan to assist the county in transitioning its base to the New Economy. Special emphasis was placed on fostering entrepreneurship and sustainable development principals.
Approach
Work on the economic adjustment strategy (EAS) was carried out in three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a baseline assessment of the county, including measuring the economy against that of competing regions and assessing its technology capacity. This assessment formed the foundation for Phase 2, which identified the region’s competitive advantages and its most promising clusters of opportunity for retention, expansion, and recruitment. The project culminated in the development of a plan of action to guide the efforts of RCEDC and its partner organizations over a five-year planning horizon.
Extensive public input was gathered during the development of the EAS through the work of five task forces organized around key issues identified by the steering committee at the outset of the project:
- business climate
- image and marketing
- infrastructure
- sustainability
- workforce and education.
Approximately 85 people—representing the business community, public officials, and economic and community development groups—participated in the task force meetings. Additional input was gathered throughout the project from interviews with business owners, academic personnel, and state agency staff.
Outcome
Since completion of the EAS, the Racine County EDC has successfully launched the Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation (CATI), become heavily involved in commuter rail planning for the Chicago-Milwaukee Corridor, and promoted a customized version of the SIM City computer game for interested residents. The EAS planning process also highlighted the importance of negotiating a pivotal cross-jurisdictional infrastructure agreement that had hindered development in parts of the county for several decades. The RCEDC has appointed an implementation team comprised of education, government, and business leaders charged with initiating and monitoring the projects need to carry out the plan.
Gordon Kacala Executive Director Racine County Economic Development Corporation 2320 Renaissance Blvd. Sturtevant, WI 53177 262.898.7400 gkacala@racinecountyedc.org
