Resilience depends on more than infrastructure. It requires strong places that connect people and support local enterprise. TIP’s projects in Texas and Florida illustrate how placemaking strategies preserve identity, enhance business recovery, and attract new investment. Communities that weave placemaking into their planning are better prepared to withstand disruption and sustain long-term economic growth.
Outdoor recreation is a cornerstone of community competitiveness, but true destination development requires thoughtful stewardship. Lessons from Park City, Utah; Stowe, Vermont; and West Virginia show that by protecting natural assets, reinvesting in infrastructure, and ensuring residents and visitors enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation growth, communities can build resilient, long-term economies.
Balancing Destination Development with Stewardship Read More
For 30 years, TIP has led the field in thinking holistically about growth, emphasizing how place-based factors like quality of life, housing, and community connection drive economic success. Senior partner Jeff Marcell explores how this approach to placemaking helps communities attract talent, foster innovation, and build the social fabric that sustains long-term prosperity.
Large-scale redevelopment projects like deck parks can unlock long-term economic value—but only with vision, patience, and strategic alignment. Drawing on examples across Texas and the US, VP John Karras shares lessons for practitioners navigating complex efforts involving infrastructure, placemaking, and public-private partnerships, with an emphasis on how communities can prepare for transformational change over decades, not years.
How Long-Term Planning Powers Major Urban Redevelopment Projects Read More
Outdoor recreation is fueling a new wave of entrepreneurship and place-based economic growth. TIP’s recent work in Colorado and Michigan shows how aligning natural assets with higher education, startup support, and industry innovation can build resilient local economies. Communities that treat outdoor recreation as an economic engine—not just tourism—are better positioned to compete for business, talent, and investment.
Outdoor Recreation as a Catalyst for Place-Based Innovation Read More
Smaller communities near major metros can build thriving tech economies by aligning local assets with regional industry strengths. TIP’s work in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Sahuarita, Arizona, illustrates how targeted niche development—in this case, fintech and photonics—can position these communities for sustainable long-term growth.
Over the last three decades, TIP has challenged conventional thinking about innovation. From our early work in Racine, Wisconsin, to current strategies for anticipating disruption, our approach has sought to align community assets with emerging trends. Managing partner Jon Roberts reflects on how economic development organizations can build lasting capacity for innovation in a rapidly changing world.
Economic development teams often face the challenge of implementing strategic plans with limited capacity. As a practical innovation, AI agents represent a promising shift in meeting that challenge. They represent a novel approach to how work gets done through a clear and phased approach.
TIP has spent 30 years at the intersection of economic and workforce development. Our early adoption of a holistic approach that acknowledged the important role of talent in economic vitality anticipated a shift in the profession. TIP CEO and founder Tom Stellman looks back at company milestones in this practice area and considers future trends.
International students help strengthen economies through their contributions to local industries, culture, and workforce. The US benefits from the steady influx of global talent, particularly in STEM fields, through the F1 visa program. Cities that align academic programs with industry needs and embrace remote work trends are becoming hubs for retaining skilled graduates, fostering long-term economic growth.
How International Students Strengthen the Workforce Read More
