Insights

Strategy

Shelbyville, Tennessee, courthouse. Aeria photo

Advancing Competitiveness Through Place-Based Infrastructure

by Alex Cooke

For smaller communities, competitiveness increasingly depends on more than industrial infrastructure. TIP’s recent work in Tennessee illustrates how investments in parks, trails, downtown districts, and tourism assets can strengthen talent attraction, support business growth, preserve local character, and capture regional opportunity. Communities that embrace place-based infrastructure are better positioned for long-term economic vitality.

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Aerial view of a large AI data center complex under construction,

Data Centers: Contentious Infrastructure of the Future

by Evan Johnston

Data center build-out remains a major topic for economic developers in communities of all sizes. At the same time, public opposition to these massive investments also continues to grow and has increasingly codified into moratoriums and outright bans. Local leaders should reframe their perspective on data centers as catalysts with the potential to drive innovation, if structured to center community benefits.

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Row of electric scooters and bicycles at a rental station.

Building Resilience in Micromobility

by Ajay Kasturirangan

Urban areas face persistent traffic and parking challenges that can stifle economic vitality and limit the impact of transit investments. While micromobility offers a flexible solution, the long-term viability of these programs varies widely. By examining system resilience and infrastructure, this piece identifies how communities can successfully align bikes and e-scooters with broader economic goals.

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Century Square in College Station

Community Identity as an Economic Advantage

by Erica Colston

While a dominant institutional brand can be a powerful driver of growth, overreliance on a single entity may limit a community’s broader economic potential. TIP’s recent strategic planning work in College Station, Texas, illustrates how communities—particularly university towns—can leverage world-class institutions while cultivating a distinct local identity that attracts and retains talent, businesses, students, and visitors alike.

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Pilgrim Monument Provincetown, Cape Cod

Preserving the Social Fabric of Destination Towns Through Affordable Housing

by Alexis Angelo

For many destination towns, the phrase “we live where you vacation” is a point of pride that masks an economic threat. When residents and essential workers are priced out by rising housing costs, a community risks losing the very identity that draws visitors in. Strategies from Cape Cod demonstrate how creative land use and regional collaboration can preserve local social fabric.

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Suburb Housing Development Construction Community

Build-to-Rent: Attainable Community Belonging Amid a Housing Crisis

by Reece Neathery

As the median age of first-time homebuyers reaches record highs, the US housing landscape is shifting toward a model of attainable belonging. Beyond providing housing stock, build-to-rent (BTR) developments are bridging the gap between flexibility and stability by allowing residents to put down roots regardless of their mortgage status. As the model grows, it raises new questions about zoning compatibility and long-term impacts on affordability.

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Southern Gateway-Bridge Skyline Dallas

Laying the Groundwork for Opportunity Zones 2.0

by Jess Myers

Opportunity Zones (OZs) have been a major focus for economic developers and investors nationwide. While OZ 1.0 showed mixed results, OZ 2.0 offers a permanent, more transparent framework for implementation. Communities that align priorities, build readiness, and coordinate investment now will be best positioned to capture private capital and deliver meaningful economic and community outcomes.

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State of Implementation

by Tracye McDaniel

Across 30 years of engagements, TIP has learned that strategy only matters when it drives visible movement. President Tracye McDaniel examines how communities translate plans into visible progress through strong governance, real-time measurement, and adaptive tools. Her insights underscore why implementation now distinguishes regions that merely prepare for the future from those actively building it.

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Ziplining-Fall-Stowe-Vermont-Outdoor-Recreation

Balancing Destination Development with Stewardship

by Elizabeth Scott

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.

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