Challenge Following three decades of strong population growth, Kittitas County, Washington, experienced even higher levels of in-migration in the years leading up to the 2020 Census. Anecdotal evidence suggested this trend was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as those who had flexible work arrangements, or who could afford to move […]
Challenge The City of Virginia Beach found itself at an economic development crossroads in late 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic raged. Home to approximately 450,000 residents, the city boasts 38 miles of beachfront, four of the world’s fastest subsea cables, exceptional transportation infrastructure, and access to the third-largest container port
Challenge During the preparation of the Vision 2020 plan in 2010, leaders in the 11-county Northeast Indiana region highlighted a critical drop in per capita personal income over a 15-year period as several major employers downsized or ceased operations. Concerns about the region’s economic decline were amplified by stagnating population
Challenge The Wichita Falls’ regional economy has historically been driven by its government and energy sectors, and over the past 50 years the manufacturing sector has developed as the region’s third economic engine. Recent events, however, underscore the region’s need for further economic diversification. The 2005 round of the Base
Challenge Located just 30 minutes north of Dallas, one of the nation’s most dynamic metropolitan areas, Frisco, Texas, has all the ingredients for sustained economic growth. Along with competitive advantages in traditional site selection factors such as transportation access, available land, and a reliable water supply, the city offers an
Challenge Part of the Puget Sound area, Kittitas County was hit hard by the 2008 recession. Like major metropolitan areas across the country, the heavily technology-dependent region saw a steep decline in economic activity as well as vital state funding. County leaders realized that traditional economic development activities centered on
Challenge The events of 2020 highlighted the importance of incorporating resiliency into economic development planning for governments at all levels. For the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum region, the need for recovery and resiliency planning predated COVID-19. Over the past five decades, residents had faced the loss of major employers due to a range
Challenge Bordered by rivers on three sides and the Tennessee state line on the fourth, the Purchase Region of Western Kentucky stands apart. Historically, the region’s fortunes were closely tied to the flow of goods along the inland waterways. In 2010, roughly two-thirds of the US population was within a
Challenge After stagnating in the 1970s and 1980s, Kenosha County experienced strong population growth through the 1990s and 2000s. Strategically positioned along Interstate 94 within the Chicago-Milwaukee Corridor, the county was also successful in growing its base of employers. However, the region’s dependence on traditional manufacturing sectors proved to be
Challenge The first decade of the 2000s saw Jefferson City falling behind regional and national competitors. From a traditional economic development standpoint, Jefferson City’s challenges were well-known: distance from the interstate and major metropolitan areas; lack of large, fully serviced business sites; a limited industrial base; and slow population and
