phase 3: regional community and economic …

PHASE 3:

REGIONAL COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Submitted by Market Street Services Inc. www.marketstreetservices.com January 2016

Regional Community and Economic Development Strategy

December 2015


January 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Steering Committee ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

Project Overview ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2

Community and Economic Development Strategy ................................................................................................................................ 3

Talented, Educated People ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Targeted Economic Growth................................................................................................................................................................... 17

An Enterprising Culture ........................................................................................................................................................................... 25

Vibrant and Connected Places ............................................................................................................................................................. 30

A Cohesive Image and Identity ............................................................................................................................................................ 38

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 41

Appendix A: Best Practices .............................................................................................................................................................................. 42

Appendix B: Research Summary ................................................................................................................................................................... 49


January 2016


Page 1 – January 2016

STEERING COMMITTEE Committee tri-chairs are shown in bold.

Name Title/Role; Organization Mr. Brian Anderson President & CEO; Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce Mr. John Anker President & CEO; Ankerpak Mr. Cameron Bean Executive Director; Columbus Symphony Orchestra Mr. Richard Bishop Executive Director; Uptown Columbus Inc. Mr. Billy Blanchard President & CEO; Columbus Bank and Trust Mr. Peter Bowden President & CEO; Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Mr. Mike Burns Special Assistant to Commanding General; Fort Benning Mr. Russ Carreker President & CEO; Day 6 Outdoors Ms. Betsy Covington President & CEO; Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc. Mr. Jason Cuevas West Region Vice President; Georgia Power Ms. Patti Cullen Executive Director; River Valley Regional Commission Mr. Steve Davis President; Columbus Water Works Col. Pat Donahoe Chief of Staff; Fort Benning Dr. Jimmy Elder Pastor; First Baptist Church Mr. Scott Ferguson President; United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley Pastor Johnny Flakes, III Pastor; Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church Dr. Tom Hackett Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Columbus State University Mr. Cedric Hill CEO & Owner; Hill-Watson-People’s Funeral Service LLC Mr. Scott Hill President & CEO; Columbus Regional Healthcare System Ms. Lorette Hoover President; Columbus Technical College Mr. Isaiah Hugley City Manager; Columbus Consolidated Government Ms. Anne King Executive Director; Midtown, Inc. Mr. Harry Lange Chairman; Harris County Commission Dr. David Lewis Superintendent; Muscogee County School District Ms. Jacki Lowe Retired; West Region Vice President, Georgia Power Ms. Marquette McKnight CEO; Media Marketing… and More! Inc Mr. Marc Olivie President & CEO; WC Bradley/Arts Mr. Chuck Rossi President; Liberty Utilities Ms. Becky Rumer Senior Director - Corporate and Community Affairs; Synovus Ms. Jane Seckinger President & CEO; Goodwill Ms. Audrey Tillman, Esq. Executive Vice President, General Counsel; Aflac Hon. Teresa Tomlinson Mayor; Columbus Consolidated Government Hon. Rob Varner Chairman; MCSD Board of Education Dr. David White Vice-Chancellor; Troy University Phenix City Campus Mr. Troy Woods President & CEO; TSYS Mr. Jimmy Yancey Retired; Chairman, Synovus



PROJECT OVERVIEW The four-phase research and strategic planning process will last roughly nine months, concluding in February 2016. A diverse Steering Committee comprised of representatives from the public, private, and non-profit sectors will guide this process and ensure that it lays a foundation that allows people and businesses to thrive and wealth to accumulate.

Phase 1: Competitive Assessment The Competitive Assessment answered the question: “How is Greater Columbus doing?” Market Street developed original quantitative and qualitative research and conducted public input – in the form of focus groups, interviews, and an online survey – to evaluate the community’s competitiveness as a place to live, work, visit, and do business. The findings were integrated into key “stories” facing Greater Columbus as it seeks to grow and expand its economy and increase levels of prosperity and the quality of life for its current and future residents. The community’s competitiveness was benchmarked against communities with which Greater Columbus competes for both jobs and workers.

Phase 2: Target Business Analysis and Marketing Review The Target Business Analysis identified those business sectors that will drive future growth and opportunity in Greater Columbus. Market Street conducted a detailed examination of the region’s economic composition and identified the sectors that have the greatest potential to create new jobs and elevate standards of living in Greater Columbus. Because resources for economic development efforts are limited, they must be utilized in a way that will result in the highest return on investment for the community, its businesses, and its workers. Along these lines, the Marketing Review analyzed the existing economic and community marketing efforts of The Valley Partnership and Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce to identify any areas for improvement.

Phase 3: Regional Prosperity Initiative This Regional Prosperity Initiative brings together the findings from the first two phases of the process to create a “Vision for a Greater Columbus.” This holistic five-year community and economic development strategy is a consensus blueprint for raising prosperity in Greater Columbus. Strategic recommendations are driven by the research findings – both qualitative and quantitative feedback. Examples of best practice programs, policies, and initiatives from communities around the country will be included when relevant and appropriate to help inform strategic recommendations and their subsequent implementation.

Phase 4: Implementation Plan While the Regional Prosperity Initiative details what Greater Columbus needs to do, the Implementation Plan will outline how it will be accomplished. For each of the strategic recommendations, the Implementation Plan will identify lead implementers, key partners, potential costs, the appropriate timeline for implementation, and metrics for gauging implementation success.



COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Leaders in Greater Columbus have come together around the Regional Prosperity Initiative, a process that will result in a comprehensive Community and Economic Development Strategy to guide the community’s collective actions in the years to come. This effort comes at a pivotal moment. As Greater Columbus has continued to grow and evolve as a financial services hub, new opportunities and challenges have emerged around the Kia Motors manufacturing facility in nearby Troup County and the initial expansion and subsequent potential force reduction at Fort Benning. The region has also benefitted tremendously from a number of significant public and private investments in its educational, civic, and recreational infrastructure. Taken together, these changes have presented the region with a new set of community, economic, workforce, and quality of life issues and opportunities.

At the same time, the world around Greater Columbus is changing. While the depths of the Great Recession continue to fade into the background, the national recovery has been stubbornly sluggish and uneven, and the economic climate today is far more uncertain than it was a decade ago. Partially in response to this “new normal,” communities around the country have become even more committed to proactively seeking to improve their competitive position through collaborative, strategic actions – a trend that Greater Columbus’ leaders have seen in action on inter-city visits to places such as Austin, Texas and Nashville, Tennessee.

The momentum of the Regional Prosperity Initiative demonstrates that Greater Columbus’ public, private, and non-profit leaders are dedicated to increasing levels of prosperity for the community’s residents. And as initial research from this process has demonstrated, this work is urgently needed. Nearly 60 percent of households in Greater Columbus earn less than $50,000, nearly one in three children between the ages of 5 and 17 live below the poverty line, and evidence suggests that area residents are more likely to consistently rely on income maintenance benefits such as food stamps and the earned income tax credit. It should be noted that these figures might be even worse were it not for the decades of hard work on the part of local community and economic development leaders – work that has also helped cultivate many assets such as Columbus State University, the Muscogee County School District, and Uptown Columbus that can be leveraged to drive growth. To realize its potential, the community must now act decisively and holistically. This strategy outlines what Greater Columbus must do in order to grow and prosper. The remainder of this section describes how the strategy was developed and outlines its structure.

HOW THE STRATEGY WAS DEVELOPED The Regional Prosperity Initiative began with two research phases that informed the development of the strategy. The Competitive Assessment phase analyzed Greater Columbus as a place to live, work, play, and do business, while the Target Business Analysis & Marketing Review evaluated the region’s competitiveness for various business sectors and examined its existing economic development marketing capacity. Each phase was based on in-depth data analysis covering demographic, socioeconomic, economic, and quality of life trends as well as extensive public input gathered through focus groups, interviews, and an online survey. A more thorough executive summary is available in Appendix B in this report, but briefly, the Competitive Assessment identified nine key stories that summarize the issues facing the region:



1. Population Trends: Slow Growth and Limited In-Migration

2. A Critical Need for Top Talent

3. Economic Realities

4. Income and Poverty

5. Quality of Place and Quality of Life

6. Homegrown Talent: PK-12 and Higher Education

7. Business and Entrepreneurial Climate

8. Fort Benning: A Vital Asset

9. Philanthropy, Leadership, and Champions

The Target Business Analysis identified six key business sectors for the region to pursue through a targeted strategy: Insurance & Financial Services; Financial Technology & Information Security; Aerospace; Automotive Parts; Call Centers; and Shared Services. The report also identified Fort Benning and the region’s Travel & Tourism industry as key drivers that fall outside the scope of targeting, while the Marketing Review component identified several ways in which the region can optimize its external and internal communications in pursuit of additional job growth and investment.

The two research phases summarized above and in Appendix B – as well as input from 1,760 residents, workers, and businesses in Greater Columbus and the guidance of engaged Steering Committee – have collectively informed the creation of this Community and Economic Development Strategy.

THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK The research, public input, and Steering Committee feedback reviewed in the previous section led to the determination of three guiding principles that cut across the entire strategy and communicate the broad aims of the Regional Prosperity Initiative. These are “Increasing Prosperity,” “Reducing Poverty,” and “Improving Quality of Life.” Underneath these principles are five primary goal areas:

1. Talented, Educated People

2. Targeted Economic Growth

3. An Enterprising Culture

4. Vibrant and Connected Places

5. A Cohesive Image and Identity

Each of these goal areas includes multiple strategic objectives that Greater Columbus will address through implementation of the strategy. Supporting each objective are one or more tactical recommendations that that correspond to actions agendas, programs, etc. It is important to note that the order of these goals, objectives and tactical recommendations does not imply hierarchy or priority – all are important to securing Greater Columbus’ desired future, and the sequencing of specific actions will be determined in the implementation phase of this process. Some of the proposed tactics will be more resource-intensive than others. The assessment of implementation cost, capacity, and resources are included in the Implementation Plan. And while some tactical recommendations mention specific organizations or briefly touch on how a given program or initiative might take shape, this strategy is not intended to determine how things will be done or who might do them.



Those issues will be addressed with the development of the Implementation Plan in the fourth and final phase of this process. This strategy is intended simply to determine what Greater Columbus must do in order to raise levels of prosperity for its residents. The following graphic illustrates the strategic framework:



Talented, Educated People In an increasingly competitive and knowledge-based economy, communities must provide a skilled, educated workforce in order to remain competitive. Many businesses – and not just those in traditional white-collar sectors – now consider talent to be the most important factor influencing their location decisions. And on an individual level, there is clear evidence to suggest that as a person’s level of educational attainment increases, they become more likely to earn a higher wage and less likely to be unemployed.

Further underscoring the need for top talent, in February 2014, the annual Corporate Survey results in Area Development magazine reported that “availability of skilled labor” topped the list of most important site location factors for the first time in 27 years. With the line between “economic development” and “workforce development” increasingly becoming blurred, it is readily apparent that the region needs to make a significant investment in education in order to increase the area’s competitiveness and improve the region’s future economic opportunities for wealth creation.

Findings from research clearly demonstrate that educational attainment rates in Greater Columbus are lagging behind, and the region must make significant improvements just to keep up with national trends. Simply put, any effort to increase levels of prosperity in the region must involve across-the-board improvements to its talent base. This will require a comprehensive approach that focuses on optimizing the region’s ability to produce “homegrown” talent, retaining skilled and educated workers who already live in the region, and attracting new ones who do not.

KEY FINDINGS FROM RESEARCH AND INPUT: ü Greater Columbus’ workforce is not in dire straits, but the proportion of adults with a bachelor’s degree or

higher is well below the national average and last among a competitive set of 10 Southeastern metros. The community also has elevated levels of adults who started but did not finish college or have a high school diploma or less.

ü If current trends hold, Greater Columbus will fall even further behind on the educational attainment metric, as its younger residents are relatively less educated than their counterparts nationwide and the region is not attracting new residents in significant numbers to account for the difference.

ü The region’s core PK-12 education system, the Muscogee County School District (MCSD), enjoys a tremendous level of community support and does a good job of graduating students relative to peer systems.

ü But MCSD students are relatively less likely to enroll in college and succeed once there, and performance within the system is uneven. Input participants noted that many students would benefit from additional intervention and assistance at various stages of their academic lives.

ü The region has strong higher education institutions, but retaining graduates – and attracting more students from outside Greater Columbus to them in the first place – is critical to a healthy talent pipeline.

ü Greater Columbus is not a strong attractor of outside talent, and data and anecdotal evidence suggests the region is losing many residents to markets such as Atlanta.



OBJECTIVE 1.1: ALIGN OUR EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE SYSTEMS As the research phases of this process demonstrated, there is a critical need to grow and develop a skilled and talented workforce in Greater Columbus. Fortunately, the community already has many organizations that are dedicated to improving residents’ educational outcomes, increasing community involvement, and providing important social services. These organizations are already making strides towards improving educational attainment levels and opportunities in the community, but stakeholder feedback revealed that many organizations are “working in silos.” In order to maximize the impact of these efforts, Greater Columbus should ensure that these organizations and their work is aligned, coordinated, and optimized.

1.1.1 Create a comprehensive cradle-to-career (C2C) partnership to align education, training, business, and social services around increasing talent levels in Greater Columbus.

There are multiple models that Greater Columbus could adopt or emulate to align its talent efforts, such as the “Alignment” program that was first applied in Nashville and the “Strive Partnership” model that began in Cincinnati. These systems generally follow the “collective impact” model wherein government entities, non-profit organizations, and the private sector work together on a common agenda – in this case aligning and improving educational and training services with which individuals interact “from cradle to career.” Participating organizations come together under a professionally staffed “backbone” entity that is responsible for aligning the existing efforts of its various members and identifying ways in which services can be improved. This backbone organization might include multiple “committees” that tackle a specific issue, such as early childhood education or dropout prevention. Many of the other proposed tactical recommendations in this strategy should be advanced by this new partnership, potentially through a dedicated committee, and the Chamber’s Partners in Education (PIE) activities could also fall under this umbrella. The cradle-to-career partnership will be tasked with tracking performance metrics in order to gauge the impact of programs and adjust focuses accordingly to maximize their effectiveness and improve outcomes.

Potential Actions:

ü Work with educational providers, nonprofits, and the business community to research C2C and other “business education partnership” models to identify the appropriate fit for Greater Columbus

ü Formally establish a partnership “backbone” entity and pursue public and private sources of funding to ensure that it is professionally staffed and operated

ü Recruit a broad network of organizations to join the partnership

ü Identify an initial set of focus areas inclusive of the tactical recommendations in this strategy and any other issues deemed appropriate by the relevant partners (potential examples could include parental advocacy programs, expanding dual enrollment, etc.)

BEST PRACTICE: Alignment Nashville (Nashville, TN)



OBJECTIVE 1.2: DEVELOP HOMEGROWN TALENT Research revealed that Greater Columbus is a less educated place relative to its peer communities, and if the status quo holds, this gap is highly likely to grow. Reversing this trend will be critical to the future health of the region, and doing so requires a multi-pronged approach of talent development, retention, and attraction. But among these, producing “homegrown” talent is particularly important. Educational attainment is one of the top factors influencing a person’s lifetime earning potential and economic opportunities. Ensuring that the community’s residents have access to and are engaged in high-quality educational experiences is vital to reducing poverty and securing a strong economic future. Educational outcomes are influenced by many factors, and the C2C partnership (see 1.1.1) may choose to focus on a wide range of initiatives. The tactical recommendations proposed in this objective represent a handful of high-impact initiatives that can address specific needs identified during the research phases of the process.

1.2.1 Ensure that three- and four-year-olds have access to high-quality early childhood education.

The importance of high-quality early childhood education is supported by a growing body of research. Studies have shown that Pre-K programs produce higher standardized test scores and narrow the “achievement gap,” with program participation having a larger effect on student outcomes than race, family income, and parental educational attainment. Children who participate in Pre-K are more likely to graduate high school, own a home by age 27 and earn higher wages, and they are less likely to be incarcerated or unemployed. As such, Greater Columbus can make long-term investments to improve the likelihood of addressing many of its most significant challenges by ensuring that high-quality early childhood education programming is available to all three- and four-year-olds in the region.

Potential Actions:

ü Work with relevant partners including MCSD and other school districts to identify additional services needed, e.g. expansion of enrollment slots at Early Success Centers or creation of new centers

ü With relevant partners, develop messaging and an outreach strategy to communicate the importance of early childhood education to elected officials, C-level executives, and other senior leadership

ü Take a multi-pronged approach to pursuing funding, including lobbying at the state level for additional Pre-K program funding, seeking grants from the federal government and national foundations, working with local philanthropic organizations, and potentially identifying an additional local public revenue stream

ü Partner with other early childhood service providers such as the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy to expand opportunities for childhood learning beyond Pre-K programs

1.2.2 Ensure that infants, toddlers, and expecting parents have access to comprehensive child development and family support services.

The phase from a child’s time in the womb to his or her fourth birthday is a critical span for development, as the child builds social and emotional skills, learns to talk and count, and develops problem-solving skills. Research from the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families shows that developmental delays emerge as early as 9 months and that “by age 2, toddlers in the lowest socioeconomic quintile are behind all other children in



measures of cognitive skills and emotional attachment.”1 Greater Columbus suffers from a high child poverty rate, with nearly one third of children between the ages of five and 17 (the age group for which statistics are available) living in households below the poverty line. It stands to reason that the rate is similarly high for the region’s youngest residents. Stakeholders also noted that poverty in the region tends to be generational. Breaking this cycle requires a multi-faceted approach, but a key area of focus should be on supporting very young children and their parents given the importance of this time in an individual’s life.

Potential Actions:

ü Evaluate the viability of increasing the availability of Early Head Start programs in Greater Columbus and pursue an Early Head Start Grant and other state, federal, and philanthropic funding to start the program if warranted

ü Work with social service providers and other relevant entities to identify existing resources, specific areas of need, and potential funding sources

1.2.3 Expand efforts to introduce students to education and career possibilities from a young age.

Many organizations in Greater Columbus are working to ensure that young children are introduced to career and educational opportunities from a young age. These include the Chamber of Commerce’s Partners in Education program and summer camps such as CSU Activ8 and Summer Camp Benning. But stakeholders familiar with the region’s K-12 education systems expressed a desire for the community to go even further in exposing children to career opportunities, the work required to achieve them, and the value in doing so. Input participants said this is an important task given the pervasiveness of generational poverty in the community, as children from low-income households may not be aware of opportunities or view them as unrealistic.

Potential Actions:

ü Incorporate opportunities for exposure to potential careers into elementary school curricula, including online and hands-on learning experiences, in-class presentations, off-site travel, and other programs

ü For middle and high school students, facilitate tours of college and university campuses in and around the region, and continue classroom discussions and goal-setting exercises throughout the year

ü Conduct regular field trips to a variety of workplaces to demonstrate the benefits of aspiring to and completing post-secondary education; work with Partners in Education and other private-sector partners to facilitate these tours

ü Tie in expanded internship and apprenticeship opportunities (see 1.3.2) with work at the high school level

to demonstrate the immediate availability of opportunities

ü With community non-profits and service organizations, expand the availability of summer camps and other summer programming for low-income students

1 “Putting Infants and Toddlers on the Path to School Readiness: An Agenda for the Administration and 113th Congress.” Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families. 2013.



1.2.4 Leverage existing programs to coordinate a community-wide mentoring program for at-risk K-12 students.

Keeping students engaged and on track in their studies will be critical to raising the region’s educational attainment levels and ensuring that future generations have opportunities to succeed. Accordingly, stakeholders should pursue a community-wide mentoring program that connects volunteers with K-12 students who are at risk of falling behind, struggling, or dropping out. Greater Columbus has many existing programs that engage in some type of youth mentoring, including Girls, Incorporated of Columbus, the Literacy Alliance, Empowered Youth of Columbus, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Chattahoochee Valley, and many others. A community-wide mentoring program would not replace or duplicate any of these initiatives but would instead begin with an assessment of existing programs and a determination of whether existing capacity is needed. The ultimate goal of the program should be making a mentor-mentee relationship available to all interested students through the coordination of existing programs and – potentially – the creation of new ones. Given the collaborative nature of such an effort, it represents an ideal opportunity for coordination through the C2C.

Potential Actions:

ü Bring together existing organizations providing mentoring services with representatives from schools and school districts, businesses and nonprofits to assess existing programs and capacity

ü Pursue the widespread availability of programs that seek commitments of up to three years for monthly meetings and weekly check-ins to ensure the at-risk students receive needed engagement

ü With the help of the private sector, community and faith-based organizations, and other nonprofits, issue a community-wide call for volunteers

ü Begin the program at the middle school level and gradually expand to other grades

BEST PRACTICE: Cincinnati Youth Collaborative (Cincinnati, OH)

1.2.5 Launch a broad-based adult education campaign to connect individuals who did not complete high school or college coursework with opportunities for advancement and employment.

Increasing educational attainment must be about more than just the K-16 degree pipeline and talent attraction efforts. Communities must also focus work to ensure that adults are aware of and capitalizing on opportunities to receive high school equivalency degrees and post-secondary training as needed. Generally speaking, for each additional level of educational attainment an individual obtains, he or she is more likely to earn a higher wage and less likely to be unemployed. Additionally, changes in technology and the global economy are eliminating many traditional positions such as those that involve repetitive manual labor or technology services that can be sourced overseas. Jobs in the modern economy – even those in traditionally “blue collar” sectors – will increasingly go to individuals with more advanced skills and training. But research and stakeholder input noted that many adults in Greater Columbus may not fall into this category. Relative to both the nation and the state of Georgia, the region had elevated levels of adults without high school diplomas, had never attended college, and who have attended some college but have not received a degree award. There are roughly 140,000 individuals over the age of 25 in Greater Columbus who have not received a college degree, and there are certainly many more between the ages of 18 and 24 who have not completed high school or have not enrolled or stayed on



track in a post-secondary program. To address this issue, the region should launch a major campaign to re-engage adults with opportunities for educational advancement.

Potential Actions:

ü Work with a range of partners including K-12 school systems, higher education institutions, community organizations and foundations, faith-based groups, and private-sector leadership to oversee a broad-based campaign to boost adult educational attainment and training levels

ü Secure significant commitments from public, private, and philanthropic funding sources to advance a variety of initiatives and provide subsidized entry/testing fees and tuition

ü Expand enrollment in the Catapult Academy for high school dropouts and other high school equivalency programs to boost diploma and equivalency attainment; offer tuition subsidies or forgiveness to qualifying students who enroll in and complete programs

ü Work with area colleges to identify and reach out to former students who began but did not complete a degree or certificate program; offer expedited re-enrollment procedures and waive application fees, etc.

ü Work with employers to offer workers incentives, including flexible work hours around class schedules, guaranteed raises upon employment, etc., to complete high school equivalencies and enroll in and/or complete certificate and degree programs

BEST PRACTICE: Graduate! Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA)

OBJECTIVE 1.3: RETAIN OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST WORKERS Just as producing homegrown talent is important, so too is retaining educated workers who already live in the community. Evidence indicates, however, that Greater Columbus is losing residents to Metro Atlanta and other nearby markets. According to stakeholders who participated in the input process, many of these out-migrants are recent college graduates and talented young professionals. Many of the tactical recommendations in this strategy are aimed at improving quality of life and boosting levels of community attachment in Greater Columbus, but the following initiatives are aimed specifically at strengthening job opportunities and professional and social networks for talented individuals, ultimately reducing their incentive to leave the community.

1.3.1 Connect business and education providers to develop post-secondary programs and high school curricula that support target business growth and introduce young people to job opportunities.

One prime opportunity for alignment through a C2C partnership (see 1.1.1) is identifying the specific needs of employers in key local business sectors and evaluating whether existing programs at higher education institutions and K-12 schools are generating graduates with the appropriate degrees, certificates, or skill sets. Before proceeding, it should be noted that while a region’s educational systems are sometimes referred to as a “talent pipeline,” this is not at all to suggest that these institutions exist simply to supply local businesses with talent. Instead, the term is intended to highlight the fact that these providers are the region’s most important source of talented, educated workers, and that creating additional synergies between their programmatic offerings and the needs of local businesses can be mutually beneficial to employers, educational institutions, and



the local populace who make up the majority of their student bodies. Stakeholders should coordinate communications between the private sector and various education partners to identify additional training and education opportunities that can support target sector growth.

Potential Actions:

ü Working with employers in identified target business sectors, identify specific degree and certificate programs that are absent or in need of further development and to build awareness about existing programs

ü As part of business retention and expansion (BRE) activities (see 2.1.1), survey local employers across a broad range of business sectors to determine the existing programs that support their workforce and what types of post-secondary degrees, certifications, and skill sets they must recruit from outside the region or otherwise have difficulty finding

ü Share findings collectively with the region’s higher education providers and develop strategies for implementing programs when warranted and eliminating or refocusing underutilized programs

ü Work with the University System of Georgia’s Cybersecurity Initiative Consortium to secure funding for and maximize the potential of the TSYS Cybersecurity Center for Financial Services to support talent development for the finance and insurance sectors

ü Convene private-sector partners, higher education institutions, and K-12 school systems to ensure that existing and emerging STEAM programs (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) are optimized; additionally, ensure that all programs properly emphasize arts and other forms of creativity

1.3.2 Challenge the region’s business community to leverage, expand, and develop internship and apprenticeship opportunities for high school and college students.

Internships are an effective way to retain college students by helping them to establish professional networks and ties to full-time employers. A 2015 survey of businesses conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers indicated that more than 50 percent of all interns accept full-time employment with the company where they completed their internship. Creating internship opportunities for high school students could have a similar impact on community attachment. Many regional employers – notably manufacturers – also noted difficulty in finding qualified workers, in part because many young people do not view careers in manufacturing as desirable or viable. Offering internships and apprenticeships for manufacturing and other trade jobs could help address this issue by exposing more young people to career opportunities in an important sector of the regional economy.

Potential Actions:

ü Work with employers and existing student-employment efforts at higher education institutions to create an inventory of existing internship and apprenticeship opportunities and publish via an interactive website, updated regularly as new opportunities come online

ü Informed by the inventory, issue a challenge to all regional employers to develop internships and/or apprenticeships for both high school students and college students and graduates



ü Encourage companies to make internships and apprenticeships paid and part-time; consider offering subsidies to firms that could not otherwise make these commitments

ü Work with higher education institutions to expand or establish cooperative education programs

BEST PRACTICE: Greater Grads (Oklahoma City, OK)

1.3.3 Develop a formal retention program for individuals retiring from or exiting the military.

The presence of Fort Benning benefits Greater Columbus’ workforce in a variety of ways. One of the biggest is the supply of work-ready individuals who retire from or exit the military while stationed at the base. Many stakeholders expressed a desire for the community to take more proactive steps to tap this valuable resource and influence more soldiers to remain in the community. Stakeholders acknowledged that there are already systems in place to connect individuals tied to Fort Benning with local employers, such as the Soldier for Life Job Transition Summit hiring fair and other initiatives. But input participants also said that there is a knowledge gap that must first be closed before the region can pursue an effective talent retention strategy.

Potential Actions:

ü Convene Fort Benning and private-sector leadership to determine the skill sets that exiting soldiers (and their family members) possess

ü Begin by working with base leadership to determine specific skill sets, demographics, etc. of exiting soldiers

ü Determine factors influencing the location decisions of soldiers exiting the military, including leveraging existing research and national data from the Solider for Life Transition Assistance Program

ü Evaluate whether an assistance program for military spouses and partners in finding employment or acquiring state-specific certifications (e.g. teaching) would aid in retention efforts

ü Work with base leadership including the Soldier for Life Center to devise a survey of soldiers, veterans, retirees, and spouses/family members to obtain data specific to Fort Benning and Greater Columbus; leverage the next Soldier for Life Job Transition Summit as a contact point for conducting a survey

ü Utilize findings to develop a formal attraction and retention program in cooperation with base leadership and the private sector

1.3.4 Welcome and engage new residents who move to Greater Columbus with a relocating family member.

To find workers with the most specialized skill sets or experience, many firms must conduct talent searches that spread well beyond the borders of their home region. This is especially true in Greater Columbus, which has a high concentration of major corporate operations relative to its size and levels of educational attainment. According to stakeholders familiar with recruitment and human resources matters, attracting these individuals is only half the challenge. The community must also seek to retain these workers by ensuring that they and their families are happy and engaged in their new home region. According to the input participants, this means connecting the spouses and partners to jobs and opportunities for social engagement – and doing so quickly.



Greater Columbus should therefore develop a formal program to welcome and integrate relocating families into the community.

Potential Actions:

ü Work with public- and private-sector employers to develop a one-stop resume-matching database capable of connecting individuals with available jobs based on skill sets; this database would also have utility for existing residents of Greater Columbus and would not necessarily be limited to any one group, though it would be most useful for individuals without roots or connections in the community

ü Create a volunteer network of human resources managers and corporate executives to meet informally with new job-seekers who have followed a relocating family member to the community to help these individuals learn about the job market in Greater Columbus and begin developing a professional network

ü Develop an attractive, user-friendly, and regularly updated “welcome website” with information on community programs, youth sports leagues, parks, utilities, religious organizations, etc.; this website would also be useful as a talent and business recruitment tool to highlight the region’s quality of life to prospective new residents or companies

BEST PRACTICE: Connect Sixty-Four (Kalamazoo, MI)

BEST PRACTICE (TALENT MARKETING WEBSITE): CarpeDM (Des Moines, IA)

OBJECTIVE 1.4: ATTRACT TALENTED INDIVIDUALS TO GREATER COLUMBUS Growing and retaining talent in Greater Columbus is critical to the region’s future, but strategies to improve educational outcomes can take years or even decades to pay dividends. In the meantime, many firms in Greater Columbus have immediate needs for talented workers. Additionally, the community’s younger residents are relatively less educated than those in many similar communities. In other words, Greater Columbus isn’t just playing “catch-up” – it must attract new educated residents just to keep pace with its peers. But research revealed that Greater Columbus has consistently low levels of in-migration, and the competition for talent among regions is only growing more intense. Greater Columbus must face the reality that it is competing against much larger metro areas with more diverse and faster-growing job markets yet similar cost-of-living and quality-of-life advantages. In this environment, a general talent attraction campaign aimed at any individual would be a poor investment. Greater Columbus should instead focus on a targeted effort geared toward people who already have a connection with the region in addition to leveraging the ability of the region’s four-year universities to attract talented newcomers.

1.4.1 Attract educated expatriates back to Greater Columbus through a “boomerang” marketing program.

In order to maximize its return on an investment to attract new workers to the region, Greater Columbus should focus on a “boomerang” talent marketing campaign that targets educated individuals who already feel a connection with Greater Columbus. The region also has a strong value proposition for individuals who have started families or are thinking of doing so. Stakeholders said that many of these individuals feel “pulled home”



during this time in their life, and may generally prefer a smaller, more family-friendly community to larger metros where commutes are longer, housing markets are more competitive, and so on. As such, the region should focus on individuals who may have been out of the community for a number of years in addition to recent college graduates who attended high school in Greater Columbus or moved away after graduating from a local college or university. There will be some challenges to overcome in order to do so. According to young professionals in the region contacted through the input process, many individuals who have moved away still think of the region as being “old Columbus” and may have limited awareness of the many positive changes that have occurred in the region in recent years. Changing these perceptions will be an important task.

Potential Actions:

ü Convene relevant partners, including private-sector representatives, the Young Professionals organization, colleges and universities, and K-12 school systems to develop and oversee the campaign

ü Sustain and support the growth of the Young Professionals organization and leverage the group’s capacity and expertise for the marketing program and to host/influence relocation candidates

ü Partner with area higher education institutions and alumni associations to identify individuals from institutions such as Columbus State and Troy University who have moved to other markets

ü Work with K-12 school systems to identify top college-bound students to establish communications and relationships to maintain their connection to Greater Columbus regardless of where they attend school; maintain these contacts even after the students graduate to create an ongoing list for focused advertisements, etc.

ü As part of internship programming (see 1.3.2), challenge local employers to open up opportunities to local and out-of-region students with a connection to Greater Columbus; develop programming and other career-focused resources for winter and summer breaks

ü Develop a targeted advertising campaign for alumni publications and websites for selected colleges and universities in Alabama and Georgia (e.g. Auburn, UGA, Georgia Tech, etc.), including profiles of successful alumni in Greater Columbus

ü Coordinate with CSU Alumni and Friends to develop one-off or quarterly networking events in Metro Atlanta and, potentially, other markets of size, for CSU alumni; promote Greater Columbus through word-of-mouth marketing at these events and through follow-up communication with attendees

ü Promote Greater Columbus at high-value job and career fairs

1.4.2 Support the promotion of Columbus State and Troy University’s Phenix City campus as schools of choice for students from outside the region.

Another way in which Greater Columbus can address its low levels of educational attainment and in-migration is by attracting more individuals from outside the region to attend Columbus State University and Troy University’s Phenix City campus and connecting them to quality employment upon graduation. Research revealed that slightly more than half of entering freshman at Columbus State were from the Greater Columbus region while just 16.6 percent of students were from Metro Atlanta. By contrast, 40.9 percent of freshman at Georgia Southern University were from Metro Atlanta while just 16.4 percent were from the Savannah and Statesboro areas. (Data



for Troy’s Phenix City campus was not available.) While it is certainly a good thing that Columbus State is serving so many graduates of local high schools, attracting more outsiders to local institutions will broaden the pool of individuals with connections to the region who might be tempted to stay upon graduation or return at a later date. The timing is perfect to promote these institutions outside the region. Columbus State’s “First Choice” capital campaign is underway and has the goal of improving the university’s academic and collegiate environment in order to make it a preferred destination for students and faculty. CSU has also made significant investments in its RiverPark campus, is transforming the former Ledger-Enquirer building and relocating the College of Education and Health Profession to Uptown Columbus, and is expanding its cybersecurity training capacity with the TSYS Cybersecurity Center for Financial Services. Meanwhile, Troy University has already transformed the riverfront in Phenix City with its new campus, and additional expansions are planned.

Potential Actions:

ü Support Columbus State and Troy’s Phenix City campus in promoting the schools through a variety of channels (social media, advertisements, college fairs, etc.) in other markets such as Metro Atlanta

ü Ensure the successful completion of the First Choice Campaign

ü Work to integrate the universities into the region’s talent marketing (see 1.4.1) and earned media campaigns (see 5.2.1)

ü Evaluate expanding out-of-state tuition waivers for Columbus State beyond Russell County



Targeted Economic Growth As the comprehensive nature of this process suggests, a community’s competitive position is tied to a wide range of factors. But at the most fundamental level, prosperity is linked to the availability of quality jobs for a community’s residents. Greater Columbus is fortunate to have tremendous corporate citizens and a military installation that infuses billions of dollars into the local economy. Ensuring that these entities can continue to thrive in the region is of paramount importance. But so too is diversifying the economy – as stakeholders noted, the region’s current large employers cannot do all the heavy lifting on their own. While this entire strategy can be viewed as supporting the growth of quality jobs in Greater Columbus, specific actions must be taken to address targeted economic growth. These include supporting key existing business and sectors, promoting the region to new firms from outside the area, and laying long-term groundwork for better connectivity to other markets.

KEY FINDINGS FROM RESEARCH AND INPUT: ü Job growth has been relatively slow in Greater Columbus in recent years. Even in the pre-recession

“boom,” local employment remained essentially flat, and as of February 2015, the region still had fewer civilian jobs than it did in January 2000. More job growth is needed to increase the region’s prosperity.

ü Fort Benning is by far the region’s largest employer and one of its principle economic engines. According to Chamber figures, it accounts for more than 40,000 jobs and has an annual impact of $5 billion on the local economy. But the Third Brigade is set to shrink by 3,402 positions in the coming years, and a potential new round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) could bring potential opportunities or lead to further uncertainty.

ü For a community of its size, Greater Columbus has a remarkable roster of major employers and corporate headquarter operations. But many stakeholders expressed concerns about the extent to which the region relies on a few employers such as Aflac and TSYS, and noted that the region could be vulnerable to a sudden downturn in a single business sector such as insurance.

ü Infrastructure in the region’s most developed areas tends to be strong, and the region benefits from affordable business costs and a favorable business climate. The primary concern from an infrastructure standpoint is the region’s connectivity to other markets. Stakeholders viewed the lack of mainline Interstate access as a significant competitive disadvantage, and this is supported by data points such as the region’s very low concentration of employment in business sectors related to the movement of goods.

ü An extensive Target Business Analysis identified six target sectors for the region: Insurance & Financial Services; Financial Technology & Information Security; Aerospace; Automotive Parts; Call Centers; and Shared Services. The report also highlighted Travel & Tourism and Fort Benning as key economic drivers.

ü The Marketing Review identified multiple ways in which the Chamber and its partners can improve the effectiveness of community and economic development marketing for Greater Columbus, including a revamped website, new inbound marketing events, and a potential reduced focus on trade shows.

ü As discussed in the Target Business Analysis, Greater Columbus’ finance and insurance cluster could give the region an opportunity to develop some local capacity for innovation in fields such as cybersecurity.



OBJECTIVE 2.1: GROW AND EXPAND EXISTING BUSINESSES A common refrain in economic development circles is that the process of job creation is a “three-legged stool” comprised of business recruitment, expansions of existing businesses, and entrepreneurship. As the figure of speech suggests, all three components are important. But various studies have indicated that expansions of existing businesses represent a large majority of a community’s job creation. And existing businesses are particularly important in Greater Columbus. The community is home to a set of key large and mid-size employers – including several very large firms – that are vital to its economic health. Greater Columbus must therefore do all it can to ensure that its existing businesses can grow and thrive in the community.

2.1.1 Formalize a collaborative business retention and expansion (BRE) program to ensure conditions are optimal for existing firms to thrive.

As a representative of the business community and a provider of economic development services to Columbus-Muscogee County and the broader region, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce maintains many positive relationships with employers both large and small in the region. The same can be said for other public and private entities representing local jurisdictions within the region. But no single organization can address the needs and challenges of businesses alone. A successful BRE program requires a collaborative approach that leverages the staff expertise and resources of multiple organizations and partners that can influence the business climate. This section focuses on the components of an effective program, which are well-established across many high-performing organizations. The partnership structures needed to facilitate such an approach will be outlined in the forthcoming Implementation Plan.

Development of a new BRE approach should begin with a review of current outreach methods and the results they produce. A BRE program is primarily intended to:

ü Understand the challenges and opportunities facing existing businesses

ü Alleviate burdens and barriers to competitiveness

ü Support expansion plans and identify businesses poised for a potential expansion

ü Prevent existing businesses from relocating elsewhere

ü Identify relocation prospects based outside the region through relationships with local businesses

An effective program should be built around annual in-person interviews with the community’s largest businesses (potentially 100 or more employees). Additional small and medium-sized businesses can be contacted if time allows or a need arises, and all businesses in the community should be welcomed to participate in an annual online survey. Specialized software (such as Synchronist or ExecutivePulse) should be considered to track BRE activities, and the collaborative team should develop protocols for follow-up actions modeled after best-practice BRE programs from around the country. With these tools and protocols, the collaborative team should be able to identify and reach out to firms at risk of closing, downsizing, or relocating and identify specific ways in which community, economic, and workforce development partners can help employers increase their competitive positions and remove barriers. A community’s BRE program should in no way be tied to member recruitment efforts for an organization supporting economic and business development.



Potential Actions:

ü Allocate staff capacity and develop needed resources (e.g. specialized software) to launch successful program

ü Identify an initial list of companies – likely large employers and selected firms in target business sectors – to contact through face-to-face meetings

ü Develop an interview questionnaire and online survey

ü Establish protocols internally and with partners for sharing and responding to information received through the BRE process

ü Ensure that existing industry groups such as the Manufacturer’s Council are incorporated into and utilized for BRE activities

ü Evaluate the feasibility of a “supply chain mapping” initiative to match local suppliers with local buyers and identify potential prospects for recruitment

2.1.2 Launch a pilot “economic gardening” program to help second-stage firms grow in Greater Columbus.

Greater Columbus can boast numerous successful companies that began locally and have grown to achieve regional, national, and even global influence. In addition to strategies to retain these existing large firms, the community can also broaden its business development efforts to support companies that have the potential to become new success stories. One way to do so is by launching a pilot “economic gardening” program in Greater Columbus. The economic gardening model has been successfully implemented by many communities around the country. The program provides customized support to second-stage firms that are poised for growth by helping them identify new markets and sales leads, develop new business relationships, and optimize their existing business and marketing plans. Much of the market and business intelligence that the program provides would be expensive or otherwise difficult to obtain or develop for many firms. The Edward Lowe Foundation provides pilot program implementation assistance for communities interested in economic gardening. To be eligible, communities must recruit five second-stage companies and provide financial, staff, and organizational support. Alternatively, the community could research established economic gardening programs and launch its own effort.

Potential Actions:

ü Become familiar with the economic gardening concept and determine whether the Edward Lowe program or a customized solution is appropriate

ü Develop necessary resources and staff capacity to support the program

ü Identify and recruit eligible second-stage firms to participate in the program

ü If successful, consider expanding the program to additional community businesses



OBJECTIVE 2.2: ATTRACT NEW FIRMS AND INVESTMENT In decades past, economic development was often thought of primarily as the act of recruiting outside firms to relocate or invest in a community. As previously mentioned, contemporary economic developers take a much more comprehensive view of job creation, incorporating business retention and expansion (BRE) and entrepreneurship. Additionally, best-practice communities now embrace holistic community and economic development as the preferred model based on the understanding that a wide range of factors – from talent to quality of life and place – must be addressed in order to improve a community’s competitive position and build wealth. In other words, economic development work is just as much as it is about creating an optimal “climate” for job creation as it is job creation itself. Recruitment is not dead, however. Attracting outside jobs and investment remains an important means by which communities can expand their economic base. But the “pipeline” of competitive economic development projects is shrinking; large-scale projects such as major corporate office relocations and new original equipment manufacturing facilities are in especially short supply. In this more challenging environment, communities must ensure that their economic development marketing programs are efficient and optimized.

2.2.1 Develop an updated comprehensive economic development marketing program.

As part of the research phases of the Regional Prosperity Initiative, Market Street conducted a review of the Greater Columbus’ existing economic development marketing program and identified areas for improvement. A full list is available in the Marketing Review report, but a partial list of key initiatives follows.

Potential Actions:

ü Update websites and social media accounts based upon established best practice examples that will serve as the “front door” to the region’s economic development resources; ensure that readily available and current online data is available in downloadable spreadsheets

ü Establish a GIS-enabled, searchable database of all available sites and buildings in the region, leveraging the Columbus Chamber of Commerce’s existing list and expanding it to be as comprehensive as possible and inclusive of a variety of property types (e.g. opportunities for historic renovation); ensure that properties with redevelopment potential (see 4.2.2) along the riverfront and in neighborhoods such as Uptown, Midtown, Downtown Phenix City, City Village, etc. is appropriately positioned and marketed

ü Develop of an inbound marketing event or events to showcase Greater Columbus to key site selectors and other ED decision-makers

ü Evaluate the return on investment generated from outbound marketing functions such as trade shows, with the recognition that the benefits of outbound marketing (direct lead generation, exposure to industry trends, etc.) must be balanced with an efficient allocation of limited resources

ü Synchronize updates to the region’s economic development marketing program with potential updates to various brand and messaging components (see 5.1.1) to avoid duplication or repletion of work

ü Develop a systematic follow-up program to assess the community’s competitiveness with both successful and unsuccessful relocation prospects to accompany ongoing BRE efforts (see 2.1.1)

BEST PRACTICE (ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE): OpportunityLynchburg.com (Lynchburg, VA)



OBJECTIVE 2.3: PURSUE SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION On occasion, communities will be presented with opportunities for economic growth that fall outside the traditional scope of a BRE or economic development marketing program but fit within an overalls strategy of targeted economic growth. According to stakeholders, Greater Columbus presently has three such opportunities that it should pursue, each of which is detailed in this objective. Additionally, while the Regional Prosperity Initiative process has identified a set of target business sectors that hold the best prospects for local growth within the next five years, this list should not be seen as set in stone. Greater Columbus should seek to capitalize on any and all realistic opportunities for economic growth or diversification that may emerge in the coming years, regardless of whether they fall into a targeted sector.

2.3.1 Continue to pursue the development of an additional hotel adjacent to the Columbus Georgia Convention and Trade Center.

Greater Columbus’ travel and tourism industry has a significant impact on the economy; out-of-town visitors who come to the community for meetings and conventions tend to spend more in the local economy on a per capita basis than individuals who visit for other reasons. In addition to the monetary benefit they provide, events such as conventions may also expose Greater Columbus to an audience of talented individuals and decision-makers for businesses, helping to improve the region’s outside profile (see 5.2.2). But research has shown that the Columbus Georgia Convention and Trade Center is unable to maximize its potential due to an insufficiency of hotel rooms within walking distance of the facility. Greater Columbus should pursue the development of an additional hotel adjacent to or near the Center in order to improve the region’s competitiveness for conventions, trade shows, and other events. Stakeholders said the research also showed that current market conditions might not support an entirely privately financed development, but that a project could be feasible with some public assistance.

Potential Actions:

ü Continue to convene stakeholders including the CVB, elected and appointed officials, and economic development professionals to work on the issue

ü Evaluate options for a public-private partnership if necessary

ü Work with accommodation industry experts and development professionals to identify potential private-sector partners, including developers and operators

2.3.2 Evaluate the viability of expanding cybersecurity research capacity in Greater Columbus.

As discussed in the Target Business Analysis, Greater Columbus’ capacity for research-and-innovation driven economic growth is limited. The region does not have a Tier 1 research university, while startups in fields such as cybersecurity and financial technology generally emerge in markets such as Atlanta that have well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems and clusters in addition to academic research capacity. But Greater Columbus does have large employers with a direct role or significant interest in cybersecurity, and Georgia may be well-positioned to become a leader in the field given the strength of Atlanta’s cybersecurity agglomeration and the relocation of the Army Cyber Command operations to Fort Gordon in Augusta. Cybersecurity therefore



represents the most promising opportunity for the region to expand its capacity for research and innovation to drive job growth.

Potential Actions:

ü Engage Columbus State University, the region’s top employers, and state level partners to discuss the possibility of expanding research capacity, potentially as an expanded focus for the TSYS Cybersecurity Center for Financial Services at Columbus State University

ü If pursued, expand capacity by hiring research-oriented faculty, securing funding through research grants and possibly additional corporate commitments, and potentially developing partnerships with other academic and research-oriented institutions

ü Advocate with relevant economic development and political leadership at the state level to make cybersecurity a statewide economic development focus in Georgia

ü Complement greater Columbus research activity with existing and planned activities in the Atlanta and Augusta areas as part of the potential statewide initiative

2.3.3 Explore possibilities to leverage the Columbus campus of the Mercer University School of Medicine.

In February 2012, Mercer University announced that it would establish a Columbus campus for its School of Medicine. Students may elect to complete their third and fourth years of training at the campus, the third in the system based in Macon. While the primary focus of the School of Medicine is on training physicians, the campus also incorporates clinical, basic science, and health care delivery research into its mission. Stakeholders in Greater Columbus should continue to work with the school and area hospitals to explore current and future opportunities to expand the research activity surrounding the campus and potentially drive economic growth if the right conditions emerge.

Potential Actions:

ü Continue to promote conversations between Mercer Medical, local hospitals, and other relevant partners

to explore ways in which the school’s regional presence can lead to expanded local capacity for medical

research

ü Work with Mercer Medical and other partners to explore the possibility for an enhanced physical presence

for the school in the region

OBJECTIVE 2.4: ADVOCATE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH While the implementation of this strategy must be driven by leaders and volunteers in Greater Columbus, the region’s prospects for economic growth are also impacted by decisions made at the state and federal levels. For instance, the health of the region’s economy relies in part on continued support for Fort Benning in Washington, D.C. State or federal support may also be needed to advance recommendations within the strategy itself, even those in other goal areas such as the expansion of Pre-K services (see 1.2.1). Accordingly, public and private leaders alike must advocate for Greater Columbus through all appropriate channels.



2.4.1 Continue to lobby on behalf of Fort Benning through the appropriate state and federal channels.

Throughout the public input process, stakeholders consistently mentioned Fort Benning as one of the region’s greatest strengths and economic drivers. But the base is faced with an impending force reduction and further uncertainty awaits with a potential round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activities. Given these potential threats, many input participants expressed a strong desire for Greater Columbus to diversify and strengthen the local private sector so that it might be more resilient in the face of any future force reductions or realignments. This is undoubtedly an important task; substantial portions of this strategy are devoted to it in some fashion. Fort Benning is and will remain tremendously important to Greater Columbus due to its impact on the local economy, workforce, and community identity. Accordingly, the community should continue to lobby and provide a broad base of support for Fort Benning to ensure that it remains as strong as possible.

Potential Actions:

ü Continue to support the existing Grow Benning military affairs activities of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce

ü Leverage the findings of the Community Impacts Associated With Army Personnel Reductions (CIAR) study for future lobbying efforts

ü Facilitate collaboration between base and private-sector leadership on workforce initiatives, potentially with a study and creation of a talent retention program designed to keep retirees and individuals exiting the military from Fort Benning within the Greater Columbus region (see 1.3.3)

2.4.2 Work with all appropriate partners to identify near- and long-term opportunities for improving connectivity between Greater Columbus and major markets.

During the input process, stakeholders generally expressed satisfaction with the region’s transportation capacity and mobility, though a few bottlenecks and trouble spots remain. The region also has a demonstrated commitment to making necessary improvements, as evidenced by its passage of a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) in 2012. However, the most significant challenge related to transportation – and one of the largest challenges in the region in general when it comes to economic and population growth – is a relative lack of controlled-access highway connectivity (Interstate or otherwise) to major markets and population centers. Stakeholders noted that this condition is unlikely to change in the short run, and this statement is almost certainly true. But the region must continue to work to overcome this limitation and accentuate other positives. Simply put, if Greater Columbus continues to lack Interstate connectivity relative to its competitors far into the future, the consequences will be slower growth and lower overall economic potential. Accordingly, Greater Columbus should continue to pursue expansion of controlled-access highways serving the region even if the chances of near-term success are low. The region should also remain open to other opportunities to improve connectivity to major markets.

Potential Actions:

ü Maintain good working relationships with state Departments of Transportation



ü Ensure that short-term projects (e.g. fixing bottlenecks) are included on relevant plans and programs of work

ü Continue to maintain dialogue about long-term options for controlled-access highway expansion and other connectivity options

ü Evaluate the possibility of pursuing passenger rail service between Columbus and Atlanta if discussions at the state level advance

2.4.3 Ensure that the region’s legislative agendas are aligned with strategic community and

economic development needs.

In many communities, chambers of commerce and other organizations representing the business community or other private interests draft legislative agendas to outline formal positions on various matters of local, state, and federal concern. These agendas are frequently drafted in close cooperation with local government officials, state legislators, and federal Congressional delegations to ensure that the community presents a united voice of advocacy. This is particularly important in instances where an action cannot possibly be completed at the local level and instead requires funding assistance or enabling legislation at the state or federal level.

Potential Actions:

ü Public, private, and nonprofit leaders who volunteer to implement the Regional Prosperity Initiative should work with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and other member organizations that form annual legislative agendas to advance the tactical recommendations of this strategy at various levels of government



An Enterprising Culture Greater Columbus would not be where it is today without homegrown companies; if the region is to continue moving forward, it must work to promote new companies and ideas that can generate jobs and wealth in the community. Building an “entrepreneurial ecosystem” is no easy task, requiring significant time, effort, and resources. But communities around the country are taking steps to promote startups and focused innovation, and Greater Columbus must leverage its action-oriented spirit and special set of assets to forge its own way forward. Input participants said that this work begins simply with increasing the visibility of entrepreneurs and the resources available to startups and small businesses within the community. And while local stakeholders acknowledge that the majority of research funding and capital will continue to be concentrated primarily in a select few large regions around the country, Greater Columbus can take steps to expand funding operations for small enterprises while promoting innovative activities that complement its existing corporate strengths in finance and insurance. In many ways, Greater Columbus must begin to formally “plant seeds” of entrepreneurship through the Regional Prosperity Initiative and nurture them in the years to come. In this way, the region can slowly but surely build capacity to foster a startup culture and ecosystem and eventually consider more resource-intensive and ambitious entrepreneurial activities in the future.

KEY FINDINGS FROM RESEARCH AND INPUT: ü Greater Columbus has a proud history of innovative and enterprising companies and individuals. Two

homegrown Fortune 1000 companies – Aflac and TSYS – serve as evidence. But data and public input reveal that the region’s current level of entrepreneurial activity is relatively low. Greater Columbus performed poorly on key metrics that measure entrepreneurial activity, including levels of self-employment, per-capita small business lending, and the proportion of employment in firms that are less than five years old.

ü An online survey question posed to 128 individuals who self-identified as entrepreneurs or small business owners revealed a similarly troubling picture. Participants were asked to rate various aspects of the region’s entrepreneurial climate, and each factor received more “very weak/weak” responses than “very strong/strong” answers. In many cases the negative ratings outnumbered the positive by wide margins.

ü Some input participants suggested that many residents simply do not see starting their own business as a realistic option. Others noted that existing entrepreneurial resources are not well-known or visible within the region. And a large majority of entrepreneurs and small business owners also identified access to capital as a principle challenge for startups and small businesses in Greater Columbus.

ü Stakeholders did note several positive aspects that could be supportive of increased entrepreneurial activity. The “cool factor” of Uptown Columbus is one. The Bob Wright Symposium on Business Empowerment is another. Participants suggested the initial success of this event could be leveraged to support additional minority entrepreneurship in the community.



OBJECTIVE 3.1: STRENGTHEN THE CULTURE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN GREATER COLUMBUS According to a variety of data points and extensive stakeholder feedback, the entrepreneurial climate in Greater Columbus is limited. Just 4.8 percent of jobs are held by self-employed workers, compared to 6.1 percent in Georgia and 6.6 percent nationally. Among a comparison group of 10 metro areas, the community had the second-lowest number of per capita small business loans and the lowest percentage of total employment in firms that are less than five years old. Additionally, individuals who self-identified as entrepreneurs or small business owners gave poor marks to various aspects of the region’s entrepreneurial climate in an online survey. This is consistent with anecdotal feedback received from stakeholders, who suggested that the region still has something of a “mill town mentality” when it comes to entrepreneurship. According to some input participants, many residents simply do not see starting their own business as a realistic option despite the region’s history of homegrown corporate success stories. In short, Greater Columbus has much work to do if it is to build an “entrepreneurial ecosystem” that drives job growth and wealth creation in the community. This will be a time- and resource-intensive process that will last well beyond the timeline for this five-year strategy. But it is vital to the region’s future and must begin in earnest as soon as possible.

3.1.1 Develop a physical, flexible, and professionally staffed “center of gravity” for entrepreneurial activities in a highly visible location.

The principle building block that the region can pursue to advance its entrepreneurial climate is the creation of a physical “center of gravity” for entrepreneurship in Greater Columbus. Such a center would have multiple roles, including increasing the visibility of entrepreneurship in the community and serving as a networking and social hub for local entrepreneurs, with programming and special events to create additional opportunities for connections. It is critical that the center be professionally staffed by at least one experienced entrepreneur and/or an individual with extensive experience running a successful incubator or accelerator. Building such staff capacity and expertise will be an opportunity to expand the region’s entrepreneurial assistance resources to include innovation-driven enterprises with high growth and export potential in addition to services for local-serving small businesses in established fields or markets.

While programming at the facility should be entrepreneur-driven, there is the opportunity for partners to come together to identify, resource, and outfit the space and co-locate certain small business support services on-site. The center should also be in a highly visible location. Uptown Columbus is a likely destination for the facility. Its compact and amenity-rich built environment appeals to the type of innovation-focused entrepreneurs that the community will seek to cultivate to drive wealth creation through the development of high-growth companies. However, the potential always exists for a high-profile building to be donated, repurposed, or constructed in another of the region’s activity centers.

Potential Actions:

ü Convene a network of partners that should include local entrepreneurs and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Columbus State University, and other existing providers of small business or entrepreneurial support services to help resource, program, and potentially offer staff support for the center

ü As a critical first step, identify a successful entrepreneur and/or individual with extensive experience in operating a successful incubator or accelerator to oversee development, launch, and operations



ü Work with the business community, local governments, and foundations (both local and national) to identify potential funding sources and launching a capital campaign

ü Purchase, lease, or assume control of an appropriate physical space for the center; prioritize properties in Uptown Columbus or another dense, walkable, highly visible area

ü Co-locate the region’s entrepreneur and small business support services in a “one-stop” location

ü Task professional staff with identifying appropriate program for center; potential options include an incubator or acceleration program and some kind of mentorship initiative for entrepreneurs without access to traditional financing and business networks

BEST PRACTICE: Greenhouse (St. Petersburg, FL)

3.1.2 Work with organizers to make the Bob Wright Symposium on Business Empowerment the premier event of its kind.

In 2015, Greater Columbus received significant positive press mentions in articles about minority entrepreneurship from outlets such as the Chicago Tribune and CNN Money, and NerdWallet ranked the region as the top city for black entrepreneurs. Additionally, 2015 also saw the successful completion of the inaugural Bob Wright Symposium on Business Empowerment, an event launched by Columbus businessman Dr. Bob Wright. The Symposium featured prominent black business leaders and executives from around the country and attracted hundreds of mostly black professionals to the Cunningham Center.2 This much positive momentum building up in such a short period of time represents a rare opportunity to generate national publicity for Greater Columbus and raise the profile of entrepreneurial activity within the community itself.

Potential Actions:

ü Work with organizers of the Symposium to determine ways in which local support can enhance the event; potential assistance could include expanded publicity, funding and corporate sponsorships or in-kind donations, etc.

ü Work with organizers to explore ways in which the event could be used to raise the profile of entrepreneurship locally, such as subsidized attendance for local entrepreneurs and opportunities for workshops or mentoring in conjunction with the event

ü Develop an earned media strategy (see 5.2.1) to generate significant national press coverage of the 2016 event and minority entrepreneurship in Greater Columbus general

OBJECTIVE 3.2: EXPAND RESOURCES TO OPEN UP ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A POSSIBILITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS In addition to cultivating an entrepreneurial culture in Greater Columbus, the community also has an opportunity to lower or remove key barriers to entry and open up entrepreneurship as a possibility to a wide audience.

2 James-Johnson, A. “Speakers at Bob Wright symposium inspire, enlighten attendees.” Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. August 20, 2015.



Specifically, the provision of early-stage investment capital is a key challenge for entrepreneurs in most U.S. communities. Some new businesses lack revenue streams or sufficient credit history to secure traditional financing, while others may require additional work on an idea or prototype. These conditions force many business owners to dip into personal savings or rely on family and friends to help finance their efforts. Others may drop their pursuit of an idea altogether. According to stakeholders, many would-be entrepreneurs in Greater Columbus fall into this category. Additionally, the budding “maker” movement allows “tinkerers” and individuals with product ideas to quickly and easily develop prototypes and advance down the path of bringing ideas to market. Supporting and expanding Greater Columbus’ budding capacity in the maker movement represents another promising way to open up opportunities for innovation to all residents.

3.2.1 Expand capital availability for individuals who lack access to traditional capital with a pre-seed microloan program.

The development of a pre-seed microloan fund in Greater Columbus could help current and future entrepreneurs who are unable to receive traditional bank financing to further develop ideas and launch businesses. Pre-seed funds are well-suited for two types of entrepreneurs: individuals with little or no savings or credit history and individuals with established ideas and business models that have yet to generate revenue. Loans may be used to develop prototypes, test market viability, or make required initial capital investments. If well-publicized, the model is a particularly good fit for a community like Greater Columbus, where a significant portion of would-be entrepreneurs may come from low-income households. Additionally, the existing lack of an entrepreneurial culture may further limit the ability of individuals to raise startup capital through their network of family and friends.

Potential Actions:

ü Partner with the region’s economic development professionals, business leaders, foundations, and local financial institutions to identify options for initial capitalization and management of the fund

ü Establish criteria and loan terms, define acceptable uses of monies, and establish a loan review committee

ü Encourage or require companies that receive funding to seek guidance from the region’s small business and entrepreneurial assistance services

3.2.2 Advance Greater Columbus’ position in the “maker movement” through support for Columbus MakesIT.

The “maker movement” is the evolution of “do it yourself” (DIY) production into a more sophisticated process whereby average individuals can utilize new and emerging technologies such as 3-D printing to produce sophisticated prototypes and products. The movement has been rapidly spreading across the country, largely through the creation of common spaces complete with necessary tools and resources where inventors and “makers” can convene and tinker. These are frequently referred to as fabrication labs or makerspaces. The model has been advanced formally by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with its global network of “Fab Labs” and by countless other independent facilities. One such makerspace already exists in Greater Columbus – Columbus Makes IT. Further cultivating this resource would allow the region to remain active in this important emerging field.



Potential Actions:

ü Work with Columbus Makes IT and other potential partners including Columbus Technical College and area businesses to continue to pursue funding for additional equipment and operating resources

ü Pursue outside grants and evaluate the viability of enhanced local support, such as corporate sponsorships

ü Work with local businesses to create a program to donate depreciated or surplus equipment such as laser cutters, sign cutters, and milling machines to the facility



Vibrant and Connected Places Quality of life and quality of place have a central role to play in community and economic development. Research from the Knight Foundation – part of which was conducted in Greater Columbus – revealed that regions with high levels of “community attachment” tend to do better economically than those where residents do not feel a strong connection with the place they live. Among the top factors that influence attachment are things like community aesthetics (how a place looks) and social offerings (things to do, places to gather, and so forth). The success of Uptown Columbus and the effusive praise that area residents heaped on it throughout the input process suggest that the region is hungry for vibrant neighborhoods and corridors. In addition to furthering Uptown’s transformation, a logical place to begin is with the region’s greatest natural resource, the Chattahoochee River, and the many areas on both of its banks that are ripe for redevelopment and activation. Interstate accessibility and workforce quality are two of the most important factors that businesses consider in their location decisions, and both are weak points for Greater Columbus. But the region has a realistic opportunity to “wow” business leaders with a dynamic core, attractive and affordable neighborhoods, and a rare blend of cultural opportunities – all of which are connected and accessible through a variety of transportation modes.

KEY FINDINGS FROM RESEARCH AND INPUT: ü Residents contacted through the input process generally held favorable views about Greater Columbus as

a place to live.

ü Input participants view the Chattahoochee Riverfront as one of the region’s key assets.

ü Stakeholders consistently identified the transformation of Uptown Columbus into a vibrant mixed-use district as the most positive development related to quality of life and place in recent years, and many expressed a desire to see this momentum carried toward even greater improvements, both in the region’s core and elsewhere.

ü Traffic is not a significant concern in Greater Columbus, and the region is easy to navigate for individuals who travel by car. But survey participants held negative views about the frequency, connectivity, and quality of local public transit. Stakeholders noted that this presents a significant barrier to accessing jobs and amenities for low-income residents. Input participants also expressed support for improved infrastructure for walking and biking – both for transportation and recreation.

ü While housing is generally affordable in Greater Columbus, input participants noted that there are a significant amount of distressed or unsafe residential properties and neighborhoods that appear “run down” throughout the region. Additionally, stakeholders said that there is a limited supply of rental product in and around Uptown Columbus that young professionals would find appealing and affordable.

ü Input participants noted that many parts of the region could use aesthetic improvements. Many neighborhoods are struggling with disinvestment, and the region’s “entrance points” – the major highway access points through which most people arriving to the community pass – are often unattractive or lined with abandoned or unsightly properties. As one participant said, “I almost want to blindfold visitors that I bring to town until we get downtown and it looks nice. There’s no good entrance to Columbus.”



OBJECTIVE 4.1: MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THE REGION’S GREATEST NATURAL RESOURCE – THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER As frequently noted during the input process, the Chattahoochee River is the region’s greatest natural resource. In a previous era, the river helped establish Greater Columbus as a textile hub. And while industry has long since evolved in a different direction, the river can continue to power economic growth by serving as an amenity and focal point around which people can gather. By continuing to develop and activate its riverfront, particularly the geologically stunning stretches through the core of the region, Greater Columbus can significantly improve its ability to attract and retain talented individuals, the most important growth consideration in the modern economy. Decades of public and private investments in Greater Columbus have significantly improved the river, its surroundings, and the ability of individuals to access and enjoy them. Greater Columbus now has an opportunity to go even further to differentiate its riverfront from those of other regions, which could in turn help to address or overcome other challenges and shortcomings, such as low growth rates, limited Interstate connectivity, and a lack of external awareness.

4.1.1 Collaborate across state lines to further promote activation of the Chattahoochee Riverfront through the region’s core.

Many public and private investments are in various stages of planning or implementation along the Chattahoochee Riverfront, and some new activity will certainly occur without any sort of intervention. But the river is also notable as a political dividing line within the region; an ideal outcome is one in which riverfronts in both Alabama and Georgia are thriving. Collaborating across state lines would therefore be about more than a symbolic show of regional cohesion and unity, though this would certainly be a welcome byproduct. It would also be a practical means to coordinate events and festivals, share resources to the mutual benefit of all, and navigate any potential issues that are beyond the scope of any one organization, entity, or government. Accordingly, through implementation of this strategy, the region should establish a framework through which local governments and authorities, booster organizations, private landowners, and others can work together toward the creation of a dynamic and uniting center for the region. This framework would not supplant or duplicate the work of any existing organization or entity but instead be a catalyst for aligning and strengthening ongoing efforts.

Potential Actions:

ü Identify appropriate partners and frameworks for collaboration

ü Work with property owners, development professionals, economic developers, and public officials to identify opportunities and potential incentives for riverfront development – particularly uses such as retail and restaurants that can “activate” the riverfront throughout the day and night

ü Support the advancement of planned and ongoing developments such as City Village and the Brickyard and Riverview sites

ü Coordinate with partners to identify and expand event programming opportunities – e.g. “food truck days” or a replication of the successful “lantern parade” along the Atlanta BeltLine

ü Work with appropriate partners to implement additional public safety patrols and increase routine cleaning and maintenance of RiverWalk facilities to address public concerns



ü Convene and work with organizations and leaders from neighborhoods and districts fronting or in close proximity to the river – including Uptown, Midtown, City Village, the Liberty District, South Columbus, and Phenix City – to coordinate and advance efforts and ensure improvements extend into these areas

ü Evaluate the potential to develop a major new outdoor recreation amenity (e.g. marina or flatwater race course) to piggyback on the success of the whitewater course and enhance the region’s “outdoors” image

BEST PRACTICE: Riverfront Recapture (Hartford, CT)

OBJECTIVE 4.2: PROMOTE VIBRANT AND ATTRACTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS, CORRIDORS, AND ACTIVITY CENTERS As previously stated in this document and prior research deliverables, the transformation and revitalization of Uptown Columbus received near universal praise during the public input process. Stakeholders cited it as one of the region’s key strengths and most positive changes to occur in recent years, and they expressed a strong desire to see the vibrancy now present in that neighborhood spread throughout the region. These sentiments reflect the importance of quality of life and place when it comes to issues of community attachment and, ultimately, economic growth. But stakeholders with direct knowledge of Uptown’s transformation were quick to point out that the neighborhood’s success was anything but organic – it came about through numerous sizeable public and philanthropic investments and decades of hard work on the part of dedicated staff and volunteers. Greater Columbus has numerous other neighborhoods, corridors, and activity centers that already demonstrate the kind of vibrant “cool factor” found in Uptown. This objective focuses on ways in which the community can take deliberate action to further activate these areas and promote quality of place enhancements throughout Greater Columbus.

4.2.1 Pursue policies and develop incentives to activate underutilized commercial, industrial, and neighborhood properties.

A consistent theme that stakeholders expressed during the input process was a need for redevelopment and revitalization of underutilized, abandoned, and distressed properties throughout developed areas of Greater Columbus. Input participants noted that vacant or outdated retail properties and commercial buildings, surface parking lots, and even distressed or vacant homes and residential properties have a significant negative impact on the community. A strong consensus emerged from public input that catalyzing the redevelopment of these properties will be a key priority in improving prosperity in the region given the importance of quality of life and place in community and economic development. But stakeholders with knowledge of local real estate development conditions noted that there is insufficient market pressure to support purely private-driven redevelopment of most of these properties in the near future. In order to increase its competitive position through quality of place enhancements, Greater Columbus must consider a range of incentives that are supportive of redevelopment efforts. Redevelopment incentives come in a variety of forms, from federal and state tax credits to local financing mechanisms or statutory density bonuses. The Potential Actions listed here represent a partial list of approaches that Greater Columbus may take, but it is by no means comprehensive. In addition to considering the following steps, the community should also convene an array of public, private, and nonprofit partners – especially those that participate in or have knowledge of issues of redevelopment – to consider the most appropriate combination of incentives to catalyze redevelopment in Greater Columbus.



Potential Actions:

ü Advance the adoption and activation of tax allocation districts (TADs) in Columbus-Muscogee; prioritize an initial project with a high probability for success to establish “proof of concept” (based on feedback received from individuals in the development community); evaluate prospects for near-term expansion to other key districts and corridors such as Midtown

ü Identify potential corridors and districts that could benefit from the application of a community improvement district (CID) – or business improvement district (BID) in Alabama – and gauge interest from local property owners; leverage CID funding to finance improvements such as infrastructure, signage, beautification, and public safety that can catalyze private investment

ü Work with local officials and state agencies such as the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to develop strong local knowledge of state and federal tax credits (e.g. historic preservation) and develop an assistance program for developers seeking to navigate these processes

ü With philanthropic community, banks, and other corporate partners, evaluate the feasibility of establishing a local loan fund to provide no- or low-cost financing to worthy small-scale redevelopment projects

ü Evaluate ways in which the Columbus-Muscogee County Land Bank Authority (LBA) can be further capitalized to acquire, hold, improve, and revitalize distressed residential properties – both to aid with the provision of additional housing and improve existing neighborhoods where blight is a concern

4.2.2 Catalyze the development of new housing options and supportive neighborhood retail in the region’s core neighborhoods.

The public input process revealed a desire on the part of many residents for additional housing options in walkable, amenity-rich environments close to jobs and services. Stakeholders generally singled out Uptown Columbus as a prime and highly desirable area for residential development, but potential also could exist in Midtown and emerging redevelopments around Phenix City and City Village, among other places. Participants specifically mentioned additional rental apartments as the most desired housing option, with a particular preference for products that are geared toward and affordable to young professionals. These requests are consistent with the preferences of many millennials (both surveyed and “revealed”) and national trends of multifamily construction in and around historic downtowns and activity centers. Development is mostly a market-based activity and Greater Columbus has seen at least some building activity along these lines. But residents and some members of the local real estate development community suggested that the local supply is not consistent with the actual demand and that catalytic actions are needed in order to spur development.

Potential Actions:

ü Ensure that zoning and development regulations are optimized for redevelopment and evaluate potential development incentives (see 4.2.1) to defray development costs related to hardscapes, parking infrastructure, utility upgrades and/or relocations, and so forth on qualified products

ü Leverage economic development staff capacity to assist prospective developers in pursuing commercial tenants or retailers such as grocery stores to promote additional residential development in key areas



ü Prioritize mixed-use projects that promote a “downtown” or “walkable” character that appeals to the professional and young adult market segments

ü Consider developing incentives for projects that set aside a percentage of residential units at below-market rates to provide options for entry-level workers and other individuals

4.2.3 Create a formal partnership to promote a vibrant Downtown Phenix City.

The transformation of Uptown Columbus into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood and destination was perhaps the most commonly cited “positive” for the region during the input process. Stakeholders expressed a strong desire to see this momentum continue in Uptown and spread to other neighborhoods and districts within the region. Moreover, participants suggested that revitalization should be a key priority on both sides of the Chattahoochee River (see 4.1.1). In downtown Phenix City, there are multiple signs of gathering momentum – the Troy University Campus, the development of the Courtyard Columbus Phenix City hotel, the 3rd Avenue streetscape improvements, the proposed redevelopment of the Riverview housing complex, and renewed interest from private investors, among others. Harnessing and sustaining this momentum toward a full-scale revitalization will require a deliberate, collaborative effort similar to those that have helped facilitate similar transformations. Accordingly, community stakeholders should establish a partnership to promote a vibrant downtown Phenix City.

Potential Actions:

ü Convene a coalition of property owners, business owners, elected officials and public employees, real estate and development professionals, Troy University, the Phenix City-Russell County Chamber, and other interested parties to establish a partnership

ü Investigate the most practical corporate structure, likely a 501(c)(3) capable of receiving grants and other private donations; as the organization matures, evaluate the potential to establish a business improvement district (BID) – similar to a CID in Georgia – to fund infrastructure, signage and streetscapes, and a range of other services and amenities

ü Focus initially on addressing common issues such as public safety and beautification that will help create a more attractive environment for private investment

4.2.4 Maximize community attachment and neighborhood beautification by fostering the creation and enhancement of spaces that are high in quality, beautiful, and designed for people.

As discussed in the Competitive Assessment, a 2010 study evaluating 26 communities around the country found that residents of Greater Columbus feel above-average levels of community attachment. This is consistent with feedback gathered through the input process, where residents generally had high praise for the region as a place to live and raise a family. But stakeholders noted that there is significant room for improvement when it comes to community aesthetics – one of the three most important factors influencing attachment. Participants noted that many neighborhoods, particularly in Columbus-Muscogee, are struggling with blight, disinvestment and crime and are in need of additional safe, quality workforce housing. Participants also noted a more widespread need for quality design of public spaces. Greater Columbus can address these issues through a multi-pronged approach of targeted beautification efforts and support for ongoing housing efforts and newly developed urban design guidelines.



Potential Actions:

ü Launch a “micro-targeted” campaign of neighborhood beautification and revitalization modeled after the 5x5 program in Macon; convene volunteer teams and identify two to four “pilot neighborhoods” to test the concept

ü Continue to support efforts to provide quality workforce housing; including but not limited to the NeighborWorks Columbus homeowner education and counseling program, the Home for Good plan to end homelessness in Columbus-Muscogee, and plans by the housing authorities of Columbus-Muscogee and Phenix City to redevelop ageing public housing into mixed-income communities

ü Support the widespread adoption of public space design criteria that Gehl Studio developed for the community, through promotion tactics, development incentives, and (if appropriate) inclusion in overlay zoning districts for key activity centers such as Midtown, Uptown, etc.

BEST PRACTICE: 5x5 Program (Macon, GA)

4.2.5 Beautify gateways into the region to make a positive first impression on visitors and enhance the built environment for the community

The key highways and arterial roads by which most visitors travel to get to places such as Fort Benning, Columbus State University, Uptown Columbus, and other key attractions and districts are frequently unattractive and lined with distressed properties. This is a significant competitive concern given the importance of first impressions in business recruitment, talent recruitment, and destination marketing. These roads are also important to local residents and businesses. Consider the two corridors that stakeholders most frequently mentioned as needing improvements: 2nd Avenue and Macon Road/Wynnton Road. These corridors front the campuses of TSYS and Aflac, respectively, and transect neighborhoods that are vibrant or primed for redevelopment. Making these corridors more aesthetically pleasing would provide a tremendous benefit to the community and have the potential to attract additional private investment.

Potential Actions:

ü Support the ongoing beautification work of Columbus Gateways and broaden the coalition of partners working for improvements in these areas

ü Work with local and state Departments of Transportation and over government entities to develop long-range corridor improvement plans to focus on aesthetic improvements such as streetscapes, landscaping, signage and wayfinding, lighting, litter prevention, road maintenance, and utilities (preferably underground when financially and operationally feasible)

ü Consider the viability of one or more “signature” beautification projects at key interchanges, similar to the installation at the intersection of Interstate 185 and US Highway 280 near the entrance to Fort Benning

ü Explore the feasibility of various redevelopment funding models (see 4.2.1) to resource improvements and upkeep of corridors

ü Commission local artists to develop murals and other art installations along key corridors



4.2.6 Develop an Artist Relocation Program to expand and diversify the community’s arts capacity.

The Artist Relocation Program model is a neighborhood revitalization approach that was pioneered in Paducah, KY in 2000 and has since been emulated in other communities. In Paducah, the program successfully attracted artists to revitalize a neighborhood in the city’s core by offering incentives such as low interest loans from a local bank to finance purchase of property, free lots for new construction, and financial assistance for architectural and other professional services, among other benefits. A similar program in Greater Columbus could offer an array of subsidized housing and services to entice individuals to move to the community and expand its arts scene. It should be noted that this tactic could theoretically be utilized to attract other types of in-demand workers or individuals, such as cybersecurity experts or young professionals. But it is particularly well-suited to supporting the arts given the financial constraints and independent nature of many artistic endeavors and the agglomerative benefits of creating a physical “artistic community” in a centralized locale.

Potential Actions:

ü Convene appropriate partners, including elected officials and government staff, banks and financial lenders, foundations and non-profit groups, and a broad array of representatives from the arts community

ü Become familiar with existing programs to determine the right mix of incentives and programs for Greater Columbus

ü Identify an appropriate neighborhood or adjoining set of neighborhoods in which to focus the program

ü Identify potential funding sources and capitalize the program

ü Publicize the program as part of overall talent marketing efforts

BEST PRACTICE: Artist Relocation Program (Paducah, KY)

OBJECTIVE 4.3: CONNECT PEOPLE AND PLACES WITH EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR WALKING, BIKING, AND TRANSIT USE Research revealed that Greater Columbus has relatively short average commute times and limited traffic congestion, and input participants generally agreed that the region is easy to navigate in a private automobile. But stakeholders expressed a strong desire to see the range of transportation options expanded. Communities around the country are making improvements to bicycle and pedestrian (bike/ped) infrastructure to achieve a range of goals including enhancing neighborhood vitality, expansion of recreation options, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles, among others. For an increasing number of individuals, living in a built environment that offers walkable access to shops and restaurants is a strong preference to which markets have only started to respond. And for individuals without access to a private automobile, walking, biking, and using transit are the only ways to access jobs and services. Greater Columbus should therefore pursue expanded transportation options as a means to increase the community’s quality of life and economic prosperity.

4.3.1 Advance ongoing and develop future efforts to improve walking and biking connectivity.

Many input participants expressed a strong desire to see Greater Columbus develop better connectivity and infrastructure for walking and biking, and as previously stated, there are many benefits to pursuing such an



approach. The region is fortunate to have significant efforts already underway to improve the community’s bike/ped environment. The Minimum Grid project aims to enhance connectivity between key districts at the region’s core (mostly in Uptown and Midtown), and the Columbus River Link Trail master plan developed with the PATH Foundation seeks to expand the region’s network of multi-use paths. The community should support the advancement of these initiatives and evaluate future prospects for similar or expanded efforts.

Potential Actions:

ü Convene partners such as neighborhood organizations, employers, and other advocacy organizations and community groups that can build support for the plans

ü Identify public and private funding sources for implementation

ü Work with state and local departments of transportation to overcome barriers to implementation, particularly when plans call for interaction with state highways

ü Potentially with a broader network of partners such as the PATH Foundation, identify additional ways in which bike/ped connectivity might be enhanced in the community, such as sidewalk or bike lane improvements on neighborhood streets and, potentially, multi-use trails and connections in portions of the region outside the core of Columbus-Muscogee

ü Communicate significant successes in talent marketing campaigns and earned media strategies (see 5.2.1)

4.3.2 Evaluate options to expand public transportation coverage, frequency, and operating hours to connect residents to jobs and amenities.

When asked to rate various aspects of quality of life in Greater Columbus, input participants gave overwhelmingly poor marks to the coverage, frequency, and quality of public transportation in the region. Yet many residents, particularly those with disabilities or from low-income households, rely on public transportation because they lack access to a private vehicle. If these individuals cannot move around the community in a timely manner – if at all – their employment prospects are damaged (affecting employers by extension) and their quality of life is reduced. Additionally, some individuals who do have access to a car may prefer to travel using another mode if it was available and convenient. With the acknowledgement that not all areas of the region are sufficiently populated to support regular transit service, Greater Columbus should seek to expand transit options within the community. A welcome recent development is the $22.4 million in funding that Columbus-Muscogee’s Metra bus service is slated to receive from the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST).

Potential Actions:

ü Continue discussions involving Metra, business community, nonprofit service providers, and riders to identify the greatest needs and opportunities for improvement

ü Establish a “business case for improved transit connectivity” touting improved workforce and economic benefits that could be expected with expanded or improved services

ü Identify possible sources of additional funding, including private grants and federal assistance

ü Maximize the efficiency of inter-county and inter-state connections on the region’s public transportation systems



A Cohesive Image and Identity The input process revealed that – while there is always room for improvement – most Greater Columbus residents truly love their community. According to many stakeholders, the challenge then is to simply communicate what the region has to offer to outside audiences. This involves cultivating an outward facing “image” that boosts external perceptions of Greater Columbus as a competitive location for business and talent, a home of excellent amenities and philanthropic assets, and so on. A substantial portion of this work is captured in other goal areas – such as marketing activities geared specifically toward potential residents or companies that might invest in the region. But national best practices and local stakeholders are in agreement that coordinating the region’s external messaging across a variety of channels will increase its effectiveness.

KEY FINDINGS FROM RESEARCH AND INPUT: ü A significant number of input participants feel that there is an overall lack of external awareness about

Greater Columbus, and the perceptions of many individuals are tied to having simply passed through the community while undergoing military training at Fort Benning.

ü Stakeholders identified a need to update the Greater Columbus “brand – the symbols, marks, and messaging that formulate the community’s outward identity. Input participants, including those with experience representing the region to external audiences, suggested that consistent, cohesive messaging across a variety of channels is vital.

ü Greater Columbus attracted more than 1.7 million visitors in Fiscal Year 2014, some of whom were certain to have been experiencing the region for the first time. Travel and tourism can therefore be a highly effective way to introduce new individuals and business leaders to the community. Stakeholders expressed a desire to see coordination in messaging between travel and tourism marketing and other forms of outreach aimed at business, talent, and general awareness building.

OBJECTIVE 5.1: ESTABLISH A UNIFYING COMMUNITY BRAND Input participants frequently remarked that Greater Columbus is not well known to external audiences, and what image it does have is typically tied to Fort Benning. Many stakeholders believe the community must proactively “tell its story” to a wide range of audiences and that an updated and enhanced community brand is necessary to do so. This is a common concern among regions that do not benefit from an “organic” identity that is developed over time. Standing out in a crowded marketplace can be difficult and expensive, and crafting an image as memorable as “the Music City” or “the Research Triangle” is an unlikely outcome. But Greater Columbus can nevertheless take steps to develop an updated community brand that can be utilized by a wide range of partners to better tell the community’s story to a wide variety of audiences.

5.1.1 Research, define, and develop a community brand.

Seeking to create an impactful community brand inclusive of an overarching image and logos, slogans, marks, etc. can help ensure cohesion across its various messages. Ideally, the updated brand would function as an “umbrella” under which public and private organizations could align a portion of their messaging. There is a



precedent for doing so in the community. As discussed in the Marketing Review research deliverable, entities in Columbus-Muscogee, including the local government, Chamber, and CVB, have been using the “What Progress Has Preserved” tagline and a set of similar logos for more than a decade. Stakeholders suggested that the time is right to update and broaden this brand for wider use, and the CVB has already begun the process. The community should leverage this momentum and convene a marketing work group comprised of local creative professionals, marketers, and other relevant parties to oversee the definition, development, and management of a community brand.

Potential Actions:

ü Convene a network of volunteers and identify a formal organizational structure and funding sources for a marketing work group to oversee the development and management of a community brand

ü Evaluate the need to retain a marketing firm or consultant with significant experience in community branding exercises to create an impactful community brand and identify internal and external audiences to which it should be communicated

ü Conduct research and gather community input to clearly define “what we want to be” and “how we want to define ourselves”

ü Based on research and input, develop the community brand

ü Develop a targeted internal communications strategy to introduce and build support for the brand with various organizations and constituencies within the community; make residents the community’s foremost ambassadors for promoting the region to visitors and friends, family, business contacts, and other individuals outside the region

ü Explore options to partner with the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer’s Together 2016 campaign to develop and/or promote a revised community brand to internal audiences

ü Following the development of strong internal support and recognition, introduce the brand identity to external audiences and ensure cohesiveness of messaging across a variety of channels, including talent marketing, economic development marketing, and earned media

BEST PRACTICE: “We Don’t Coast” Campaign (Omaha, NE)

BEST PRACTICE: ThinkOneKC (Kansas City, MO-KS)

OBJECTIVE 5.2: PROMOTE GREATER COLUMBUS TO EXTERNAL AUDIENCES This strategy outlines multiple ways in which Greater Columbus will promote itself to a variety of external audiences. Tactical recommendation 1.4.1 focuses on outreaching to talented and educated individuals in an effort to convince them to relocate to the region, while recommendation 2.2.1 focuses on economic development marketing geared toward attracting outside firms to invest and create jobs in Greater Columbus. But there are other means by which Greater Columbus can increase external awareness. Specifically, the



community can seek to generate more positive stories about itself in national and out-of-market media outlets and continue its work to attract and showcase the region to visitors.

5.2.1 Pursue a major earned media campaign to generate positive coverage of Greater Columbus in external media markets.

As previously discussed, building a community image with external audiences can be difficult and expensive. But, one of the most efficient and effective ways to promote Greater Columbus is through investment in “earned media.” Earned media is generally thought of as coverage that is “won” as opposed to “bought.” It involves reaching out to and interacting with media outlets such as newspapers and websites. Done correctly, earned media programs can be among the most valuable investments made by organizations seeking to build legitimate awareness of local strengths and successes. Greater Columbus should consider retaining a national marketing and public relations consultant with significant experience in community and economic development marketing to develop and launch a national public relations campaign to seed positive stories about the region with influential media outlets.

Potential Actions:

ü Develop funding sources and retain a national consulting firm with significant community and economic development marketing experience

ü With the guidance of the consulting firm, identify potential story pitches and an overall media strategy

ü Ensure that any successes are prominently featured throughout the region’s talent and economic development marketing activities

5.2.2 Support efforts to promote Greater Columbus through travel, tourism, and events.

Travel and tourism has a significant impact on Greater Columbus. According to a report prepared for the Convention and Visitors Bureau by Columbus State University, visitors to the community spent $348 million in the local economy in Fiscal Year 2014, resulting in $37 million in state and local sales tax revenue and more than $22 million in sales and lodging tax revenues for Muscogee County alone. Beyond the obvious economic benefits, travel and tourism can also help boost the region’s image and name-recognition to outsiders. Accordingly, the region should continue supporting strategies that bring in outsiders for travel, tourism, meetings, trade shows, events, and so on. Many individuals who come to Greater Columbus for business or pleasure will be visiting the region for the first time or the first time in a long time. Stakeholders agreed that outsiders are frequently pleasantly surprised by what the region has to offer upon visiting.

Potential Actions:

ü Support the CVB, Trade Center, and other venues in their pursuit of meetings, trade shows, and other events that can bring large numbers of visitors to the region

ü Leverage the knowledge and connections of economic development practitioners and the business community to identify and provide referrals for professional associations/conferences, corporate meetings, and conventions

ü Work to identify additional public or private funding as needed to support destination marketing activities



CONCLUSION Greater Columbus has a long history of visionary leadership that has moved the community forward. The Regional Prosperity Initiative represents a continuation of this work. The public, private, and nonprofit leaders who have come together around this initiative have created a community and economic development strategy that will guide the community’s collective actions in the years to come. As the research phases of this process revealed, this work is critical to the future of Greater Columbus. The community has significant challenges to address and overcome, major assets to leverage, and emerging opportunities that it must work quickly and deliberately to seize. The breadth and depth of this strategy reflect the fact that a truly holistic approach is needed in order to raise levels of prosperity, reduce poverty, and improve the quality of life for all of the community’s current and future residents.

The Steering Committee has played a significant role in shaping this plan. Upon approval of this final strategy, the process will formally move into its final phase – the development of an Implementation Plan that will outline how the region will put these ideas into action.



APPENDIX A: BEST PRACTICES

ALIGNMENT NASHVILLE (TN) www.alignmentnashville.org

Emerging from a study conducted by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Alignment Nashville brings community organizations and resources into alignment so that their coordinated support of Nashville’s youth has a maximum impact on public schools success, children’s health, and the success of Nashville’s community as a whole. Alignment Nashville integrates the efforts of over 175 nonprofit organizations, ensuring that their work aligns with the strategic plans of the Metro Nashville Public School System, and other local community plans.

Alignment Nashville is overseen by a board of directors and operating board, consisting of Metro Nashville Public Schools administrators and community organization executives. The board also develops direction and processes for the initiative’s working committees. Greater returns on investment, higher quality services, enhanced capacity, and better leveraging of local funding are goals of Alignment Nashville.

Alignment Nashville was utilized during the creation of the Metro Nashville Public Schools’ 2007-14 Strategic Plan developed by the Cambridge Group. The program was funded by public and private entities throughout Metro Nashville.

Alignment USA was formed out by Alignment Nashville and is a network of communities that share the common principles, structure, process, and technology. Network communities include Honolulu, HI; Elgin, IL; Detroit, MI; Rockford, IL; and Coachella Valley, CA; among others.

CINCINNATI YOUTH COLLABORATIVE (CINCINNATI, OH) www.cycyouth.org/

For over 30 years, the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative (CYC) has actively engaged the business community, the Cincinnati Public Schools, and local organizations and governments to take a collaborative approach to tackling dropout rates and empowering children and young adults to succeed in education, career, and life. The program offers on-on-one mentoring for students as young as second grade and continues on through high school. Mentors are expected to meet with their mentees once a week for at least year. They also offer tutoring services, college advisors, and career specialists in an effort to keep students in school and on the pathway to success. In 2014, CYC had 40 dedicated staff members, 1,300 volunteers, and 59 corporate partners. Overall, 2,900 students were served, and the program had tremendous success. Reports show that 96% of senior students in CYC programs graduated from high school and 88% of seniors successfully transitioned to college, career, or military.

GRADUATE! PHILADELPHIA (PHILADELPHIA, PA) www.graduatephiladelphia.org

Graduate! Philadelphia is a joint initiative of the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board and the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania that works with adults who have completed some college to return to school and get



their degrees. To do this, Graduate! Philadelphia provides free in-person and online guidance and support to help clients fill out and file financial-assistance forms, get academic support, balance school with work and family schedules, access a computer, complete paperwork, and improve study skills. Graduate! Philadelphia has partnered with 15 local accredited colleges and universities to help transition adults back into the college and degree that work best for them. Six staff persons manage the program.

GREATER GRADS (OKLAHOMA CITY, OK) www.greatergrads.com

Greater Grads is an initiative of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s Education and Workforce Development division. It launched in 2006 to build Oklahoma City’s talent base by connecting Oklahoma graduates—a vital component of the City’s future workforce—with employers in the Oklahoma City region. These connections will help Oklahoma City’s flourishing economy, creating even more opportunities in the years to come. Upon recognizing that the Oklahoma City region was experiencing brain drain at the same time it is home to over 120,000 college students every year—with regional higher education enrollment as large as Boston or Philadelphia—the Chamber launched a targeted effort necessary to focus those students on opportunities available to the locally.

The program consists of three parts:

ü InternOKC summer program: Interns can be enrolled in this four week series that includes a kick-off session and four lunch sessions that highlight the benefits of living and working in the Oklahoma City region, fosters peer networking and provides resources to help students transition from college to career.

ü Greater Grads Career Fair: The career fair is held each spring with more than 100 recruiters from local companies. A link on the Greater Grads website provides attendees with resume and interviewing tips to maximize their success, and the time of the employers attending the fair.

ü Website for graduates and employers: This website focuses on promoting Oklahoma City to recent college graduates and young professionals and connecting them with jobs available at local businesses.

In just the first six months of the site’s launch, traffic increased by 300 percent. Site data shows that the average length of stay is 10 minutes, which is 400 percent above Greater Grad’s goal of two minutes (generally considered the standard benchmark for successful sites). Ten internships were posted on GreaterGrads.com at its launch; now the website features over 100 during peak intern hiring periods.

A year after Greater Grads’ debut, a partnership was forced with the Alliance of Emerging Professionals (AEP), Oklahoma City’s young professionals group. These recent college graduates returned to their campuses to promote the Greater Grads program and website to college students during monthly AEP social events.

Greater Grads is one of the primary programs of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s Education and Workforce Development department, and a direct tactic of the Chamber’s economic development strategy. It is staffed by a full-time manager of education and outreach programs.



CONNECT SIXTY-FOUR (KALAMAZOO, MI) connect64.com

The result of a collaboration of business organizations along a 64-mile corridor between St. Joseph and Battle Creek, Michigan, the Connect Sixty-Four program provides qualified “trailing spouses” of top job candidates with a “VIP Pass” that allows them exclusive exposure to the area’s hiring agents and priority consideration for interviews. All of the Fortune 500 companies with headquarters or divisions in the corridor have signed up for the program, including Stryker, Eaton, Kellogg’s, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Whirlpool.

Résumés of trailing spouses and job openings are organized and matched by Connect Sixty-Four staff. When the service is offered to a job recruit, a career consultant will meet with the trailing spouse to assess their career aspirations and begin identifying and facilitating employment opportunities.

There is no fee to those participating organizations who hire a trailing spouse through the Connect Sixty-Four program but there is a $5,000 charge for individual whose trailing spouse lands a local position. Often, Connect Sixty-Four services are offered as a relocation benefit to the prospective employee.

CARPEDM (DES MOINES, IA) seizedesmoines.com

Launched by the Greater Des Moines Partnership, CarpeDM (www.SeizeDesMoines.com) is a website that acts as a one-stop shop for new and prospective residents of the Greater Des Moines Area. CarpeDM provides a wealth of information for relocating residents including a relocation guide, local school and higher education systems, detailed neighborhood information as well as links to neighborhood resource organizations, and bus and air service infrastructure in the Greater Des Moines Area. Perhaps CarpeDM’s strongest feature is its integration of the professional networking site LinkedIn. While browsing the interactive website, prospective new residents can connect with community members who have volunteered to be ambassadors for certain topic areas and local programs. For instance, new residents desiring to learn more about the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Des Moines can easily select an ambassador and connect with them through LinkedIn. To assist in generating content, the Greater Des Moines Partnership has leveraged the Greater Des Moines community by adding a “contribute content” feature. Once registered, CarpeDM users can create their own profile, connect with ambassadors through LinkedIn, add pages, edit content, and submit photos. The site also provides opportunities for users to get connected to job opportunities.

OPPORTUNITYLYNCHBURG.COM (LYNCHBURG, VA) opportunitylynchburg.com

There are countless examples of high-performing websites used for economic development marketing, though they all share similar features that include attractive designs and layouts, up-to-date information, information on incentives and programs, an inventory of available properties, detailed data and information about the region, and they are easy to navigate. One such example is the Opportunity Lynchburg website that was launched in December 2014 by the Lynchburg Economic Development Authority in Virginia. In less than four months, site visits increased by over 500 percent and new contacts converted from the site increased by more than 600



percent. The organization earned a national medal from the IEDC in 2015 and the site serves as an excellent example of a quality website that helps stakeholders access the information they need quickly and efficiently.

GREENHOUSE (ST. PETERSBURG, FL) stpetegreenhouse.org

As a partnership between the St Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of St. Petersburg, Greenhouse is a one-stop shop facility for starting or growing local St. Petersburg businesses. Greenhouse provides a diverse array of services including business counseling, training, networking, specialized assistance, and access to start-up capital. Greenhouse acts as St. Petersburg’s entrepreneurial center of gravity, leveraging a broad support network to ultimately benefit local entrepreneurs. Through its partnership with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and ASPEC (Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College), entrepreneurs receive one-on-one mentorship programs and in-house office hours to ensure their business is on the path to success. Greenhouse has also become the go-to location for entrepreneurial events and networking in St. Petersburg and, increasingly, the greater Tampa Bay region.

RIVERFRONT RECAPTURE (HARTFORD, CT) riverfront.org



In 1981, the non-profit organization, Riverfront Recapture, was created with the vision of revitalizing the Connecticut River, reconnecting the City of Hartford and the Town of East Hartford, and transforming the riverfront into an attractive destination. What began with park cleanups has evolved into a sophisticated network of public parks, with a host of events and programs that now attracts nearly one million visitors. Riverfront Recapture leads the public-private effort and has become a key component of the downtown Hartford development strategy. It has an extensive list of partners, with more than 1,300 volunteers that contribute thousands of hours of maintenance work and cleanup to the parks. Their recreational programs and events include A Sporting Chance for Youth Day, the Riverfront Dragon Boat Festival, River Boat Cruises, and a Riverfront Adventure Program. In 2014, there were 37 public events that drew nearly 350,000 people. The state Department of Economic and Community Development estimated the annual economic impact of Riverfront Recapture exceeded $7 million.

REVITALIZE GWINNETT (GWINNETT COUNTY, GA) revitalizegwinnett.com

In the past several decades, Gwinnett County transformed into a mostly rural county to a populous suburb of Atlanta. But many of the areas that developed early on in this cycle of rapid growth are ageing and underutilized. Additionally, the county has relatively few areas that can be characterized as dense, walkable, live-work-play communities. In response to these conditions, Partnership Gwinnett, the county’s community and economic development initiative housed in the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, formed a committee to address redevelopment. This group is led by Partnership Gwinnett staff and includes representatives from the county’s cities and community improvement districts, and individuals from the private sector. Its activities include a website and a brochure highlighting the county’s top 10 “catalyst” sites for redevelopment, and an annual Redevelopment Forum that features well-known speakers and draws hundreds of attendees from the area’s development, planning, and business communities. This past summer, the committee also facilitated a bus tour for local elected officials. The tour highlighted successful redevelopment projects in other parts of the Atlanta area, with the goal of giving the decision-makers first-hand experience with the type of development the committee wished to see come to fruition in Gwinnett.

ARTIST RELOCATION PROGRAM (PADUCAH, KY) paducahmainstreet.org/artist-relocation-program.htm

Paducah, Kentucky (pop. 25,081) is a shopping and health-care hub for surrounding western Kentucky, southern Illinois, and eastern Missouri. Started in August of 2000, the Paducah’s Artist Relocation Program’s goal was to revitalize one of the community’s most historic neighborhoods through the Arts. Today the program is now a national model for using the arts for economic development.

Among some of the incentives offered by the program are:

ü 100% financing for purchase and rehabilitation of an existing structure, or building of a new structure

ü Basic loan package of 7% - 30yr. fixed rate up to 300% of appraised value

ü As available, free lots for new construction



ü Up to $2,500 for architectural services or other professional fees

ü National marketing services as part of the Lowertown Arts District and Paducah

To date, over 70 artists have relocated to Paducah as part of the program and over $30 million has been invested in restoring the community, garnering much national recognition for Paducah.

5X5 PROGRAM (MACON-BIBB, GA) maconbibb.us/5x5/

The City of Macon’s 5x5 program is an initiative whereby enhanced city services are targeted to a five block area for five weeks to beautify the community’s neighborhoods and support revitalization. Numerous departments are involved in the collaborative effort, including the Mayor’s Office, the Police Department, the Fire Department, Inspection and Fees, Engineering, Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Central Services, Economic and Community Development, and Emergency Management. The program engages residents in the targeted areas by soliciting their input on the specific areas that need services, and encouraging their involvement in clean-up efforts. In Ward I, the program helped remove 18,000 pounds of debris and solid waste, paint more than 8,000 feet of curbs and 200 feet of crosswalks, install 52 new signs, and fix potholes and sidewalks that required patching. The program has been a tremendous success and will be extended to many other parts of the community following the recent consolidation of city-county (Macon-Bibb) government in late 2013.

“WE DON’T COAST” CAMPAIGN (OMAHA, NE) wedontcoast.com/

Largely to overcome Omaha’s “flyover” community perception, the Greater Omaha Chamber launched a regional brand and image initiative based upon extensive research showing that Omaha ranks highly against other metro areas across the country but lacked an identity. The Chamber convened thousands to create a cohesive, recognizable brand that sought to communicate the region’s attributes, character and “can do” spirit. We Don’t Coast was launched as a multi-faceted campaign to use across the region to share greater Omaha’s story; positively communicate its character; and grow, retain, and attract business and talent. The campaign was presented a 2015 ACE: Award of Excellence by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Though it is not exclusively an internal brand, the We Don’t Coast initiative in Omaha was nevertheless intended to serve both an external and internal awareness-building purpose to positively commute the attractiveness and distinctiveness of the greater Omaha region.

THINKONEKC (KASNAS CITY, MO-KS) thinkkc.com/about/history

An effort to raise the bar in city branding, the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) launched the OneKC and ThinkKC campaigns in 2004. The entire campaign was developed in-house by KCADC’s market staff. The goal of “ThinkKC” is the external marketing campaign used to promote the Kansas City region as an attractive place to live and work and upgrade the region’s national image. “OneKC” is the regional unity portion



of the campaign —to create a regional mindset, create a unified product to increase the region’s competitive advantage, and to give residents a renewed sense of place and pride.

To share the overall message, “Together we are stronger. We are all KC,” KCADC commenced an aggressive grassroots level effort by making over 150 presentations to organizations throughout the metro area. The two campaigns share the common logo and branding that organizations across Kansas City have adopted in an effort to promote the brand a cost-effective way. Other initiatives to advertise the brand included naming a major road OneKC Way, leaders signing the “Declaration of Interdependence,” and launching a KC merchandise line.



APPENDIX B: RESEARCH SUMMARY

Competitive Assessment The Competitive Assessment represents the critical first step in the Regional Prosperity Initiative. It examined a wide variety of demographic, socioeconomic, economic, and quality of life indicators to tell a story about the community and uncover the key strengths, weaknesses, assets, and challenges that must be leveraged and addressed in order to raise levels of prosperity in the region. It was built upon an in-depth quantitative analysis and a significant amount of community input gathered from focus groups, interviews, and an online survey that received responses from 1,760 area residents, workers, and business leaders. The information was then woven into nine key stories that present a narrative discussion of the key issues facing Greater Columbus. These nine stories are:

1. Population Trends: Slow Growth and Limited In-Migration

2. A Critical Need for Top Talent

3. Economic Realities

4. Income and Poverty

5. Quality of Place and Quality of Life 6. Homegrown Talent: PK-12 and Higher Education

7. Business and Entrepreneurial Climate

8. Fort Benning: A Vital Asset

9. Philanthropy, Leadership, and Champions

Supplementing these storylines was a series of scorecards that evaluated the region’s competitiveness in five key areas: economic performance, workforce sustainability, business environment, innovation and entrepreneurship, and quality of life. The scorecards are available in the full Competitive Assessment.

1. Population Trends: Slow Growth and Limited In-Migration In an era of explosive growth, Greater Columbus added residents at a far slower pace than most other regions in the Southeastern United States. Data also clearly shows that, recent Fort Benning-related migration aside, Greater Columbus is not attracting new residents from beyond its borders at the same rate as the comparison communities, and this has more serious implications for the region’s long-term economic competitiveness and prosperity. The availability of top talent is now perhaps the most important location consideration for businesses, and in this environment, successful regions will typically be those that can attract residents with high skill and educational attainment levels.



2. A Critical Need for Top Talent The region has favorable age dynamics, indicating that there are enough young people locally to replace impending retirements, and the amount of top talent available in the region generally seems to be capable of supporting the region’s existing base of businesses. But the region is less educated, in some cases significantly so, than its competitors, and this gap will not close if the status quo is maintained. Research shows that educational attainment is one of the key factors influencing a person’s lifetime earnings and economic opportunities, thus communities without sufficiently high levels of educational attainment will be at a significant disadvantage when it comes to growing, retaining, and attracting a wide range of quality jobs that can increase levels of prosperity.

3. Economic Realities Most regional economies in the United States boomed in the mid-2000s, busted in the midst of the Great Recession, and recovered to varying degrees in the subsequent years. These trends were far more muted in Greater Columbus, where job growth has generally been anemic throughout much of the new millennium. There are certainly some bright spots, and the region’s roster of key large employers is exceedingly rare for a community of this size. But the present-day economy of Greater Columbus is not sufficiently strong to boost levels of prosperity in the region. The civilian labor force has remained virtually unchanged in recent years, and the unemployment rate remains higher than that of comparison communities. This highlights how talent and economic performance are intertwined and suggests that there may be a large segment of the local population that is disconnected from economic opportunities.

4. Income and Poverty While per capita income in Greater Columbus is high relative to its comparison communities, this is misleading. A greater proportion of local income is derived from investment income and government benefits as opposed to wages, and the distribution of income is skewed toward households in higher economic brackets. Wages are low such that Greater Columbus does not have a “cost of living value proposition” relative to Metro Atlanta, one of its primary competitors for talent. Nearly 60 percent of the households in the region have annual incomes below $50,000 and the region’s median household income was lower than all three comparison regions, the state, and the nation. Thirty percent of children in the region live below the poverty line, and the region’s elevated poverty rates pre-date the Great Recession. In short, a substantial portion of the region’s population is not enjoying in its successes. The region has shown a willingness to address these issues through recent efforts, but it is clear that there is far more work ahead.

5. Quality of Place and Quality of Life Issues of quality of life and quality of place are closely intertwined with the prosperity of a region. In some ways the connection is obvious – people cannot participate in the workforce if they cannot get to jobs or are in such poor health that they cannot work. But beyond that, quality of life and quality of place are increasingly important for talent retention and attraction. Talent attraction and retention efforts will be critical to the region’s near-term ability to bolster its talent pool, as strategies to produce more homegrown talent through the PK-12 and higher education pipelines can take many years, even decades, to pay off. Fortunately, Greater Columbus has numerous assets and qualities – from a reinvigorated Uptown and an excellent performing arts community to natural beauty and access to the outdoors – that it can leverage to retain and attract residents. Improving upon these and shoring up weaknesses must be a significant component of any strategy to raise prosperity in the region. Quality of place is also crucial to the region’s ability to attract and retain businesses. Interstate accessibility and



workforce quality are the two of the most important factors that businesses consider in their location decisions, and both are weak points for Greater Columbus. Accordingly, it will be particularly important for the region to “wow” prospective employers with vibrant districts such as Uptown, high-quality development and public spaces, and so forth.

6. Homegrown Talent: PK-12 Education and Higher Education As evidenced by the high percentage of children attending public schools, the level of support for the Muscogee County School District is strong. The district has made admirable improvements in its graduation rates and at preventing and re-engaging dropouts. However, data supports the sentiments gathered through the input process that there is a significant divide within MCSD that frequently breaks down along socioeconomic lines. And despite having graduation rates that are strong for a school district with its demographic and socioeconomic makeup, there is a clear disconnect between the K-12 and career pipelines. Compared to similar districts in Georgia, fewer MCSD graduates enroll in college and fewer succeed at obtaining early credit hours once they are there. The variety and quality of postsecondary options in the region is strong, but the significant progress and improvements that these institutions have made in recent years are not reflected in increased educational attainment levels for the region. Additionally, retaining graduates of these institutions in the region – and attracting more students from outside Greater Columbus to attend them in the first place – will be critical to ensuring a stronger homegrown talent pipeline.

7. Business and Entrepreneurial Climate All told, Greater Columbus’ general business climate is favorable and can be leveraged for future economic growth. It has low business and labor costs, good water availability and sewer capacity, adequate industrial land availability, and competitive utility rates. But its lack of a mainline Interstate is a significant barrier to many types of industrial development, and this condition will not change in the near-term. Additionally, quantitative data and qualitative input clearly describe a weak entrepreneurial environment. Greater Columbus has a proud history of being home to companies that have grown from nothing into giants. It will now need to redouble its efforts on supporting entrepreneurship if it is to have a good chance of doing so again in the future.

8. Fort Benning: A Vital Assset When asked what the region’s greatest strength was, the majority of interview and focus group participants were quick to mention Fort Benning. The base contributes an estimated $5 billion annually to the local economy, and the base supports roughly 3,342 full-time soldiers, 10,733 civilian workers and contractors, and more than 10,000 soldiers in training every day. However, like all military installations, Fort Benning is subject to various outside pressures such as squeezed federal budgets and reductions in the size of the armed forces, and recently the Department of the Army announced that the Third Brigade would be reduced in size by 3,402 positions, which will result in the reduction of 2,400 soldiers by the end of Fiscal Year 2017. Fortunately, the community’s support for Fort Benning is readily apparent, and support for it will continue to be vital given all of the various ways its presence impacts the community.

9. Philanthropy, Leadership, and Champions While Fort Benning is viewed as the region’s greatest tangible asset, its greatest intangible advantage may be its significant and active philanthropic community, legacy of visionary leadership, and deep roster of committed citizens willing to champion all manner of causes for the betterment of the community. For generations, these positive forces have cultivated or improved virtually every asset and institution that makes Greater Columbus a



desirable place to live, work, visit, and do business. While many of the challenges that Greater Columbus faces are serious and daunting, the leaders and residents of Greater Columbus should not be discouraged. As one input participant summed up the environment in Greater Columbus, “Big ideas can be achieved in a record amount of time if the right people get behind them.”



Target Business Analysis Communities across the country are pursuing differentiated economic development strategies that seek to support the development of “targeted” business sectors which may benefit from specific competitive advantages afforded by the community, its location, and its asset base. The practice of “targeting” has grown as communities have witnessed the advantages that come from directing finite resources toward the development of such “targeted” business sectors. Identified “targets” are those that have the most potential to bring and grow jobs and investment in the region and are a critical function of a region’s community and economic development efforts. The second phase of this comprehensive strategic planning process identifed and profiled those sectors which possess the greatest potential to elevate prosperity through job and wealth creation in the years and decades to come.

KEY CONCEPTS RELATED TO TARGET SECTOR DEVELOPMENT CLUSTERS: Agglomerations – or “clusters” – represent groups of interrelated businesses that choose to co-locate for one reason or another. The historical growth of clustered economic activity in areas such as the Silicon Valley, Route 128 in Massachusetts, and the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina are oft-cited and well developed case studies for other regions across the nation as they strive to develop similar agglomerations of related businesses. But there are countless examples of such clusters around the country and the world. While the factors that have led to clustering vary tremendously by region and sector, such agglomerations occur over time because a location has an asset base that affords the sector and the companies that operate within them some form of competitive advantage. The competitive advantages derived by these firms often result in comparatively high potential for employment growth and wealth creation.

TARGETS: Even so, many communities and economic regions choose to strategically target sectors of economic activity that may not currently be characterized by a strong agglomeration – or “cluster” – of related businesses. A targeted sector – or simply a “target”– is any type of business activity that is strategically pursued by an economic development organization and its partners for growth and development. That is to say, a “target” is an area where financial and staff resources, and the programs and policies they support, are specifically focused. “Targets” are often those segments of an economy where competitive advantages exist, prospects for future growth are greatest, and return on investment is likely highest.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR ASSET BASE: Strategic targeting is predicated upon a solid understanding of a community’s strengths and weaknesses, specifically as they relate to the needs of specific business sectors and the companies that operate within these sectors. The factors that medium to large companies consider when evaluating a community as potential location for a new facility are often referred to as site location factors, site selection factors, or site considerations. These factors vary tremendously by sector. For example, data center



operations typically seek locations with low natural disaster risk, affordable and abundant water necessary for cooling, and redundant and exceptional fiber-optic, broadband infrastructure, among other attributes. Corporate headquarters typically seek locations with a well-educated workforce, exceptional passenger air connectivity, and abundant amenities. Accordingly, communities that are able to offer such characteristics are better positioned to attract these kinds of operations. Understanding the community’s asset base – inclusive of a wide variety of these potential site location factors – is critical to understanding the community’s competitiveness for various business sectors. Likewise, an understanding of its deficiencies in terms of such site location factors will help the community identify areas that need further investment if the community wishes to transform such deficiencies into future assets.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH: For decades many communities and their economic development organizations have exclusively associated “economic development” with “business recruitment.” While the recruitment of new companies is an important component of any targeted economic development program, it is only one leg of the stool. The growth of regional economies and their target business sectors are overwhelmingly driven by existing businesses and entrepreneurs. A variety of studies have shown that between 70 percent and up to 95 percent of the country’s job creation over various time periods has been attributable to the expansion of existing companies. While new investments generate ribbon cuttings and headlines, existing businesses and entrepreneurs are creating the majority of jobs in our country. Accordingly, any effort to develop target sectors and nurture employment growth within them must focus upon the needs of existing businesses as well as entrepreneurs.

THINKING REGIONALLY, ACTING COLLABORATIVELY: Economic clusters develop regionally; the advantages that are afforded to clustered businesses from their agglomeration (external economies of scale and network effects) are rarely restricted to specific jurisdictions. Furthermore, the asset base (specialized labor, transportation networks, etc.) that attracts clustered businesses is often accessible throughout a region, with accessibility rarely restricted by jurisdictional borders. However, individual communities within a larger economic region clearly have distinct asset bases and differentiated marketable attributes that make them particularly appealing to certain types of business activities. Further, while there are often significant resources devoted to economic development at a regional level in most of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas (often via a regional, public-private partnership or regional chamber of commerce), the majority of economic development expenditures are highly localized (via a local government, local economic development organization, local chamber of commerce, development authority, etc.). Accordingly, many of these individual communities have identified their distinct assets and marketable attributes, and developed a corresponding set of local target sectors. These local targets may at times align with regional targets but will often feature specific sectors that may not be a focus of regional efforts but deserve local attention given the community’s distinct assets and attributes. All of this is to say that regional economic development operations and their target sectors must be mindful of localized asset bases and locally-defined target sectors. While regional target sectors will guide the manner in which certain regional economic development resources are targeted, these targets should not be viewed as an exclusive definition of the opportunities that can, should, and will be pursued by regional economic development practitioners.



RECOMMENDED TARGET SECTORS Key findings from the Competitive Assessment, stakeholder input, and extensive quantitative analysis were used to identify existing and potential cluster activity. Based on the analysis of Greater Columbus’ economic composition and assets, Market Street recommends six target sectors that fall into three broad areas of economic activity. The following graphic shows these sectors along with two other areas of economic activity that warrant strategic attention but are not target sectors themselves.

The region’s primary existing private sector cluster is related to the Finance and Insurance sector. The Insurance & Financial Services target encompasses the main business functions of companies such as Aflac and TSYS – e.g. underwriting and payments processing among other things. Because of its size and importance to the region, business retention and expansion activities will be vital. Economic development professionals, political leadership, and other partners should work together to do all they can to ensure that the local environment is as friendly as possible to these crucial functions. The Financial Technology & Information Security target represents a way to help the region’s existing firms thrive in a changing world and offers a potential path to further economic diversification around the region’s strongest existing cluster. It involves developing additional workforce, training, and research capacity related to the Information Security and Financial Technology fields.



Greater Columbus initially grew upon a strong foundation in Manufacturing, and this sector remains important to the region to this day. While technology and preferences have changed over the years, the region has been able to evolve from a textile-dependent economy to a region that should be competitive for a variety of manufacturing operations – including those that utilize advanced processes and require more highly skilled workers. The region’s existing manufacturing base and firms – along with local higher education institutions, low labor costs, and a skilled workforce – make Greater Columbus an attractive package for prospective companies. The Aerospace and Automotive Parts targets are representative of the two most promising areas for manufacturing growth in the region.

With the workforce and telecommunications infrastructure that Greater Columbus currently has in place, the region is well-positioned to target and compete for companies in engaged in Business Support Services. These include Call Centers and other Shared Services (e.g. payroll or accounting services). These operations have been growing in recent years as companies spin-off in-house departments or outsource work to third parties. With overseas labor costs rising, domestic employment should continue to grow. Greater Columbus’ significant populations of military spouses and students should be a marketable asset in these fields, particularly the Call Centers target. Contrary to some perceptions, job growth in these “back office” fields can also grow local prosperity by providing workers with lower educational attainment and skill levels with employment opportunities that far surpass other options in terms of pay, benefits, and opportunities for advancement.

Travel & Tourism is not a “target” industry in the most traditional sense. As in most places, two different organizations (the CVB and Chamber, respectively) handle the separate tasks of attracting visitors and companies to the region. But the sector nevertheless offers another opportunity to bring outside dollars into the region and provide additional employment opportunities to residents – particularly those with lower skill levels. And as the Competitive Assessment noted, exposing Greater Columbus to a wider audience – including prospective talent – is a clear need. Accordingly, Tourism warrants special attention both for its ability to boost local prosperity and serve as a sort of marketing tool to promote the remainder of the local economy and the region itself.

Fort Benning also warrants special attention as one of the region’s key economic engines. As previously discussed, the government contracts awarded to private firms co-locating with Fort Benning are generally not for manufacturing or research and development activities. As such, there is limited potential for spin-off cluster activity that would warrant attention through targeting activities. That said, the base still has a significant impact on the region’s civilian employment levels and overall economic health. The region must continue to take strategic action to ensure that levels of investment in the base remain as high as possible and to more thoroughly understand its impact on the local economy.

The full Target Sector Analysis presents a more comprehensive evaluation of the factors influencing the competitiveness of specific economic activities that reflect Market Street’s recommendations for target business sectors in Greater Columbus, including a review of sector performance, workforce attributes, and site location considerations.

phase 3: regional community and economic …

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