A version of this article was originally featured in SEMCOG’s Economic Development Magazine: What’s Our Edge. Southeast Michigan’s success depends on the unique strengths of its communities, businesses, and educational institutions. Regional cooperation, data-driven strategies, and a skilled workforce are key to driving growth. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, access to water, and education play vital roles in shaping the region’s future. By aligning these assets, the region can achieve greater prosperity, guided by the Economic Development Council’s new strategy.
Construction at the Hudson Building construction site across from SEMCOG’s office in Downtown Detroit
The collective success of Southeast Michigan depends on various sources of economic and community vitality throughout the region. Each county, community, and educational institution has something unique to offer. Each strategy for economic development is like a sharpened edge guiding us toward success.
For Southeast Michigan to prosper, we must understand our collective strengths and leverage them into meaningful outcomes. This is why regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration are key. Throughout this document, we explore some of our strengths and essential areas of focus to ensure future success. Data will always remain the foundation of SEMCOG’s work, and we are pleased to have new and innovative economic metrics and data tools to use and share with you. SEMCOG’s Location Analysis and Visitation Tool, for example, can help to guide planning with data on visitor and foot traffic for parks and recreation assets, downtowns and commercial corridors, and events and festivals.
We also explore the power of community events, housing, and abundant access to water to help define quality places in our region. The Gordie Howe International Bridge is gamechanging for our region’s economy, starting with all the jobs created just for its construction. This immense undertaking also serves to remind us of the importance of a deep bench of highly skilled talent, something Southeast Michigan has boasted for over 100 years. Legal immigration, along with increased participation across all our workforce populations, will remain a key to sustaining our growth and economic success. Education plays a key role in our region’s preparedness for the future, and partners across the region are stepping up to ensure that our educational opportunities are relevant today and set individuals (and industries) up for long-term success. When we bring together our individual strengths – our quality places, innovative businesses, and robust talent offerings – and point them in the same direction, we forge a larger, stronger, and sharper edge. We know we are better together, and we look forward to your input as our Economic Development Council leads the way on a new Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for Southeast Michigan!
In conclusion, the future of Southeast Michigan is bright, shaped by our collective strengths in community, business, and education. By leveraging these assets and fostering regional cooperation, we can build a more prosperous and sustainable economy. As we work together toward this shared vision, we encourage you to stay engaged and informed. For those interested in sharing this information, we invite you to request physical copies of the magazine. Let’s continue working together to sharpen the edge of Southeast Michigan’s success!
Leave a Reply