Category Archives: Economic development that works
New M7 film cluster could be a star
The latest example of the reinvention of the rust belt is the formation of a mini-cluster in film making in Milwaukee. It is a historic irony that the Milwaukee Filmmaker Alliance (MWA) will be housed in a previous Pabst building … Read the rest
Foxconn subsidies eclipse all others, by far
As reports of other Wisconsin subsidies to recruit businesses come to light, the historically high Foxconn subsidies at $2.8 billion continue to look out of proportion. Not counting additional local support for projects, the Wisconsin tax credits, which often will … Read the rest
CROWE seeks answers for lagging state economy
Even though the Wisconsin unemployment rate is very low, its economic growth rate is stuck in low gear. How to improve on that long-term pattern? Fortunately, there is a new place to go for answers. Under the leadership of Noah … Read the rest
Final Foxconn contract needs tough approach
Foxconn has a reputation as a hard-nosed negotiator, a requirement in its business of contract manufacturing. It drives hard bargains with its vendors as it relentlessly drives down costs. Contract manufacturing operates on high volumes, but with low margins of … Read the rest
Long-shot Foxconn deal has to pay off
In the competition for a big Foxconn plant with an alleged 10,000 workers, bear in mind that Wisconsin has generally been a loser in sweepstakes those big deals. Name one of any size where we got the blue ribbon. There … Read the rest
How one Midwestern city saved its downtown
Go to downtown West Bend on a Saturday night or a sunny Sunday afternoon and you will see what a busy place it has become. It’s jumping. The downtown has become really lively, even on weekday nights. So, what’s changed? … Read the rest
Best bet for Milwaukee: grow UWM
As Gov. Walker, the legislature and the University of Wisconsin Regents address the 2017-2019 budget for the state, they need to be mindful that the Milwaukee was one of three metropolitan areas out of 51 with a population over one … Read the rest
Wisconsin job engine running at half speed
Wisconsin will hit Gov. Walker’s first term target of 250,000 added jobs, but it will take two terms to do it. The goal required 62,500 jobs per year, but the state has been growing at roughly 1% or 30,000 jobs … Read the rest
Athletics Center shows power of partnerships
People and organizations working together to make good things happen seldom makes big news, but the power of collaboration has become increasingly evident in the Milwaukee region. The most recent demonstration of the power of partnership was the announcement by … Read the rest
Smart, long-range decisions produce boom in Denver
Denver –The potent mixture of TABOR, term limits, co-location of civic assets, smart urban planning and business leadership has produced a 20-year boom in the downtown here. On a recent weekend there, as the Broncos defeated the Steelers, I counted … Read the rest
