dazzle1
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Unity for a Greater Cleveland (and Flats!)
« Thread started on: Jun 14th, 2007, 12:59pm » |
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I am an economic development professional who has lived my entire life in Cleveland. Not being able to break into the boy's club that runs Cleveland, I decided when I turned 50 that it was time to see what life was like on the south coast.
I planted my feet in Miami, FL for a few years and found a wonderfully diverse and bustling city with a tremendous penchant for fun! I met artists and entertainers and architects and models, people from every part of the globe...all mixing together and having a great time. When it comes to sculpting a city, what I discovered is that the folks of Miami have shed their old, outdated inhibitions (something Clevelanders are afraid to do) and have opened themselves to new and innovative ideas, both culturally and professionally.
Living in Miami was literally a breath of fresh air. I felt that a weight was lifted from my shoulders. I was finally liberated from the imaginary glory Cleveland economic leaders have bestowed on themselves...(what good is the Euclid Ave. Corridor if there aren't any jobs for people to travel to/from?)
Sidenote: A Google search once returned over 50 separate economic development groups in Cleveland alone! How does that help in reaching consensus?
I've since moved further north and work out of Orlando now...not quite as visually stimulating, but culturally vibrant just the same. People here work hard at trying to be different and encourage diversity. Entrepreneurship is contagious!
Cleveland has forgotten its roots...its multi-culturalism. Economic leaders need to begin recruiting a different type of market: people. Our backbone as an immigrant city built it into what it once was...a thriving, bustling, economically healthy first tier city. We were willing to take chances then. We were hungry to grow.
When will we decide that we've had enough. I still consider myself a Clevelander. I am appalled when I read about another company moving away. What are we doing to save these jobs? When will we put an end to these phony testaments about building a new tomorrow.
Tomorrow is today. We have to expose these pathetic economic development groups whose interests are their own plump pockets. We don't need 50 organizations to tell us what to do...we need a champion to lead our city back to greatness.
Jobs
Culture
Youth
These should be our top priorities.
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