News release from the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership:
Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority approves Regional Cities plan
(August 25, 2015) – The Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) approved The Road to One Million plan on Tuesday, Aug. 25. The approval marked the final step in the state’s Regional Cities Initiative application process.
The five members of the RDA board that approved the plan are Brad Bishop of OrthoWorx, Andrew Briggs of Bank of Geneva, Gene Donaghy of Northeastern REMC, Bob Marshall of Campbell & Fetter Bank and Jeff Turner of Metal Technologies.
The plan was then submitted to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) during The Road to One Million Premiere event held by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. following the public board meeting.
“The Road to One Million” is the rallying cry for Northeast Indiana to reach one million residents, and the focus of Northeast Indiana’s Regional Cities plan. Currently, Northeast Indiana’s population is growing at a rate of .7 percent. To attract talent and compete globally, Northeast Indiana must accelerate population growth to match benchmarked communities across the United States that are growing around 2 percent.
During The Road to One Million Premiere event, the community was able to see a presentation of the application which highlighted 38 projects and $400 million in investments slated for the first two-years of the plan.
“As we move forward with The Road to One Million plan, the focus of our board will be to advance projects that have regional impact on quality of life,” said RDA board chairman Jeff Turner of Metal Technologies. “We are committed to collaboration, setting aside any local concerns in favor of what is best for Northeast Indiana.”
The full plan draws from hundreds of existing community plans, focus groups in each county, interviews with stakeholders, walking tours and planned private sector investments. The full portfolio of $1.4 billion in investments features 70 projects including phase 1 projects (years 1 and 2); longer term projects (years 3-8 implementation); and ideas for projects beyond the state’s initial 8-year timeframe.“I commend each and every one of our partner counties on the time they invested in pursuing the Regional Cities Initiative. Our region’s willingness to collaborate and adapt allows us to take advantage of unique opportunities like applying for the Regional Cities funding,” said John Sampson, president and CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. “I am truly inspired by the ingenuity and determination I have witnessed, and I look forward to working together to make Northeast Indiana a top destination for talent.”
The Regional Cities Initiative is a public-private partnership proposed and led by Governor Mike Pence with support from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). The goal of the Regional Cities Initiative is to make Indiana a magnet for talent by creating a national identity for Indiana cities. Regions are competing for up to $42 million in state matching funds by submitting proposals with a slate of game?changing, quality of life projects (amenities and attractions that will attract and retain young talent).
To find out more about the Regional Cities Initiative, read the full Road to One Million plan or watch the highlight video, go to www.neindiana.com/regionalcities.
About the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership was formed in 2006 to help build a globally competitive economy in Northeast Indiana. It is a public-private partnership creating business investment by generating business leads, developing product and fostering regional collaboration. In 2010, the Partnership launched Vision 2020 to bring the region together around five key areas for economic growth: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Quality of Life. The 10 counties of Northeast Indiana include Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley. For more information, visit www.NEIndiana.com.About Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
Greater Fort Wayne (GFW) Inc. serves Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana, as its primary point of contact for economic growth. GFW Inc.’s main focus is on prosperity and community vibrancy through economic development, advocacy, programs and resources that support business success, leadership development, graduate retention and community engagement. To learn more, visit https://www.greaterfortwayneinc.com/.
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