Roundup 4-20-2012
Economic Development – Bass Pro Shops
We learned this week that the deal for a Bass Pro Shops in Brandon is off, for now.
Good. Now the $15 million subsidy proposal can be killed. Once again, we should spend scarce resources to develop manufacturing, high tech, and other high value jobs and industries – attracting them and helping them develop locally.
Economic Development – The Port
President Obama visited the Port of Tampa this week.
They are certainly tied. Which makes this other report so interesting.
So the port is diversified. Good. But the older bulk cargo is in decline. And a port from another state is stealing our business. That is not consistent with this:
We have said numerous times that we agree the economy is not what it could be. It is for that very reason that the Port needs a plan to expand its market and increase service. Now we know it needs a plan to defend its local market, too. We look forward to hearing what that plan is.
Economic Development – Where Are They Now?
What do we have in mind when we keep mentioning economic development, targeted subsidies/incentives, and increasing the port’s business? We have already discussed companies like Apple in the context of other cities’ incentive programs. Are there local examples? Back in 2008 there was a brief appearance in the media of the possibility of a Japanese company building a wind turbine plant in Hillsborough County.
We could not find news about what happened to these negotiations. Did the company go somewhere else? Did someone local block the incentives or the plan? If so, who and why? How much did the company want?
While we do not know all the details of this particular negotiation (and whether it would have been a good or bad deal), the project as described is the kind of manufacturing that could boost jobs and both exports and imports through the port. It could also attract other related businesses.
What we do know is that Orlando got a turbine plant and headquarters, and we got nothing. We also know that this is the kind of manufacturing that this area could use and that would boost and diversify both the economy generally and business at the port. This is the kind of business that should be targeted for incentives, not a retail store.
Economic Development – How Not To Be Hip and Attractive to Young Professionals
We have mentioned the Mayor of Tampa’s Economic Competitiveness Committee and noted that, while real estate is important to development, there is more to it.
The Committee report is online here. As mentioned in news articles, it calls for streamlining the development approval and permitting process, which we favor as long as there are good requirements for developments in the first place.
We have also noted the Mayor’s stated goal of making Tampa attractive to young professionals and weave the urban fabric together. (Especially as young people are turning away from driving) Given that, we were surprised to find the following in the Competitiveness Committee report (see page 12 of the pdf, 11 of the report) regarding sidewalks:
The key is this: Revise sidewalk provisions to allow exemptions when no sidewalk exists adjacent to a development site. This seems to say that, when there is no sidewalk network, a new development should not have to build one or pay a fee so the city can build one. If that is not what is meant, someone should clarify the language.
We understand the City has been remiss in making Tampa walkable, and we do not think the fees should be excessive, but the Tampa Bay area is the second most dangerous metropolitan areas for pedestrians. Urban connectivity requires sidewalks. We doubt those young, hip professionals the City says it so desperately wants are going to want to trip through the weeds or walk in the street while they hang out being creative. It seems odd to recommend that when the City made the mistake of not building a sidewalk in the first place, that mistake should be compounded by not building any sidewalks now. Whatever is built can be connected later.
Once last question: how is not putting sidewalks where they are needed but do not exist in a city known for not being walkable changing Tampa’s DNA?
Brand Tampa Bay
We also learned this week that there is a lot of discussion going on to brand Tampa Bay.
It’s a surprisingly difficult task.
So far, it appears they’ve struggling for a unified message, though.
We are fine with branding, but it needs to be really good or not at all. Having a simply adequate branding campaign is worse than no branding campaign – especially in the internet age.
We recognize that this can be hard. The Tampa Bay area is quite diverse. Does the article provide any suggestions?
With all due respect, please keep that slogan just an idea. To be properly branded, you should be different than somewhere else, not an imitation of somewhere else and certainly not aspiring to imitate somewhere else. (And please do not do anything like “Cool Britannia” – if you are cool, other people know it. If you have to tell them you are cool – or hip – you aren’t.)
Once again, we know this is hard and commend those trying to do it. Maybe it cannot be done at this point but remember that nothing is better than something that is not excellent.
Streetcar
We also learned that the streetcar board is considering dissolving.
This idea has a certain logic, and we are open to examining it. However, we have some concerns if HART is in charge. In its present incarnation, it seems unlikely that the HART board will work to make the streetcar the best it can be.
Channelside
There has been a lot of news recently about the impending sale of Channelside to one of a number of bidders. Unfortunately, we have not seen the plans for any of the groups.
We are going to refrain from comment right now, expect to point out that the complex was not really designed to optimize its location and we hope the new operator’s plan does that more effectively. When we see the plans, we will say more.
One thing we will say is that the process is too secretive for our tastes. We are sure there are complicated legal reasons that it can be secretive, but it is publicly owned land downtown. The process should be more open.
An Interesting Show
There were a couple of lists out this week, but not really family fare. Instead, we decided to put a link to a recent episode of Charlie Rose on issues facing cities with the Mayors of Chicago, Baltimore, Louisville and Jacksonville we found interesting. You can find it here.