Sunday, January 09, 2005
Indian casinos in New Mexico have been no clear advantage to the state's economic development. While they have produced jobs and income to some, they have taken jobs and incomes from others.
And that's the point: Casinos mostly redistribute wealth, they don't tend to create it. As a regional economic development strategy, casinos may make sense in poor rural counties, but that's about it.
(In my analysis of casinos, you have to have at least 60% of the patrons coming from outside a region or state for there to be a clear economic win. That happens most easily in rural areas -- like Tunica, MS -- or in areas sitting next to big markets where casinos are prohibited -- like Shreveport, LA next to Dallas/Houston.)
Here's a good article that surveys the evidence in New Mexico. Read more
posted by Ed Morrison |
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Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
The consequences of gaming in New Mexico
