Myrtle Beach is not quite sure Saturday, February 05, 2005 Civic leaders in Myrtle Beach say they are looking for a regional plan that considers the whole enchilada: growth management, education, transportation, water quality and job growth. By the look of the consultant's presentation, the leaders in Myrtle Beach aren't really sure what they want. The consultants have estimated the price tag for their services at anywhere from $50,000 to $1 million. Why the wide range? Myrtle Beach's civic leaders are not clear enough about what they want or how they will get there. So, not surprisingly, the consultants are probably guessing at this stage. Advanced economic development now entails investments in a range of different areas: building stronger education systems; establishing innovation and entrepreneurship networks to generate wealth; creating quality, connected places to keep smart people around; and promoting an effective brand that "tells your story". All of these investments are not possible without firmly established civic habits of dialogue and inclusion. So, before Myrtle Beach heads off with a consulting contract, they probably need to do some research on how regions can come together around common agendas. As Yogi Berra once said: "If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else." posted by Ed Morrison |		This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. links 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. So, spread the word...Share the knowledge. Tell a friend about EDPro Weblog. If you are using a news reader, here is the link to syndicate this site: Here's the link if you are a bloglines subscriber: 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 Web EDPro Weblog