Friday, December 09, 2005
The troubled Scripps project continues to make news in Florida. The primary site for the major development -- Meccaz Farms -- must wait two years for environmental reviews. Meanwhile, owners of the alternative site continue to keep their fingers crossed. Read more.
The Scripps case demonstrates to me the risks of popping a big project without adequate public review or understanding. The governor pulled this rabbit out of his hat, and while the project gained national exposure, it is now dragging.
(Real estate is only part of the problem. The vision for the Scripps-led biotech park included a dynamic multi-university campus. Scientists from various schools could meet and exchange ideas over lattes or lunch. But building these connections has not worked very well.)
The lesson: With big projects, by speeding things up, you can slow things down.
posted by Ed Morrison |
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.
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.
Scripps still waiting for a site
