I blame Ferris Bueller.JaneJacobsGhost wrote: ↑Dec 04, 2019Thats what happens when 10 million people realize its cool to move DT or the North Lake Front.
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A much better take on Clayco CEO Bob Clark's laments was published yesterday in the STL Biz Journal:
Clayco’s Bob Clark calls for change at St. Louis’ economic agencies: ‘They don’t work’ (pay-walled)
They quoted him from a speech at the Urban Land Institute STL event yesterday. His laments are that STL has too many economic development groups; that they mostly operate independent of each other; that each wants to be the top economic development group; that they pursue different agendas for STL's growth (such as city vs. county); and that they all tell a different story about STL, meaning that there isn't a solid STL Story that our economic development officials tell people outside the region about the region and the City.
Think about it: you're a company from, say, Pittsburgh looking to set up a factory here...
(end rant)
Clayco’s Bob Clark calls for change at St. Louis’ economic agencies: ‘They don’t work’ (pay-walled)
They quoted him from a speech at the Urban Land Institute STL event yesterday. His laments are that STL has too many economic development groups; that they mostly operate independent of each other; that each wants to be the top economic development group; that they pursue different agendas for STL's growth (such as city vs. county); and that they all tell a different story about STL, meaning that there isn't a solid STL Story that our economic development officials tell people outside the region about the region and the City.
Bob's spot-on accurate right here. STL has nine independent economic development organizations. I've learned myself that, if you want to get something big done here, you may have to tell your story nine times so every one of these independent economic development officials feels special enough to further your interests. ^That's right, Mrs. Bueller: nine times.A big part of the problem, according to Clark, is that St. Louis has too many organizations with different agendas for advancing the region.
"When we go to cities like Nashville and Indianapolis, the business community, political folk and neighborhood groups all say the same thing," he said.
That's not the case in St. Louis, he said, where companies are getting mixed messages because each organization has its own strategy and competes with each other.
Think about it: you're a company from, say, Pittsburgh looking to set up a factory here...
- You know to look for STL's chamber of commerce, BUT you won't know you also have to find the Regional Business Council...
- ... or Civic Progress.
- What about the Economic Development Partnership?
- What's the difference between them and the Chamber?
- What's the difference between them and the St. Louis Development Corporation?
- Does it include the City of STL?
- Does it include STL County?
- Does it include St. Charles County?
- What about Illinois? Do we have to start over again with the economic developers if we're shipping things into the ports in Granite City, or warehousing near Edwardsville?
- Is this where I have to talk with Bi-State Development? Or are they just about buses and trains?
- Or do I have to talk to the East-West Gateway Council?
- Wait, what about the Missouri Partnership?
- Hold on, what's the Regional Economic Development Alliance? Is this new? Should I have started here?
- Why am I now getting a call from some place called Creave Coors and their economic developers? I thought we were looking at STL...
- HARD STOP --- One of these groups was just busted for being an enabler of a fraudulent County Executive? Who went to prison? Was this a group that mattered? How can I know?
- The hell with this, I'm going to Nashville.
Too many cooks... Meanwhile, STL needs a primary narrative for economic development. How the hell can we expect others to find us if we can't say in one voice who and what we are? Just ask yourself, what's STL's elevator pitch? There's at least nine out there, but we need one that's consistent and that everyone will say, because right now our economic developers are all reading off their own sheet music, and in chorus they sound like a bunch of cats."I don't know why we have more than one," Clark said of the region's various economic development agencies, calling out the Regional Business Council and Civic Progress in particular during his comments. "It can't just stand the way it is ... we have to blow up the economic development agencies."
Representatives from the Regional Business Council and Civic Progress did not immediately respond to requests for comment
(end rant)
^
How else are we to gainfully employ all of the spouses, mistresses, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, sons, daughters, and cousins of the PTB and HMM in our metro area...?Too many cooks...and in chorus they sound like a bunch of cats.
And another one of those groups employed this guy:gone corporate wrote: ↑Dec 04, 2019HARD STOP --- One of these groups was just busted for being an enabler of a fraudulent County Executive? Who went to prison? Was this a group that mattered? How can I know?
P-D - St. Louis development official on leave after federal indictment
ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis development official is on leave after a federal indictment claimed he and others stole from an East St. Louis nonprofit, a spokesman said Tuesday.
The St. Louis Development Corp.'s director of Neighborhood Business Development, Leonard Johnson, 33, was indicted in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis in October and accused of receiving payments as part of a kickback scheme from the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, which provides services to children and families.
...
More love from Forbes:
"The Gateway Arch is a Tourist Must-Do"
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomteichol ... 72c5a87366
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"The Gateway Arch is a Tourist Must-Do"
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomteichol ... 72c5a87366
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St. Louis' economy grew slower than all but one Midwest competitor between 2014 and 2018, according to new data released by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Over the last five years, the region's gross economic domestic product grew at a compounded 0.7% annual rate, adjusted for inflation
The growth rate also lagged behind the national rate for metropolitan areas, which was 2.6%.
Annual average GDP growth rates in major Midwest cities since 2014*
Des Moines 2.5%
Detroit 2.1%
Minneapolis 2.1%
Cincinnati 2%
Columbus 1.9%
Louisville 1.7%
Pittsburgh 1.6%
Milwaukee 1.5%
Cleveland 1.4%
Indianapolis 1.2%
Kansas City 0.8%
St. Louis 0.7%
Chicago 0.6%
*Totals adjusted for inflation
Over the last five years, the region's gross economic domestic product grew at a compounded 0.7% annual rate, adjusted for inflation
The growth rate also lagged behind the national rate for metropolitan areas, which was 2.6%.
Annual average GDP growth rates in major Midwest cities since 2014*
Des Moines 2.5%
Detroit 2.1%
Minneapolis 2.1%
Cincinnati 2%
Columbus 1.9%
Louisville 1.7%
Pittsburgh 1.6%
Milwaukee 1.5%
Cleveland 1.4%
Indianapolis 1.2%
Kansas City 0.8%
St. Louis 0.7%
Chicago 0.6%
*Totals adjusted for inflation
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I think a lot of that can be chalked up to Missouri and Illinois being the two worst states in the Midwest to base a major city.
Also, those are not per capita numbers. Hardly surprising that GDP growth is underperforming if population is stagnant, unless you have a relatively large fast growth industry.
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DT can't get rid of those orangeishyellow street lights fast enoughframer wrote: ↑Dec 05, 2019More love from Forbes:
"The Gateway Arch is a Tourist Must-Do"
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomteichol ... 72c5a87366
I would be curious what the raw numbers are. Not that the percentage isn't an issue but is 2.5% in Des Moines higher or lower than 0.7% here by raw number. Same with KC. I assume ours is higher raw so did we grow by more raw number than them or not?dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑Dec 16, 2019St. Louis' economy grew slower than all but one Midwest competitor between 2014 and 2018, according to new data released by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Over the last five years, the region's gross economic domestic product grew at a compounded 0.7% annual rate, adjusted for inflation
The growth rate also lagged behind the national rate for metropolitan areas, which was 2.6%.
Annual average GDP growth rates in major Midwest cities since 2014*
Des Moines 2.5%
Detroit 2.1%
Minneapolis 2.1%
Cincinnati 2%
Columbus 1.9%
Louisville 1.7%
Pittsburgh 1.6%
Milwaukee 1.5%
Cleveland 1.4%
Indianapolis 1.2%
Kansas City 0.8%
St. Louis 0.7%
Chicago 0.6%
*Totals adjusted for inflation
Chicago I would assume 0.6% is a bigger number than a lot of these just based on how much bigger their number is to start.
Again, would like to see better percentage but I am just curious about the actuals.
Estimated Pop Growth 2010-2018:
Des Moines - 15.06%
Detroit - .70
Minneapolis - 8.37
Cincinnati - 3.58
Columbus - 10.76
Louisville - 4.99
Pittsburgh - -1.34
Milwaukee - 1.30
Cleveland - -.97
Indianapolis - 8.52
Kansas City - 6.68
St. Louis - .64
Chicago - .40
Detroit seems to be outperforming its population growth - I’m guessing recovery of the auto industry has had something of an outsized impact on Detroit’s GDP. Pittsburgh is outperforming it’s population growth (which is actually a loss). KC and Indianapolis are underperforming there population growth. St. Louis and Chicago are underperforming against their population growth peers of Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Cleveland (again, I’d take Detroit as an outlier because of the outsized influence of a single industry).
Des Moines - 15.06%
Detroit - .70
Minneapolis - 8.37
Cincinnati - 3.58
Columbus - 10.76
Louisville - 4.99
Pittsburgh - -1.34
Milwaukee - 1.30
Cleveland - -.97
Indianapolis - 8.52
Kansas City - 6.68
St. Louis - .64
Chicago - .40
Detroit seems to be outperforming its population growth - I’m guessing recovery of the auto industry has had something of an outsized impact on Detroit’s GDP. Pittsburgh is outperforming it’s population growth (which is actually a loss). KC and Indianapolis are underperforming there population growth. St. Louis and Chicago are underperforming against their population growth peers of Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Cleveland (again, I’d take Detroit as an outlier because of the outsized influence of a single industry).
Interesting idea considering how polar opposite the two states are. One fiscally conservative, the other profligate. One growing moderately in population, the other shrinking.KansasCitian wrote:I think a lot of that can be chalked up to Missouri and Illinois being the two worst states in the Midwest to base a major city.
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Maybe it has more to do with St Louis’s fragment nature of doing business. I would think St Louis could grow at a more Indianapolis based clip if we weren’t competing with Clayton among other municipals. This will never change until we can get it right and begin to consolidate some things together. I personally believe St Louis has a lot more to offer than most midwest cities however our reputations are hurting us and keeping us from growing.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I think the recession of 2008 hit St. Louis much harder than most cities and it has taken a while for St. Louis to recover from it.
I think the 2020s will be much more friendly to St. Louis than the 2010s.
I think the 2020s will be much more friendly to St. Louis than the 2010s.
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I sometimes forget about the recession since it’s been almost a decade now. Anything is possible and I hope we begin to start getting real growth here
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm starting to disregard population growth as a significant reflection of health of an area. Seems "capitalistic".
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Good call. Reading on line post about areas that also has seen significant investment while shifting population. I've decided none of the stats being shared represent the sum of my experiences in the St. Louis area since 2001.cteclipse wrote: ↑Dec 17, 2019I'm starting to disregard population growth as a significant reflection of health of an area. Seems "capitalistic".
Seems like things have been better lately than looking at the last 9 years as a whole.
St. Louis County's economy grew 2.7% in 2018, slightly behind the U.S. growth rate of 2.9%. The city of St. Louis had a decent year, with 3.6% GDP growth.
The county estimates of GDP, which measures the value of all goods and services produced in an area, are for 2018. In that year, the St. Louis region's fastest-growing sub-economies were in two Metro East counties, Madison and Monroe, both of which grew at a 4.6% pace.
St. Louis County's GDP of $71.6 billion makes it by far the economic powerhouse of Missouri, accounting for fully a quarter of the state's output. Jackson County is second at $40.5 billion and the city of St. Louis is third at $28.5 billion. Greene County, home to Springfield, ranks fourth and St. Charles County, at $14.8 billion, is fifth.
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... user-share
St. Louis County's economy grew 2.7% in 2018, slightly behind the U.S. growth rate of 2.9%. The city of St. Louis had a decent year, with 3.6% GDP growth.
The county estimates of GDP, which measures the value of all goods and services produced in an area, are for 2018. In that year, the St. Louis region's fastest-growing sub-economies were in two Metro East counties, Madison and Monroe, both of which grew at a 4.6% pace.
St. Louis County's GDP of $71.6 billion makes it by far the economic powerhouse of Missouri, accounting for fully a quarter of the state's output. Jackson County is second at $40.5 billion and the city of St. Louis is third at $28.5 billion. Greene County, home to Springfield, ranks fourth and St. Charles County, at $14.8 billion, is fifth.
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... user-share
Not national, but kind of fun.
https://fox2now.com/2019/12/17/friendly ... r-patrons/
https://fox2now.com/2019/12/17/friendly ... r-patrons/
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Bit of a rehash of the earlier EarthCam webcam of the STL meteor, but that video made EarthCam's list of the 25 Most Interesting Webcams of 2019, FWIW. In any case, it's at least some good exposure for the city.
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So strange I was there a hour before that happened. Only if I stayed an extra hour but it was blistering cold.
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Why St. Louis Needs to Be Your Next Weekend Getaway
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/guide-to-st-louis
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/guide-to-st-louis
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Front Cover of New 2020 St. Louis Visitor's Guide. Photo by STL From Above (on Facebook), https://explorestlouis.com/travel-tools/visitors-guide/
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