Enliven Nightlife to Attract Millenials

Montgomery County wants to be the life of the party. To do so, it's establishing a special taskforce to boost its nighttime economy and attract millenials, reports Bill Turque.

1 minute read

February 18, 2013, 1:00 PM PST

By boramici


Nightlife in Tel Aviv

isrealtourism / Flickr

Montgomery County, Maryland, home to several affluent Washington, D.C. suburbs, wants to attract millenials. It spends over $180,000 educating its young from kindergarten to grade 12 only to lose them to urban settings when they graduate college.

Overshadowed by nearby D.C. in urban amenities, lacking an urban-style transportation network and aging faster than any other county in the metro area, Montgomery's share in the 24-35 age bracket is at 19 percent, while its elderly population grew by nearly 40 percent in the last decade.

A new county has to take root along the old, said County Executive Isaiah Leggett, emphasizing the need to grow the tax base to support the aging population.

Legislative measures under consideration include loosening liquor laws and noise ordinances and developing urban features like outdoor movies and cafes in the hopes that young people will want to live, work and play locally.  A new Taskforce on the Nighttime Economy will study how to improve nightlife offerings through more live music venues, bars and restaurants.

New urban-style developments along mass transit in Silver Spring and White Flint (Rockville) will provide both high-end and moderately-priced housing, retail, entertainment and open space for newcomers, but the County still needs to fight the perception that it's a good place to move to after age 35.

Saturday, February 16, 2013 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight