Investment
A Bust to Follow China's Building Boom?
The economic stimulus of China has focused billions of dollars on building skyscrapers. Some wonder whether a building bust may soon follow.
Business Week
Vancouver's Recession Olympics
Vancouver lost its Triple A credit rating after being forced to bail out its Olympic Athletes Village when the hedge fund that had backed it went under -- just one of the unpredicted events that made this a Recession Olympics.
Financial Times
Wide Web of High Speed Rail Could Boost Congressional Spending
The projects receiving funding through the federal government's roughly $8 billion high speed rail investment travel through more than 40% of congressional districts. Analysts predict this will encourage more legislators to push for related funds.
The New York Times
Former Mayor Calls Vancouver Olympics Investment Worthwhile
The Tyee talks with former Vancouver Mayor and British Columbia Premier Mike Harcourt, who argues that the investment to host the 2010 Winter Olympics are worthwhile.
The Tyee
Infrastructure Goes Mainstream
Over the last decade, infrastructure went from the realm of policy wonks to the front pages. the Alex Marshall argues that this bodes well for infrastructure in the future.
Regional Plan Association
Outside Vancouver, Smaller Towns Skeptical About Olympic Benefits
Locals in some of the smaller towns of British Columbia are skeptical that they will see the economic benefits of the this year's Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Winnipeg Free Press
Accustomed to Decline, One Neighborhood in Flint Bucks Trend
Take two seemingly unrelated words: Flint and Gentrification. Now put them together. What you get is an unexpected rebirth in one part of the struggling city -- a neighborhood where home ownership and community investment are actually increasing.
The New York Times
The Planetizen News Brief - 7/30/09
4:40 minutes (4.34 MB)
Concerns over the Supreme Court nominee's eminent domain leanings, Chicago's expensive Olympic bid, and Brazil's even more expensive World Cup -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.
Cost Concerns Linger Over Chicago's Olympic Bid
Organizers claim city money won't be needed as Chicago edges closer to securing the 2016 Summer Olympics, but locals are wary about the costs that could fall on them. The recession is exacerbating concerns.
The New York Times
Ports Weather Recession as Investments Pour In
The entire country is in recession, but the nation's ports are experiencing a flood of interest from investors, according to this article from Reason.
Reason Foundation
Mexico to Invest Billions in Infrastructure
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has announced a $4.3 billion plan to improve the country's infrastructure, schools and housing stock.
BBC
Beijing Sees Brighter Future Than Athens
As the Olympics leave town, Beijing appears to be in a much better position to benefit from the games than previous Summer Olympic host Athens.
Yahoo Sports
As Venues Sit Unused, Athens Feels Olympic Remorse
Four years after it hosted the Summer Olympics, Athens is questioning whether the $15 billion investment in venues that now largely sit unused was really worth it.
The Christian Science Monitor
Goldman Sachs Sees Gold in Humboldt, CA
Humboldt's port shows promise, but would require massive investment. Goldman Sachs expresses an interest, surprising locals.
Times-Standard, Northern California
Fueling a Town's Future
The small Arkansas town of El Dorado has experienced an economic rebirth since an oil company offered to pay college tuition and fees for all graduating high school seniors.
Iraq War Spending: What Could We Have Built Instead?
Robert Pollin & Heidi Garrett-Peltier writing in The Nation show that the U.S. has spent hundreds of billions of dollars in Iraq that could have been much more productively invested in public goods like sustainable infrastructure.
The Nation
Report Calls for More Transit Investment
A recent report form the U.S. Public Interest Research Group highlights the arguments for increased investment in public transportation.
U.S. PIRG, the Federation of State Public Interest Research Groups
Universities Reconnect with Cities
Universities across the country are reviving their connections to their host cities, participating in urban renewal projects and investing in their cities' futures.
The Columbian
Planetizen picks
Contribute
- Broken Inner-City Freeway Reborn as Garden
- Residential Growth Cap Overruling Could Reshape California
- How Much Would You Pay?
- Higher Fees Drive Developers to Outskirts
- Embracing Entrepreneurship to Revive Cleveland
- Replacing Empty Storefronts With Fake Ones
- Forecasting the New American Economy
- Finding Ways to Create "Emerald Necklaces" in Built-Out Cities
- The Urban Farms of New York
- Introducing the "Parklet"
Conventional Planning May Be Contributing to Cleveland's Decline -- Samuel Staley
Inside the City of RVs -- Nate Berg
Parking Policy Reform More Important Than LEED Certification -- Todd Litman
Exploring Web 2.0 in Urban Planning -- Chris Steins
Sprawl In Canada and the U.S.: A Comparison -- Michael Lewyn
FREE Upcoming IEDC Webinar: Carbon Cap and Trade and Economic Development
International Economic Development Council
Mar 18, 2010
Baltimore & New Orleans Select INDEX for Regional Visioning Support
Criterion Planners
Mar 18, 2010
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