Drinking The 'Downtown Revitalization' Kool-Aid

Boosters like to sell downtown revitalization as crucial to a region's economic interest -- but for most cities, that's rarely the case.

1 minute read

August 4, 2007, 11:00 AM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera

In his final column for a Phoenix paper, Tom Gibbons writes:

"The two occupations with the biggest boosters for subsidizing back-to-the-future downtown revitalization are university faculty and business journalists.

Then there's me. Despite having taught college classes and, for the past five years, toiling as business editor here, I just haven't gotten with the program."

"I have nothing against downtowns, or sports venues or arts centers or bio-tech. I think they add something to a city or a region. But let's not pretend that money we spend on these ventures will all come back to us with interest added. These subsidies are expenses, not investments. "

FULL STORY: A farewell rant about downtown revitalization efforts

Tuesday, July 31, 2007 in East Valley Tribune

Community / Economic Development Government / Politics Urban Development United States

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

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