Competitive Livability: How Regions Prosper

The economy in the Twin Cities is vibrant. Office buildings are going up all over Minneapolis, according to Chuck Ballentine, director of the city of Minneapolis planning department, and more than 34,000 workers have been brought to downtown since 1995. Corporate managers, however, report that it is still difficult to recruit employees from other parts of the country. When most people think of Minnesota, they think of cold feet, cabins in the wilderness, and a mall the size of Rhode Island. Much of this is just bad public relations; once people do move to the area, they never want to leave. What holds them is a combination of natural beauty, a lively cultural scene, a raft of educational opportunities, and a sense of community.

Thanks to Urban Land Magazine