Brewed Fresh Daily

Milwaukee has become the destination of choice for civic leaders in the Great Lakes looking to transform their economy. About a month ago, 40 leaders from Akron made the trip. They followed other groups from Flint, Detroit and Chicago.

When visiting Milwaukee, I find is a pragmatic attitude toward collaboration and innovation.

But it’s not just attitude. It’s the ability of leaders to come together and actually do something.

This action orientation has led to Milwaukee launching the nation’s most active cluster of companies in fresh water technologies — a huge growth opportunity. (The Purdue Center for Regional Development partnered to help launch this cluster in July 2008.)

More recently, Milwaukee launched a new innovation initiative, called MiKE. Top executives from Kohls and Briggs & Stratton in Milwaukee are leading the initiative.

Already, Milwaukee has been making its mark — changing its attitudes — with BizStarts Milwaukee.

In it’s first three years, BizStarts has reviewed 232 business plans and worked with 57 companies in its “start-up pipeline.” It has helped more than a dozen companies create 154 full-time-equivalent jobs and attract $24.5 million in early-stage capital.

Here’s some of what the Akron leaders observed.

Akron Visits Milwaukee | Some Quotes



Emerging Chefs and Cleveland Indians Announce Culinary All Stars



Emerging Chefs Announce 'Feast of the Deceased'


Gradually, the agenda for a new Cleveland — one built on brainpower, creativity, innovation and sustainability — is emerging to displace the tired, expensive, high risk agenda of a casino (with high rates of collateral damage and doubtful economic benefits given the saturated Midwest market for casinos), a convention center (entering a soft and overbuilt market), and the Med Mart (which nobody is quite sure how to describe, a multi-million dollar investment in search of a coherent value proposition and a business plan).

This “big thing” thinking — driven by real estate moguls not very well versed in the complexities of economic development in a networked world — will place tremendous pressure on the public finances of the County over the next decade. (The surprises are just now beginning to pop.)

Our County Council seems to becoming dimly aware of the cold realities of how these projects could blow a hole in County budgets for years to come. (County Executive Fitzgerald continues to paint a rosy picture for the Med Mart; yet, others are not so sure.)

The probability that the casino will attract more that 60% outside revenues (the approximate break point for a positive economic impact) is low. Social costs from problem gambling will quite predictably increase. The convention center and Med Mart will both predictably need operating subsidies. (No one is quite sure how much, though, because we have no business plans. One thing is certain: when you give away space, you can’t make it up on volume. Free is not a business model.)

In the midst of this mish mash, the report below is a real ray of sunshine. My hat goes off to all involved.

Sustainable CLE 2019 Resource Action Guide


The University of Akron has named the head of its new Lakewood campus.

University of Akron Names Its First Director of the Lakewood Campus

You can learn more about the Higher Education Center here.

Watch Thomas Mulready’s interview with the president of The University of Akron, Luis Proenza:

Gus Frangos, president of the Cuyahoga County land bank, points to a map of Cleveland that shows the more than 15,000 properties, represented by red dots, that suffered foreclosure and have to be dealt with. Many will be demolished under a special program to get rid of blight.
Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post You can check out the photo gallery here.

Good article in the Washington Post on Cuyahoga’s land bank:

Banks turn to demolition of foreclosed properties to ease housing-market pressures

Sadly, a casino in downtown Cleveland will predictably produce problem gamblers in these same inner city neighborhoods. The incidence of problem gambling rises significantly within 10 miles of a casino. Here’s data from a Cleveland State study:

It wil be interesting to see if the Greater Cleveland Partnership or the Cuyahoga County government will get out ahead of the coming storm over the Med Mart.

This project has all the characteristics of a really bad investment that could blow a permanent hole in the County’s budget.

The County’s investment was made without routine due diligence or a clear business plan.

Not smart.

Changeup in medical mart plans surprises longtime supporters, raises questions about viability

Med Mart Version 2.0: The original plan isn’t going to work. What about the latest one?