Communities have to provide a high quality education in order to give our youth the best educational foundations possible. This initiative looks at K through adult education. Education and opportunities for education must be a positive factor when businesses and families are considering this area. Furthermore, colleges as well as vocational schools need to be strengthened and integrated into the larger community initiatives to provide advanced education opportunities.
This initiative includes: educational environment; learning opportunities/instructional programs; academic performance; customer service; continuous educational opportunities; at-risk population and education community workforce.
Infrastructure needs to be assessed and brought up to a state where it facilitates the development of new business as well as attracting new people to the area. This includes housing, water, sewer, roads, communications, etc. This initiative is critical to providing the foundation that future development will take as well as the direction for where specific types of development will occur and guidelines on how they are done to ensure continuity and consistency with surrounding buildings, facilities, etc. Housing, parking, time-period architecture, zoning, etc. are addressed here. This initiative will entail more difficult decisions in many cases than the other initiatives when relocation of individuals is required.
People who live locally as well as those we want to relocate there require an environment where they have access to restaurants, theaters, etc. This initiative examines the cultural aspects of local communities. The initiative has been broken down into the categories of museums/libraries, performance art, parks, festivals and retail/food/lodging services. The area is rich in cultural assets and this initiative would work to improve existing institutions as well as introduce new ones. The Ohio River is a major asset for the area that has not been utilized effectively and must be incorporated in this as well as other initiatives.
Given that nothing can be accomplished without funding, this initiative will address ideas that will be explored to identify and locate new funding sources. This will also include developing strong relationships with State and Federal elected officials and agencies.
This initiative addresses two key financing issues. The first was the development of a non-profit entity that will be able to market the region, work with the various governmental economic development agencies, and have the ability to obtain both private and public funding. The second is the formation of an entity that will be available to provide private investment in new businesses and real estate ventures throughout the region.
Recognizing that traditional manufacturing businesses will no longer provide the primary employment base required for economic growth, this initiative identifies growth industries and strategies to attract companies in those industries. This program looks at five primary business groupings.
As a result of current business development activities; Soaring Eagle, Inc. (SEI), NewLife Academy of Information Technology and Computer Management Group could provide hundreds if not thousands of new jobs directly as well as establishing a foundation to attract other related businesses. IT can be the catalyst as well as long term business foundation.
The IT program seeks to make an economic impact by using the knowledge industry professionals have utilized in building technology businesses. The vision is to train qualified sons and daughters that have limited employment options at NewLife Academy. These people can not or will not leave for higher-paying jobs, thus continuing the downward spiral of lost hope and a declining local economy.
The concept goes one step further by actually employing the individuals trained in the IT field in an apprentice program at SEI. Unlike other ministries and community service organizations, Soaring Eagle is a for-profit company that seeks to not only serve its customers with high-quality, low-cost software development, but also serve its employees and their communities. SEI's mission is to provide hope and opportunity for employees from the Tri-State area through the generation of a profit that will also sustain the mission.
Locating in an economically distressed area and utilizing the low cost to live and do business in this area, Soaring Eagle will develop a competitive alternative to organizations currently taking American jobs out of the U.S. This is the market need that will fuel Soaring Eagle's growth. This program will help the economically disadvantaged, counter the off-shore movement of American jobs and complements Ohio's Third Frontier Initiative.
The quality of the training and career development are assured by an investment in a team of experienced, "seasoned" professionals, each of which have had a hand in the on-going development of the vision.
The success of these IT organizations will provide a solid base of "service industry" employment in information technology. Given that Soaring Eagle can provide the general marketplace with apprentices with two years of experience in contemporary technologies, this business model can attract regional and potentially national notice which could draw other business to this area but at a minimum will provide publicity for the area.
Complement the current activities of the Port Authority, Chamber of Commerce, the local Business Association et. al. to bring businesses to the area that can benefit from our geographic location and the transportation of goods to major markets in the US.
The Tri-State area is in the Cleveland to Pittsburgh business corridor which is the 4th largest market in the U.S. This area is also within a few hundred miles of approximately 60% of the U.S. market. Ohio also is a hub for interstate and railroad traffic. Considering these facts and that the Tri-State is also on the Ohio River providing access to barge transportation, this area has significant development potential in other areas as well for firms looking for centralized access to major markets.
Establish a new business incubator. The Tri-State is only 50 miles from Pittsburgh, 35 miles from an international airport, 100 miles from Cleveland, and there are major universities in these cities like Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh, Case Western and several others. Given that Kent State University (KSU) has a campus in East Liverpool that can provide access to KSU resources and that the cost of doing business in this area is significantly cheaper than Pittsburgh or Cleveland this can be a very attractive location for start-ups.
Small businesses that will provide services to the overall community that develops from the first two business groupings above, as well as those start-up firms with general business potential.
Expanding and improving retail businesses.
Building on the tourist assets that already exist in the area will be pursed. This initiative will assess the possibility of utilizing the variety of attractions in the Tri-State area to attract a steady flow of tourist dollars into the area. It would also evaluate the possibility of developing new attractions based on area strengths and history. Examples maybe a riverboat museum, a riverboat festival, use the river to develop concerts synchronized to fountains in the river, redevelop sections of the Erie Canal for it's history and potentially rides on canal barges, etc.
Our area has the potential to become an attractive area for retirees if developed properly. While we will never attract those desiring a warmer climate, there are local assets that can be developed to provide an alternative to retirees.
Given the low cost of living in the Tri-State area there is potential to develop the area as a retirement destination for people that are looking for options other than the sun-belt. If the area offered other amenities it could build on having a local hospital, proximity to world-class health care in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, the beauty of the area, etc.
The initiatives above require that they be sold to others. Local people need to be shown how this will benefit them and new companies and people have to be enticed and convinced that the Tri-State area can provide solutions to their needs.
The plan needs to be sold to the overall community to gain support as well as develop support for the difficult decisions that will be made for the overall good of the Tri-State area. This initiative will also focus on improving local attitudes to become more pro-business and pro-growth.