What defines the “Roanoke Region”?
Posted on August 25, 2008
It’s been 25 years since the governments of our region saw the wisdom of working together for economic growth. Since forming the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership in 1983, the theory of working together has been tested
in virtually every conceivable combination. In the late 90s, a group of leaders proposed that all of the economic development entities in the region join forces and truly work together as one staff. That proposal met swift resistance and failed. Soon after that, the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission helped broaden the scope of collaboration with neighboring economic development groups and formed NewVa. It, too, met resistance and withered.
Now, the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership has changed its name to the Roanoke Regional Partnership, complete with a new logo and new executive director. This time, the organization is shooting for a happy medium that encourages cooperation without a merger and encourages regionalism without a formal alliance. The Partnership also boasts a new $7 million, five-year budget that matches private sector donations with public funding.
The Partnership will continue to spend more than half of its time and money recruiting new businesses to the area. However, these efforts will include a new emphasis on retail recruitment. As the Partnership focuses more on attracting young professionals, good retail is a critical amenity. The remainder of the Partnership’s budget will be spent on building the region’s image, awareness and infrastructure.
The leadership at the Partnership freely admits that the Roanoke Region is simply not on the radar for the majority of prospects, be they companies or independent professionals. The first major investment the Partnership made was in a new Web site that will give prospects a 360-degree view of the region. Along with the launch of the new Roanoke.org Web site, the Partnership will be spending money on Web banners and search engines to drive traffic. Investing in a better Web presence will certainly guide the first-impressions of interested parties. But what, if anything, puts Roanoke on the radar of interested parties in the first place?
To get “on the radar,” it takes a compelling story that will be picked up and passed along. Right now, the Roanoke Region’s story is a lot like a hundred other mid-sized metro areas in America. It’s difficult to say what sets the Roanoke Region apart from its competitors. In fact, it’s difficult to establish a set of competitors. Based solely on data like size, growth rate, and geography, the Roanoke Region is similar to places like Kingsport, Tennessee or Columbus, Georgia. Quite frankly, virtually every city of similar size in the Southeast can claim a decent quality of life and scenic landscapes.
Part of the problem with defining and branding the Roanoke Region is just how fragmented it is. The Partnership represents the counties of Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke, the cities of Covington, Roanoke and Salem and the Town of Vinton. Each municipality has its own set of priorities and its own organizations to pursue economic strategies. The members of the Partnership also compete with one another for development and tourism. One would think that the first order of business would be to get all of those entities on the same page.
However, the Partnership is already more than a year into a five-year program of work. Trying to build consensus among nine municipalities would take valuable time. So, the Partnership will not be spending the next year trying to convince its members to present themselves using the new Roanoke Region identity. For instance, the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, which represents the same group of municipalities, will not be marketing the “Roanoke Region” as a destination brand.
Having learned from the pitfalls of the past, the Partnership will not be proposing the consolidation of economic development groups within the region. While it enjoys a good relationship with Virginia Tech, it will not be attempting a broader partnership, like NewVa, that reaches into neighboring regions. Most of the region’s administrators, including the Partnership’s new Executive Director, Beth Doughty, were directly involved with both of these failed consolidation efforts. This time around, the Partnership seems more focused on results and less on symbolic alliances.
According to the Partnership, the values statement that guides its efforts has been met with general acceptance:
The Roanoke Region offers the best balance between outdoor recreation and urban amenities of any area in the eastern United States. Residents and visitors have easy access to some of the best cycling, fishing, water sports, and hiking in North America. The region also offers a diverse arts community, acclaimed higher learning, desirable retail, a commitment to “green” improvements, and a favorable cost-of-living. All this, paired with the scenic beauty of the mountains and a mild-temperate climate, make the Roanoke Region an exceptional place to visit, work, live, and invest.
Again, the difficulty will be making the Roanoke Region stand out by creating a story that is unique. It’s no surprise that the value statement is agreeable. If you took the words “Roanoke Region” out of it, the people in Kingsport would probably nod in approval too. Maybe it’s because every city in America with less than a half-million residents is desperately seeking an influx of young professionals. Maybe it’s because every economic development study tells us that young professionals like expensive mountain bikes, martini bars, boutiques, art galleries, higher salaries, lower housing costs and green living. Whatever the reason for the parity among America’s mid-sized cities, the Roanoke Region’s story has to be different to be memorable.
If the Partnership spends the next four years increasing population growth rates and household incomes, the initiative will be considered a success. However, the larger success will come when educated young professionals can move here and enjoy the opportunities and relative income they have worked so hard to earn. Until the Roanoke Region can compete on that level, any gains will be purely statistical.
To be clear, the Roanoke Region’s current situation is not the result of anything that our economic development authority has failed to do in the past. The Partnership’s strategy is valid, with clearly defined goals and a new level of accountability. No doubt, it’s good to have responsible, concerned business people involved in promoting smart growth. Let’s hope the effort attracts more smart people who will find a community that values their ideas, gives them a unique place to apply their skills and is able to offer them competitive compensation.
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