Dialogue on how we can create jobs from quality of place?
On December 6, 2010, the Maine Quality of Place Council hosted an open forum to hear from investors, funders, business people, conservationists, downtown developers and others interested in creating jobs based on Maine’s distinctive quality of place. Participants generated hundreds of ideas. Check back to this site as we compile and synthesize them.
Speaker presentations:
- Stephen Carson, CEO, Enterprise Saint John, Saint John, NB: Quality of Place, Saint John: A Case Study
- Michael LeVert, State Economist, State Planning Office: Setting the Stage, Quality of Place and the Economy
- Michael Eisensmith, Economic Development Director, Northern Maine Development Commission: Mobilize Northern Maine
The quality of place dialogue generated ideas to inform the Maine Quality of Place Council and other policymakers on the steps they can take to create jobs from Maine’s place-based assets.
PURPOSE
WHO: Investors, funders, business people, conservationists, downtown developers, and others interested in creating jobs.
WHAT: A dialogue to generate ideas and solutions on the theme "How Can We Create Jobs from Quality of Place?"
WHY: To gather your ideas and use them to inform the Quality of Place Council and other policy makers on steps they can take to create jobs based on Maine's place-based assets. |
Lakeside Orchards, Manchester |
THEME: CREATING JOBS FROM QUALITY OF PLACE
Most of us agree that Maine has some wonderful assets --our coast, mountains, lakes, farmland, forests, historic downtowns, people, and communities. But protecting these assets by itself is not enough.
Quality of place is Maine's comparative advantage. It is the key to attracting people, investments, and businesses to Maine. But how do we leverage our quality of place to create new jobs?
Consider Acadia National Park and the Farnsworth Museum, two relevant examples. By preserving the park and attracting visitors, businesses and educational and research organizations have been able to thrive in that region. Similarly, by investing in the artistic heritage of the Wyeth family, the Farnsworth is now the economic anchor for the city of Rockland that has attracted new galleries, restaurants, and businesses.
Please bring your success stories of how jobs have been created in your region, and your ideas for new quality of place investments.
Keynote
Steve Carson, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Saint John
In the late 1990s, Saint John, New Brunswick was widely seen as a gritty city in decline. Residents were leaving and morale was low. Fast forward to today: young people are engaged and excited about the future of their community; newcomers and immigrants are discovering Saint John as an innovative and creative city; and over 200,000 cruise passengers now visit annually to explore its heritage and culture.
Join Steve Carson, CEO of Enterprise Saint John, as he shares the story of how Saint John turned itself around into a thriving, prosperous and desirable city in less than fifteen years time. Hear about the strategies that Saint John uses to attract people, ideas and investments, including regional cooperation and True Growth, a philosophy which balances economic goals with social, cultural and environmental priorities. Learn how they were able to identify and market their assets, engage stakeholders, and prioritize strategic public investments.
Discover how through the leadership of Enterprise Saint John and its partners, the Saint John community has become a magnet for innovation, creativity and business investment where you can live life on your terms.
AGENDA
- 9:00: Welcome and introductions
- 9:15: Keynote: Steve Carson, Executive Director, Enterprise Saint John
- 10:00: Panel: Quality of Place and the Economy
- Mike LeVert, State Economist
- Walt Elish, President, Aroostook Partnership for Progress
- 11:00: Break
- 11:15-12:00: Develop Dialogue Discussion Topics
- 12:00-12:15: Box lunch
- 12:15-1:30: Breakout sessions I
- 1:30-3:00: Breakout sessions II
- 3:00-3:30: Summary and Close
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Camden Harbor
Photo by Maine Tourism Commission |
ABOUT THE DIALOGUE
OPEN FORUM: We will use an open forum where participants identify the topics they wish to discuss on the theme, "How do we create jobs from quality of place?" These topics will become the agenda for the dialogue. Participants join breakout sessions to discuss the topics that interest them.
FACILITATOR: Sue Inches, Deputy Director, State Planning Office. Sue has facilitated numerous open forums in Maine and elsewhere.
PREPARATION: Please review the quality of place background paper: Place and Prosperity and come prepared to talk about how you have created jobs that take advantage of Maine's quality of place. We want to hear your successes, ideas, and concerns.
THEN WHAT: We will post the ideas on the Maine Quality pf Place Council's web site, who will use them to help create jobs from our place-based assets.
SPONSORS
The event was hosted by the Maine Quality of Place Council and generously sponsored by:
with additional support from:
We thank them for their support.
