"It’s
important to maintain a sense of history and identity, but
not to the detriment of a community’s economic well being."
Thursday / November 20, 2008
How Can An Economy Thrive in a "Lifestyle" Region? Conversations with Richard Florida and Joel Kotkin
by Susan Holden Walsh
You don't need to tell people in the Rocky Mountain West
that it is a unique place to live. They know it. In fact,
many are in love with where they live. They've got big skies,
rarified air, majestic peaks, wild-west history, ancient
native traditions, frontier can-do mentality, reverence for
nature and the environment, active cities and universities
throughout the region, and the ultimate quality of life.
So, how can business thrive in a place with a "lifestyle" image,
such as the Rocky Mountain West? What are the advantages
and challenges to doing business there? Can passion for a
region translate into its economic viability in the future?
Two popular, national consultants may provide some insight.
We asked urban futurists, Richard Florida and Joel Kotkin
what's in store for the Rocky Mountain Region. The two met
on May 20th in Denver for a discussion, at a conference titled, "C3 – Culture,
Commerce, Community," organized by the University of
Colorado-Denver, the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs, Colorado
Council on the Arts, the Lab at Belmar and the Colorado Business
Committee of the Arts. On May 19, Kotkin was the keynote
speaker at Leadership Denver's Spring Forum, "FasTracks
and the New Urban Fabric of Metro Denver."
Because of their individual popularity, the media has portrayed
Florida and Kotkin as rivals being somewhat at odds with
each other. They respect each other's work and contribution
to the debate about the future. By comparing notes from their
interviews, it appears they have much to agree upon, due
in part to the interesting dynamics of the region. For instance,
there is a convergence in their views on economic development
for the region: it’s no longer about courting companies.
It’s about attracting the right people and feeding
their basic, culture, economic and aesthetic needs so they
will stay and create jobs.
Joel Kotkin:
Joel Kotkin, whose books include "The
New Geography" and his
recent release, "The City – A Global History," looks
at the evolution of cities and demographics with an eye on the future.
He writes that history has shown that in order for a city to be successful,
it needs to provide its citizens with three key things: "sacred
places, security, and an active marketplace." While he agrees that
sacred places could also be perceived as our region's natural spaces,
he stresses it's "an identity or sacred place, something that people
will fight for and care about." Rocky Mountain communities are no
doubt, strong on heritage and identity.
Starting with the historic purpose of cities, Kotkin analyzes
what we use cities for today and what we expect from them. "A
city's role, in order to be successful, is where the working
class has a chance to be the middle class, the middle class
has the chance to be the upper middle class, and the upper
middle class has the chance to get rich. On the economic
level, that’s their function." He points out,
however, that cities are changing. "Cities no longer
have the monopoly on culture. As people have moved to the
suburbs, they have brought culture with them. Jobs and educated
people are moving to smaller towns and suburbs. With technology,
corporate headquarters and large institutions no longer have
to be in big cities, it's the proximity to an airport that
is important."
Kotkin believes that "driven people, complaining about
congestion, are moving to smaller communities to work and
also enjoy life." There are two main groups of people
who are pushing these trends, according to Kotkin. First,
there are potential parents who are 30+ and are looking to
raise kids. And second, there are the 50+ "downshift
boomers" who are still working but looking for either
a nicer place to live or a cheaper place to live. It's the
semi-retired types who can be a big influence – lawyers,
bankers, doctors, high-end restauranteurs - who are choosing
lifestyle, but have no interest in promoting growth or creating
more competition. They have moved for and want to maintain
lifestyle."
Kotkin explains that newcomers bring an interesting and
invigorating set of skills and new ideas with them to develop
new business opportunities. Motivated to make a living where
they want to live, they find ingenuity to make it work. In
this case, it may not be about creating jobs as much as "the
people who live there will figure out something useful to
do."
Starting with the historic purpose of cities, Kotkin analyzes
what we use cities for today and what we expect from them. "A
city's role, in order to be successful, is where the working
class has a chance to be the middle class, the middle class
has the chance to be the upper middle class, and the upper
middle class has the chance to get rich. On the economic
level, that’s their function." He points out,
however, that cities are changing. "Cities no longer
have the monopoly on culture. As people have moved to the
suburbs, they have brought culture with them. Jobs and educated
people are moving to smaller towns and suburbs. With technology,
corporate headquarters and large institutions no longer have
to be in big cities, it's the proximity to an airport that
is important." 
