Day: March 14, 2011

Action Steps for Cities

Posted by Rickey Hayes on March 14, 2011 in Blog | No Comments

Written by
Rickey Hayes
Retail Attractions, LLC

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a plain spoken kind of guy. I have found in my five decades of living that people need to say what they mean. Sometimes being “politically correct” and “being careful not to offend anybody” makes us unable to discuss reality. And let’s be sure of one thing: Reality IS that cities around the country are in competition for their very lives. An Associated Press article on Feb. 22, 2011, stated that the 2010 federal census data had confirmed that 1 out of 4 counties across the country were literally dying: death rates exceed birth rates and in-migration is not making up the difference. That is reality.

Some myths, or non-realities, commonly believed by communities include that the future is already fixed in some kind of fatalistic matrix and whatever is going to happen is going to happen anyway (for good or bad) and that there is nothing we can do to change the way things are. Our view, indeed anyone’s view, of “the way things are” is shaped by how we interpret our surroundings and the events taking place. How about changing the fundamental way we think about those events? Of course things and communities can be changed for the positive. It has happened in communities all over the world. If it were true that nothing could be different, we would all still be riding horses to work.

So:what needs to happen?

  • First, face REALITY. If things are bad: streets, neighborhoods, tax revenue:.whatever the problem is:it has to be fully acknowledged and analyzed.
  • Second, somebody has to cast a vision. Maybe it is the mayor, city manager, or maybe it is a citizen or a student. What could our city be, unhampered by “what is” right now? A vision, properly communicated, is sometimes all the motivation that is needed.
  • Third, someone has to lead. In my humble opinion, leadership or the lack of it is what is wrong in Washington, in state capitols, and in city halls all over this land. I’m not talking about politics:there is no lack of that. I’m talking about leadership.
  • Fourth, communities have to devote time, energy, and yes, money to address issues. I can hear people saying it now: “that’s the problem:we have no money.” That situation alone should be enough to motivate communities to think differently about their circumstances. Being broke has motivated me many times to change my priorities.

Let me say one more thing. If you keep doing what you’ve always done:you are going to keep getting what you’ve always got. Changing your circumstances isn’t easy and it isn’t comfortable. But it’s necessary if you want your community to be a living, breathing, thriving city where citizens experience the quality of life, level of service, education, employment, opportunity and entertainment that makes your city the one they (and the businesses that serve them!) want to stay in and grow with.

Let Retail Attractions help you. We have helped dozens of communities in several states see and change reality. Our firm can help you cast a vision and set a course for a thriving community where people want to live, work, shop and dine. Contact us today to make a seemingly overwhelming task more manageable.

Rickey Hayes is the principal of Retail Attractions, LLC, a firm dedicated to helping cities and developers successfully find retail sites, close deals and improve the quality of life for our client cities.