20 Things Economic Developers Need to Know This Week
The stories Dane thinks you need to see. April 24, 2025 edition.
Welcome to this week's issue of What Economic Developers Need to Know This Week, where we explore the evolving dynamics of our economy.
This week we have 20 tools, stories, graphics, charts and videos that I think you'll find informative, useful, inspiring, and perhaps even humorous. Some are economic development related directly, and some only indirectly. 🤔
If you're wondering what to do with the info in this newsletter, send something to your board members. It will make you look good!
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1) Economic Development and Developers in the News # 192 - Econ dev news from 91 economic development executives and organizations in 31 states.
2) Podcast 170: The Art of Downtown Transformation in Birmingham with David Fleming - Yes, They Built a Park Under an Interstate. (And No, They're Not Sorry)
3) 24 New Econ Dev Jobs This Week - 24 new economic development jobs in 16 states from $44 to $250k+
4) What Kills a Deal? Uncertainty, Every Time. - 8 of 10 site selectors identify missing data as the primary deal-breaker.
Are you a regional EDO that has to beg your cities to submit their sites for your RFIs? Sitehunt can help.
5) The Richmond Fed's regional manufacturing index registered a sharp pullback this month:
6) At the national level, capital spending intentions have collapsed to their weakest level since early 2020, signaling a sharp deterioration in business investment sentiment:
7) Share of respondents spending $1,000 or more on home insurance by country:
8) I think that this study is BS, but here it is: "While most Americans agree that having more manufacturing in the United States would be better for the country, much fewer U.S. residents could see themselves working in the sector."
9) Illinois metro areas take the top four spots for nation's highest property taxes:
10) A helpful chart to visualize China's impact on American manufacturing:
11) How old are you compared to the rest of the world?
