Detroit Region Aerotropolis: On the cutting EDGE

Our region faces many challenges in 2009. The current economic downturn is a reminder that we need to cooperate in building a new economic model for our state. This new model requires that the public and private sector work together to identify ways to diversify our economy, and produce new goods and services that can be sold to rest of the world. Through crisis, our region has a chance to redefine itself and shape our common future.

The Detroit Region Aerotropolis initiative attempts to anticipate and build upon these changes in our economy. Our region will always occupy a strategic position in the global marketplace. The Aerotropolis concept, as the name implies, entails aviation-oriented development and a business environment that stresses speed and accessibility. The effort builds upon Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports, both with unique advantages in terms of aviation and trade, as well as our region's other transportation assets including our border crossings, rail infrastructure, and our interstates. The effort also builds upon our people, our exceptional educational institutions, and our history of engineering innovation. These assets are our region's economic drivers, and reflect the foundation that has brought our partners together to form a common vision for the Aerotropolis region.

So far, seven local governments and Washtenaw County have adopted an intergovernmental agreement to form an Aerotropolis Development Corporation (ADC).  We will be submitting the agreement to the Wayne County Commission by May 1st, and we anticipate their approval by the end of May. The ADC reflects their commitment to progress, and to common ownership in our future. Within a few months, the ADC will be up and running to attract businesses to our region. I commend Washtenaw County Administrator Bob Guenzel, and the mayors, supervisors, and council members that have chosen to take this courageous step toward greater regional collaboration. I also commend the economic development directors, planners, and governance stakeholders who have worked so hard to advance the Aerotropolis initiative.

Our goals are many, but our top priority is to create jobs for the citizens of our region and the state. With aggressive implementation, our studies have shown that development of the Aerotropolis could create more than 60,000 jobs and generate billions in annual economic impact. Wayne County and the Aerotropolis partners are working diligently to diversify our economy by attracting firms in alternative energy, green logistics, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. We look forward to working closer with businesses, downtown development authorities, and chambers of commerce in the Aerotropolis region to address common needs and concerns.

New jobs require an educated and trained workforce. We are blessed to have some of the best colleges and universities in the nation here in Michigan. The ADC will help facilitate partnerships to train our citizens for new economy jobs with the hope of curbing the exodus of young people from our state.

We will also explore new transit options to connect our airports to our established business districts in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Oakland County. Our desire is to make jobs in the Aerotropolis accessible to all citizens of our region, and to enhance the infrastructure that connects the Aerotropolis with the rest of Metro Detroit.  With proper planning, we will link our green spaces, maximize mobility and accessibility in the Aerotropolis region, and develop in a manner that respects and enhances our existing development.

Our partners also know that we must enhance dialogue with other local governments, counties, and the state of Michigan, and allow these stakeholders to feel ownership in our effort. The Aerotropolis can and will be a win-win situation for the city of Detroit, Oakland County, and other cities and counties in the region and state. As our auto companies reform their models and supply chains, so must we find ways to pool our assets and talents, and encourage more regional cooperation. The Aerotropolis project demonstrates what is possible when we work together to define our common future. Our hope is that, together, we can facilitate new economic growth in our region and state.