Focus Areas

Looking ahead 20 years to create a regional plan is a big job. Like all big jobs, we are beginning with small steps to make sure we stay on the right course and invest our resources responsibly. Launch 2035 is not a glossy plan that sits on the shelf, but a call to action from leaders across the region to find and go after economic opportunities that benefit the entire region.

In year one, we selected three high-priority areas of focus where we believe the investments we make and actions we take can have positive ripple effects – generating new jobs and business opportunities – across the region:

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Create a regional entrepreneurial ecosystem to grow local businesses and diversify the regional economy.


View the Subcomittee Roster

Land Use

Land Use

Support enhanced regional land-use planning, including outdoor recreation, greenways, land preservation, innovative neighborhood concepts, and integrated transportation planning.

View the Subcomittee Roster
Download the Singing River Trail RFP
View the Singing River Trail Q&A

Workforce

Workforce

Develop a regional plan for workforce development that addresses K-12 through higher education and strategies to attract innovative, creative talent.


View the Subcomittee Roster

These three issue areas share several traits. They present opportunities for regional action where working together benefits the entire region. They offer the prospect of quick results – we believe that we can identify strategies and investments that can create tangible change for our region over the next 12-18 months. Finally, and most importantly, they are issues that demand private sector leadership. While we plan to work with local elected officials, we believe that business and organizational leaders working with a long-term view will ensure the success of this effort. In addition, we are investing our time and resources to pursue this goal.

We encourage you to join us on this exciting journey!