Recent Rankings

REGIONAL STRENGTH
Des Moines is the # 1 Best City for Young Professionals Forbes, July 2011

Des Moines living costs are 10% below the national average. The Council for Community and Economic Research, 2011

Des Moines ranks as the #1 richest metro , with the highest median income relative to cost of living. U.S. News & World Report, June 2011

Des Moines ranks #2 for Business and Careers.

Forbes, 2011 Des Moines ranks as a top cool city in America. Mens Journal, March 2011

Regional Community
PARTNERS

Capital Crossroads
REGION

Strategy will focus on Greater Des Moines but acknowledge key competitive issues and opportunities impacted by the Central Iowa geography

Capital Crossroads
TRI-CHAIRS

Angela Connolly, Polk County

Board of Supervisors

J. Barry Griswell, Community Foundation

of Greater Des Moines

Cara Heiden, Greater Des Moines Partnership

Wells Fargo (retired)

Capital Crossroads
PUBLIC INPUT

Nearly 5,000 people - Double the typical response! 50 one-on-one interviews 30 focus groups (ISU moderated half) 2 online surveys (one specific to YPs) 2 public meetings (January and April)

Capital Crossroads
Compares us to:

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Omaha, NE Madison, WI Denver, CO

IDs sectors with greatest potential:

Finance and Insurance Information Solutions Health and Wellness Agribusiness Advanced Manufacturing Logistics

Regional Challenges
RESEARCH FINDINGS
External perception of Greater Des Moines and Central Iowa Divergent economic/demographic/education trends in City of DSM vs. Region Potential over-concentration of finance and insurance employment Risk-averse attitudes, no go-to small-business support entity, and lack of formal networking capacity limiting entrepreneurial/start-up development Evolving but still restrictive tech transfer and commercialization at ISU Perceived tax inequities Above average airfares and a lack of direct flights at DSM Lack of critical mass of entertainment amenities and districts Widening philanthropic gap as current leaders step aside Persistent parochialism that hamstrings regional efforts

Neighborhood Improvement

Downtown

Regional Context

CAPITAL CORE
Leverage key assets as catalysts for neighborhood development and revitalization Explore the creation of a Des Moines Land Bank Authority to buy and hold land for future development Enhance the capacity and promotion of tools enabling property-owners to upgrade their homes

Rick Clark Mary OKeefe

Nine Neighborhoods

Commonwealth

Urban Core

URBAN CORE
Resource and develop an Urban Core Initiative modeled on the Harlem Childrens Zone program Implement the Pathways Case Management System in Central Iowa Increase awareness and usage of United Ways existing support, measurement and coordination tools

Elisabeth Buck Teree Caldwell-Johnson Tom Urban

Grow Whats Here

Start-Up and Sustain

Market and Attract

BUSINESS CAPITAL
Improve Central Iowas business climate Empower, enhance and support an entrepreneurial network Create a more visible and higher-capacity conveyor-belt to support technology startups and expansion Explore the expansion of international marketing efforts Optimize existing business retention and expansion programs

Kathryn Kunert Mark Miller Sharon Quisenberry

Coordinate

Brand and Market

Plan

CAPITAL CORRIDOR

Optimize the Ames-Des Moines Corridor Marketing Group to coordinate Capital Corridor planning and development Efforts Confirm a property inventory and list of current and planned developments

Foster virtual connections across the Capital Corridor

Greg Geoffroy Steve Zumbach

Cradle to Career

Talent Magnet

Social Well-Being

HUMAN CAPITAL

Formalize education and career-training pipelines for Central Iowas target business sectors
Ensure that universal pre-kindergarten programming is provided for all Central Iowa children in the short- and long-term future

Develop a collaborative tutor-recruitment effort for Greater Des Moines schools

Ensure Central Iowa colleges, universities, and workforce entities have the capacity necessary to train all eligible students Develop a comprehensive and coordinated graduate retention strategy

Scott Johnson David Wilkerson

Catalogue and Advocate

Define and Design

Market and Measure

WELLNESS CAPITAL
Research and catalogue existing wellness-related efforts and entities Assess potential buy-in for development of a comprehensive, coordinated and measureable wellness Initiative Form a Program-Design Committee to create the specifications of the wellness initiative Develop performance measurements and outcome metrics to assess the efficacy of the wellness initiative Market Central Iowas wellness initiative to the nation and world Laura Jackson Sheila Laing

Leadership

Diversity

Community and Civility

SOCIAL CAPITAL
Develop a program to offer a credential to confirm potential leaders acquisition of key knowledge and skills Optimize young professional networking and programming Develop and staff a Central Iowa Multi-Cultural Center

Continue efforts to foster dialogue on civility and its role in community-building

Kristi Knous Phil Hodgin

Capacity and Coordination

Infrastructure and Events

CommunityBuilding

CULTURAL
Connect regional communities and visitors with arts, cultural, heritage, architecture, and public art assets Advance the vision and mindset of the arts as a critical component of the communitys fabric Enhance efforts to develop a regional music economy Leverage the arts to bring different constituencies together Mary Cownie Brian Laurenzo

Plan for One Region

Shore Up Systems

Major Projects

PHYSICAL CAPITAL
Continue with efforts to fund, construct and/or re-designate priority transportation projects Commission a Logistics Development Plan for Central Iowa Support the continued study and potential funding of high-speed rail through Greater Des Moines Initiate a comprehensive study on the dynamics of regional air service and its potential for competitive enhancement Study the development of fixed-rail or bus-rapid-transit connectivity between Ames and Des Moines Dave Caris Angela Connolly

Communicate and Coordinate

Maximize Resources

Advocate

GOVERNANCE
Expand the Metro Advisory Council to additional Capital Crossroads counties Optimize local zoning and development ordinances to ensure regulatory integration and coordination across Greater Des Moines Assess the benefits of creating a metro water authority in Greater Des Moines

Bob Andeweg Gretchen Tegeler

Develop and Enhance

Sustain for Gain

Manage

ENVIRONMENTAL
Continue the enhancement of Greater Des Moines supply of environmental and recreational infrastructure Leverage and promote existing and emerging tools to advance sustainability practices Advance efforts to make Central Iowa the trails capital of the world Proceed with efforts to have Greater Des Moines participate in the Climate Prosperity Project Fred Hubbell Bob Riley

CAPITAL CORRIDOR
CULTURAL

GOVERNANCE

HUMAN CAPITAL
PHYSICAL CAPITAL

WELLNESS CAPITAL ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS CAPITAL CAPITAL CORE URBAN CORE INITIATIVE SOCIAL CAPITAL