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If Indianapolis’ business leaders needed a pep talk to shake them from their recessionary funks, they got it Tuesday
from an urban affairs expert who says the city is faring better than several others.
Aaron Renn, an Indiana native who writes the popular Urbanophile blog from his home in Chicago, spoke at the Indy Partnership’s
annual meeting at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Supporters of the regional economic development organization undoubtedly felt better about their situations after listening
to Renn, who grew up in tiny Laconia along the Ohio River.
“Indianapolis is just starting to come into its own as a major American city,” he said. “This city’s
best days are ahead of it.”
By comparison, Indianapolis’ Midwestern counterparts mostly are regressing, and Renn brought the statistics to prove
his point.
The former partner of the Accenture consultancy said Indianapolis enjoyed population growth of 65,000 residents over the
past decade, tops among 11 Midwestern cities. And many of those cities even experienced population declines, he said.
Indianapolis also ranked first in total job growth. From 2001 to 2009, the city experienced net job growth of 17,000, a particularly
striking statistic considering the 10 other cities all experienced job losses, Renn said.
Now, he said, it’s time for Indianapolis to start competing against national darlings such as Austin, Texas; Charlotte,
N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Portland, Ore.
Indianapolis already stacks up well against Portland, he said. Although the Hoosier capital lags in population growth, it
has higher job growth and lower unemployment than its Oregonian rival.
“If you want to sip lattes by the light-rail system, go to Portland,” Renn said in a light-hearted jab. “But
if you want a job, come to Indianapolis.”
A light-rail system in Indianapolis, however, was lauded as a potential “game-changer” by Mark Miles, CEO of
the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. He provided a brief overview of the plans at the Indy Partnership’s meeting.
A light-rail system, the midfield terminal at Indianapolis International Airport and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail are
examples of what the city needs to help lure more young professionals to the city.
That can be a challenge, Renn acknowledged, because Indianapolis is “flatter than a pancake” and lacks the attractive
scenery that mountains and oceans can provide to metropolitan areas.
Partnership CEO Ron Gifford concluded by using a basketball analogy in reference to the NCAA men’s Final Four basketball
championship that will be in Indianapolis April 3-5.
Twenty-five years ago, when Gifford moved to the city from San Francisco, Indianapolis might have strived to be the “Cinderella”
of the tournament.
But now, Gifford said, “we should be in the Final Four for everything we do.”
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