Study: Indiana's Regional Cities Initiative Helping

Associated Press

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) has approved Regional Cities Initiative funding to support the development of the Riverfront Fort Wayne.
*Courtesy Riverworks Design Group/City of Fort Wayne*

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — An early study shows that an Indiana initiative aimed at making areas more attractive to talented young workers is having a noticeable difference.

The Journal Gazette reports that Ball State University conducted an initial study on the Regional Cities Initiative.

Under the initiative, three areas were chosen to each receive a $42 million grant to push projects that improve quality of life. The goal is to get more people to move to the areas.

The Ball State researchers projected that Regional Cities-related investments initially will attract 7,960 new residents to the three participating regions.

But Morton Marcus, a retired Indiana University economist, said he has mixed feelings about the initiative. He's not sure the program is supporting the right projects.

Tags:Regional Cities Initiative

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