- April 23, 2024
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In the Economic Summit Friday, March 4, Flagler County citizen representative Art Barr asked a question many in the community are asking: “If you build it will they come?”
In other words, is it a viable strategy for a developer or a government to erect a building without a specific prospect already lined up? Will a business take the bait and move to Flagler County just because we have the building?
Facilitator Don Upton’s perspective was that there are three government approaches. First, he said, “Some are just waiting” and “keeping their powder dry.” When the economy improves, they’ll act.
Second, is a group that is “moving off strategy.” In other words, some governments are delving into areas they are not well-suited for, just because they can’t think of anything else to do, and they don’t want to sit around and do nothing. For example, governments might overlap with private industries or nonprofit groups’ missions.
Third, governments are trying to show they are the best fit for certain companies.
“They are the ones who are taking the risk,” Upton said. “They pick their targets.”
These governments want to court new companies, and they use a building or simply infrastructure, to prove to the company that they’re serious about wanting to treat the company well.
“It’s saying to those businesses, ‘We spend more time thinking about you than other people (do),’” Upton said.
County Commissioner Milissa Holland agreed that it wasn’t as simple as “If you build it, they will come.”
She said governments could “have something readily available, not only to show (business prospects) but to entice them to our community,” she said. “That’s going to take some time, and it is very competitive.”
For previous coverage, click here.
