Great cities serve as economic cornerstones and cultural hubs for their urban and surburban residents. And sometimes hitting pause on our day-to-day routine and sampling a taste of life elsewhere, offers the chance to thoroughly explore what makes other cities tick.
Each year, the Metro Chamber selects a city, organizes a series of discussions and tours, and leads over 100 community advocates on a Study Mission to explore best practices and lessons learned. Next month we will explore not just one city, but two: the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Separated by only 12 miles, Minneapolis and St. Paul each embrace their own distinct personalities while sharing a unique ability to blend natural beauty with urban culture. Two counties and two local governments are brought together by one river and the shared priority of establishing themselves as cultural and economic beacons.
Over the years, the Twin Cities have struck a healthy balance between competition and collaboration. As a regional chamber of commerce, we’re looking forward to examining how two unique cities work together as a unified region. Here in the Capital Region, we have 22 cities spread across six counties peppered with different law enforcement agencies and local governments. Our region is both urban and rural including a bustling downtown capital city to the foothills of Folsom and the rice fields in Yuba County. But our ability to prioritize on behalf of the Capital Region at-large is one of our greatest assets directly impacting our ability to move our economy forward.
During our program, we will see how the two cities worked together to connect their communities through transit that’s spurred development and housing in neighborhoods previously forgotten. We will discuss the importance of prioritizing cultural assets such as theater, sports, and public art and see how both cities have activated areas along the Mississippi River. And we will explore why millennials are flocking to these Midwest cities and turning those old warehouses and flour mills into modern gathering places.
Study Mission sparks dialogue among attendees and inspires action back at home. Interested in participating? We’d be honored to have you join #StudyMission16.
For more information or to register, visit our website!
Source: Comstock magazine
