Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane talks with Janae Stark about the Community Economic Revitalization Board’s “right project, right time” approach to rural economic development, from planning and project development to infrastructure financing, construction timelines, and what happens when projects go sideways. Janae shares how CERB works with communities and federally recognized tribes in Washington State, why trust and relationship-building matter as much as funding, and how infrastructure like buildings, roads, utilities, and rural broadband can unlock opportunity for small communities. The conversation also explores the less visible work behind successful projects, the importance of helping communities avoid bad bets, and why economic developers need spaces to learn from one another instead of reinventing the wheel alone. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! 10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Start with project readiness, not the application. Before pursuing funding, work backward from the business or community timeline and identify permits, environmental review, match funding, private investment, and approvals needed to get to contract. Treat planning as economic development work. Use planning funds and community outreach to clarify what the community actually wants to become, not just what project happens to be available. Build relationships before things go wrong. Communities are more likely to call early when a business partner pulls out or a project changes if they already trust you. Be willing to coach communities toward the right funder. If your program is not the best fit, help the community find the organization or funding source that can get them to yes. Do not confuse urgency with readiness. A project can look exciting on paper but still be too risky if the private partner, repayment plan, permits, or timeline are not solid. Ask whether the infrastructure can support more than one possible business. Projects are safer when the building, road, utility, or site improvement can be reused or marketed to another company if the original deal falls apart. Help elected officials and board members understand the invisible work. Explain the project development, relationship management, and risk reduction that happen long before a groundbreaking or ribbon cutting. Recognize that different infrastructure has different economic impacts. Buildings, roads, water, sewer, and electricity may directly enable business expansion, while broadband may improve community competitiveness in broader, less immediately visible ways. Create peer networks for practitioners. New economic developers need places to ask basic questions, decode acronyms, find funding calendars, and learn from communities that have already solved similar problems. Show up and listen locally. Especially for people new to economic development, attending community meetings, listening to difficult voices, validating concerns, and asking experienced practitioners for help are essential parts of learning the work. Special Guest: Janea Stark.Sponsored By:Sitehunt: Sitehunt is industrial site selection software for economic developers. Sitehunt automates industrial real estate research so you can respond to site selection inquiries in minutes instead of days. Links:Janea (Jzuh-Nay) Stark | LinkedIn Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) – Washington State Department of Commerce Economic Development Done Right Makes Room for Joy | LinkedIn Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council | IACC annual statewide conference

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Ellie Reynolds, President and CEO of the Douglas County Economic Development Corporation, to unpack how one of Colorado’s fastest-growing counties balances quality of life, infrastructure investment, regulatory realities, and speed-to-market. Ellie shares how Douglas County positions itself along the Front Range, why shovel-ready infrastructure matters more than incentives alone, how cutting red tape became a competitive strategy, and what economic developers can do locally when state-level constraints get in the way. The conversation also dives into AI as a staff multiplier, coalition-building for regulatory reform, and why economic development is ultimately about reducing risk, not forcing growth. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Special Guest: Ellie Reynolds.Sponsored By:Sitehunt: Sitehunt is industrial site selection software for economic developers. Sitehunt automates industrial real estate research so you can respond to site selection inquiries in minutes instead of days. Links:Ellie Reynolds | LinkedIn Douglas County - Economic Development Corporation The Path to Power by Margaret Thatcher

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with Mike Kamerlander, President and CEO of the Hays Caldwell Economic Development Partnership, to discuss what economic development looks like inside one of the fastest-growing regions in Texas. Drawing from HCEDP’s recent Economic Outlook Event, the conversation explores why Central Texas continues to attract companies, how cities, counties, and private businesses are investing through uncertainty, and what shifting project timelines signal for 2026. Mike also shares lessons from leading a two-county, ten-city partnership, why “no product, no project” still holds true, and how speed, predictability, and engagement quietly determine which regions win. FYI, "No Product, No Project" is a registered trademark of Garner Economics LLC. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! 10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Product readiness matters more than marketing language. Speed and predictability often outweigh incentive packages. Regional collaboration expands capacity without diluting local wins. Growth planning must stay ahead of infrastructure demand. Economic outlook events are tools for alignment, not just forecasting. Accurate, current site information prevents deal-killing surprises. Cities and counties should be treated as the primary customer. Engagement across private industry strengthens long-term outcomes. Development processes should be reviewed continuously, not periodically. Capital on the sidelines eventually moves. Be ready when it does. Special Guest: Mike Kamerlander.Sponsored By:Sitehunt: Sitehunt is industrial site selection software for economic developers. Sitehunt automates industrial real estate research so you can respond to site selection inquiries in minutes instead of days. Links:Economic Development Is Not for Amateurs!: A must-read for community leaders on how to achieve economic development success by Jay Garner and Ross Patten Hays Caldwell Economic Development Partnership | Home Mike Kamerlander, CEcD

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson talks with Joya Stetson, Community Development Director at the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA), about how transit directly shapes workforce access, development costs, and long-term community competitiveness. Joya unpacks “first mile/last mile” barriers and how tools like microtransit and service tweaks can turn missed connections into real outcomes, including route changes that unlocked student internships and boosted ridership. They dig into suburban realities like coverage vs. ridership, post-COVID recovery, and why transit belongs inside RFP workforce narratives, land-use planning, and even parking requirement conversations. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! 10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Get your transit provider “at the table” early for major projects, not after the announcement, so service planning can match real hiring needs. Treat “workforce access” as more than unemployment rates: explicitly describe how transit expands the labor pool and reduces absenteeism and turnover risk. Audit first-mile/last-mile gaps for key job centers, campuses, and training sites; don’t assume a route nearby means people can actually reach it. Use microtransit strategically to bridge gaps, but pair it with fixed routes when predictable arrival times matter (classes, shifts, internships). Build a “route change wins” pipeline: channel feedback from chambers, employers, schools, and workforce boards into concrete service-change proposals. Include transit in your site selection/RFP package (especially the workforce section): routes, frequency, last-mile options, and how employers can engage. Coordinate transit with land-use planning and TOD goals so comp plans and transit plans evolve together instead of living on shelves. Use transit to reduce development friction: make the case for lower parking requirements where transit access supports it. Map housing-to-transit-to-jobs (especially affordable housing) to show actual accessibility and to target investments or service pilots. Frame transit as competitiveness and sustainability: companies care about low-carbon performance, and mobility options are part of that story. Special Guest: Joya Stetson.Sponsored By:Sitehunt: Sitehunt is industrial site selection software for economic developers. Sitehunt automates industrial real estate research so you can respond to site selection inquiries in minutes instead of days. Links:Joya Stetson | LinkedIn MVTA Public Transportation Facts - American Public Transportation Association Economic Impact of Public Transportation Investment

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Timothy Comerford of Biggins Lacey & Shapiro about the rapidly shifting reality of power availability in site selection. Tim explains how explosive demand from data centers and industrial users is overwhelming electric utilities, reshaping incentive policy, and lengthening timelines for securing capacity. He breaks down the biggest misconceptions around power lead times, why transmission is often the bottleneck, how utilities are adapting with costly engineering studies and take-or-pay requirements, and what steps EDOs must take to credibly position their sites. This is a masterclass on the new electricity-driven geography of economic development. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Build strong, direct relationships with utility contacts who will actually talk to prospects. Understand that real timelines for securing large loads run in years, not months. Work with utilities to pre-identify transmission routes and right-of-way feasibility. Gather realistic load estimates from prospects instead of just taking their engineer's peak numbers. Know whether your sites already sit near substations with real remaining capacity. Incorporate redundancy needs early, since 100 percent backup can double infrastructure requirements. Prepare for developers who request huge speculative loads and learn how to differentiate serious projects. Recognize that incentives tied to data centers may face political pressure due to ratepayer impacts. Push utilities and state partners to invest in long-range planning that anticipates industrial and data center growth. Educate local stakeholders that modern site readiness now includes power readiness as a top priority. Special Guest: Timothy Comeford.Sponsored By:Sitehunt: Sitehunt is industrial site selection software for economic developers. Sitehunt automates industrial real estate research so you can respond to site selection inquiries in minutes instead of days. Links:Market Update: The Growing Demand for Data Centers Tim Comerford | LinkedIn Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co. Timothy R. Comerford | BLS & Co.