Wes Phillips

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Stuff That Makes Me Go Hmmmm

Economist Richard Florida's 2002 article, called "The Rise of the Creative Class: Why cities without gays and rock bands are losing the economic development race." Basically, Florida argues that "lifestyle amenities" like a cultural scene and diversity makes some cities more attractive to creative people who build economically successful enterprises than other cities that lack these features. Fine, I accept this, especially since Florida bolsters his arguments with impressive charts and metrics. I should also add that the "lifestyle amenities" argument is taken very seriously by cities like Sioux Falls, where JA & I were told that the addition of an arts center helped the local industries and hospitals attract quality personnel away from major metropoli.


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