Richmond needs a plan, preferably regional, to get federal help in attracting economic development.
That was the message from two top economic development officials to local government leaders from around the region today.
The Richmond Regional Planning District Commission voted unanimously to seek federal money to create a comprehensive economic-development strategy so that business boosters can bid for stimulus money and other grants to help attract new businesses to the region.
"The bottom line is because we don't have a [comprehensive economic-development strategy], we're leaving money on the table, which as everyone knows is something we can't do in these economic times," said Robert A. Crum Jr., the region's executive director.
For example, the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park sought stimulus money last year to expand its business incubator operation in Richmond, said Robert T. Skunda, the park's president and chief executive officer.
"Without an approved [strategy] in place, we can't even make an application," said Skunda, who was accompanied at the meeting by Gregory H. Wingfield, president of the Greater Richmond Partnership, a regional economic-development organization.
Richmond had a plan in the early 1990s that allowed it to bring in a federal grant that helped establish the park, but the plan lapsed. The city was working with Skunda and Wingfield on reviving the strategy last year when they decided to take a regional approach instead.
The commission vote will allow its staff to apply to the U.S. Economic Development Administration for a grant to develop the plan, which will take about a year in order to involve the public.
"Let's do it!" urged Chesterfield County Supervisor James M. Holland.
Contact Michael Martz at (804) 649-6964 or mmartz@timesdispatch.com.
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