Fadness – ‘It’s a Population Issue’
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAs Indiana continues to explore new and creative ways to win the “war on talent,” Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness believes there’s an overlooked element in the discussion. While Fadness agrees that building the talent pipeline is essential, he believes Indiana must attract new, talented people from around the country to move to the state. “We have got to make Indiana a desirable place for people to move here and to move here in significant numbers,” said Fadness, whose city continues to embark on a number of quality of life projects. “The ground game is building better communities and better senses of place all around our state.”
Fadness talked about Indiana’s talent challenge and the importance of being aggressive on a special edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick from Ironworks Hotel Indy.
The special edition focused on massive quality of life projects around the state and their connection to talent attraction efforts.
The high profile projects include Bottleworks, a $300 million redevelopment of a former Coca-Cola bottling facility along Mass Ave in downtown Indianapolis. Also in Indy, Ambrose Property Group has unveiled a $1.4 billion "connected community" vision for a former General Motors factory site along the White River.
In Fort Wayne, a vacant General Electric complex that once employed more than 30,000 is the site of the planned Electric Works, a more than $400 million innovation district in the city’s downtown.
Fishers recently announced the city’s biggest deal to date, a $157 million downtown development that will include apartments, townhomes and a boutique hotel, anchored by a six-story First Internet Bank headquarters.
Mayor Fadness believes the development is important for the city’s long-term viability. "What’s interesting, it doesn’t just attract the young generation, it attracts the 55 and older generation, and I think that’s critical for the long-term sustainability of our city."