2. GFMEDC sales tax proposal - Laserfiche WebLink

Growth Plan Executive Summary The Growth Plan is a holistic and comprehensive plan, based on over 18 months of research and community discussion to re-engineer the Greater Fargo Moorhead economy and position our community to compete and win in the U.S. and global economies. The Growth Plan is comprised of five building blocks that are necessary for economic growth and prosperity in Greater Fargo Moorhead. These five building blocks cover all the components that suc- cessful and growing global companies tell us they want and require in a community - intellectual ca- pacity, entrepreneurialism, cutting-edge business infrastructure, and a culture of education. Specifically, the five building blocks are: . Centers for Advancement of Emerging Technology . Entrepreneuriallnfrastructure . Telecommunications Infrastructure . Air Service . K-12 STEM Strategies The cornerstone of successful growth turns upon the intellectual capacity that exists in our higher edu- cation and research institutions. It includes the quality of university curriculum, research, and facilities, and the students and faculty they recruit. Centers for Advancement of Emerging Technology in- cludes initiatives that Greater Fargo Moorhead can pursue to build this critical mass of intellectual ca- pacity. The Growth Plan recommends a targeted focus on three particular growth sectors of the U.S. and global economies: embedded systems, vaccine development, and biomedical device technologies. These growth sectors were chosen after months of research and deliberation by a number of commu- nity, business, and academic leaders, because of their growth potential, demand, and high-wage jobs, our community's potential competitiveness in these industries, and the opportunity that exists for spe- cialization. This plan recommends specific and strategic activities that center on our Tri-College institutions - North Dakota State University (NDSU), Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) and Concordia College - our research and technology parks, and the business community. This includes attracting talented high school graduates looking to pursue a college degree in disciplines that support the tar- geted growth sectors; building facilities and equipment that will support our targeted sectors, in a man- ner that is complementary across the Tri-College institutions; strategic hiring of professors and re- searchers with experience and specialization in the targeted sectors; and complementary curriculum across the campuses, in disciplines that support the growth sectors. The second factor, Entrepreneurial Infrastructure, has a vital place in the community's Growth Plan. A review of existing high-growth economies indicates that entrepreneurialism and the creation of new businesses around core technologies has been a critical component of their evolution and growth. Creating a haven for entrepreneurs means building and supporting an environment in which entrepre- neurs can grow, prosper, and provide business opportunities that benefit the entire community. 9