The Smarter Cities Challenge grant fundamentally changed the way that Reno understands and undertakes economic development. The IBM team gave us a long overdue and much needed “outside-in” perspective. They told us that for Reno to improve our economic development outcomes, we needed to change our mindset and start acting cooperatively with other agencies and other units of local government in our area – primarily, the City of Sparks and Washoe County. Rather than competing against each other to attract new industrial growth, which is what we had been doing, we would achieve more by working together. The team also told us that we would be better off by allowing the private sector – which is our regional development authority – to lead the charge. –Reno Mayor Bob Cashell Let me tell you from my first hand experience working with regional authorities on this project that the commitment to cooperation is really starting off right! Well done! For more on this project check out Reno Mayor Bob Cashell’s comments on the IBM Smarter Regions initiative and grant. -Mike]]>
by mhenderson