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<br />.~ <br />- <br />Centralina <br />Council of Governments <br /> <br />G-~;L <br /> <br />Regional Comprehensive <br />Economic Development Strategy Summary <br /> <br />The RCEDS Process: <br />Centralina Council of Governments led a four-month process to developing a <br />Regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (RCEDS) for our nine- <br />county region including Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, <br />Rowan, Stanly, and Union, and anchored by the City of Charlotte. The process is <br />governed by a steering committee composed of the participating jurisdictions and <br />community. The RCEDS is the first step in a process to designate the region as an <br />Economic Development District, a federal designation that will improve the.region's <br />ability to obtain federal funds for economic development projects. <br /> <br />Angelou Economics, the RCEDS consultant, has completed a Community <br />Assessment of the region's strengths, challénges, and opportunities, and a <br />Recommendations Report, which focuses on specific recommendations addressing <br />issues, opportunities, key industries, and priority areas thàt have been identified as <br />goals for implementation. <br /> <br />Kev FindinŒs strenf!t;hs~ opportunities. and areas of improvement: <br />~ Recognized assets are an excellent business climate, a strong diversified <br />economy, healthy urban centers, excellent accessibility, strong distribution <br />network, effective universities and community colleges. Charlotte is home to a <br />strong banking center, a high number of headquartered Fortune 500 companies, <br />a majority of the nation's growing motorsports industry, and hundreds of small <br />business successes <br />~ Decrease in the proportion of 25-44 year ülds in our growing population. <br />~ Workforce skills and literacy levels could hamper overall success in economic <br />development <br />~ Regional economic development is strong but lacks a focus on eXisting and <br />targeted businesses <br />~ Entrepreneurial efforts are fledgling, somewhat duplicative, and competing for <br />similar resources <br />~ Research and development assets are tremendous but not well known or <br />leveraged in the region <br />~ Recreation and tourism assets exist throughout the area but are not promoted in <br />a coordinated fashion <br />~ Collaboration among workforce, education, economic developers and businesses <br />is not focused <br /> <br />G-- cl <br />