by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
What worked there might work here as well.
That was the concept behind the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce dispatching a delegation to Indianapolis to explore the capital of Indiana’s downtown area and meet local government and business leaders.
Three of last year’s participants, Jepp Walter and Jim Love, each a past president of the Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, and council member Bonnie Arnold, shared what they saw and learned with their fellow members at the group’s meeting Friday. All three spoke more about how Indianapolis was able to revitalize its urban core than about streetscape, retail or entertainment.
Walter said he has participated in three Leadership Trips and has taken away one thing in particular.
“There is a lot more private investment in other city’s downtowns than we have here in Jacksonville,” he said. “Other cities have a major corporate contributor.”
In Indianapolis, that’s Eli Lilly and Company, a global pharmaceutical company.
“Everywhere you look in Indianapolis, you see the presence of Eli Lilly,” said Arnold. “They have deep pockets and put a lot of money into the community. I think a lot of our corporate citizens send their money out of town.”
Love said what he noticed about city government officials in Indianapolis was their “passionate leadership in working with the private sector,” and their dedication to supporting education.
“Good schools are critical to attracting businesses,” said Love.
The Downtown Council’s next meeting is 7:30 a.m., Jan. 21, at Currents Riverfront Bistro in the Aetna Building on the Southbank. The scheduled speaker is Jacksonville Economic Development Commission Executive Director Ron Barton.
For details, visit www.downtowncouncil.org.
356-2466