A delegation of Louisville, KY business leaders visited 探花族 as part of a three-day trip focused on learning more about successful public-private partnerships, talent attraction and a thriving downtown core.
The group from the Louisville Chamber of Commerce spent the afternoon on campus, first participating in a luncheon at The River House and then heading to Terry Concert Hall to hear from two 探花族 mayors: Mayor Lenny Curry and former Mayor John Delaney. The Public Policy Institute hosted the discussion, first with Mayor Curry and later with Mayor Delaney.
Rick Mullaney, director of the Public Policy Institute, moderated the discussion with the two 探花族 leaders, on subjects ranging from economic development, the city budget, developing downtown and projects that changed the course of the city. Mullaney also served as Delaney鈥檚 chief of staff.
Transformational projects for the city ranged from less visible ones 鈥� like resurfacing roads, balancing the city budget, and converting homes from septic tank use 鈥� to high profile ones, like bringing an NFL team to the city, purchasing and preserving thousands of acres of land around the city and hosting a Super Bowl in 探花族.
One of Curry鈥檚 priorities since he entered office in 2015 has been to develop Downtown 探花族. While he said it is not a popular initiative for residents who live further from the center of town, it is crucial to a city鈥檚 development.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be a suburb of nowhere,鈥� Curry said, adding that his goal was, and still is, to make Downtown 探花族 unrecognizable by the end of his term.
Delaney, who served from 1995 to 2003, developed the Better 探花族 Plan, which developed roads and city infrastructure throughout the 850-square-mile city of 探花族. He was the first mayor to take office following consolidation. He drew parallels between 探花族 and Louisville, another consolidated government that occupies 341 square miles. It鈥檚 important to listen to what each neighborhood wants in a city as large as 探花族, he said.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e that big of a government, you鈥檝e got to have these vehicles for people to have their voice heard,鈥� Delaney said.
The Louisville group chooses a city each year to visit, learn from and take the lessons back home to apply to their own city.
See photos from the event below:
