Spartanburg vision plan propels forward
May 31, 2016
Steering Committee Makes Inter-City Visit and Announces Community Event on June 14
Spartanburg continues to keep moving forward, as the Spartanburg Vision Plan steering committee announces two opportunities that continue the efforts towards a unified community and economic development plan.
Last week, 28 delegates from across Spartanburg County – including representatives from the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Spartanburg Economic Futures Group, City of Spartanburg, and other organizations – embarked on an inter-city visit to Chattanooga, TN from May 19-21, 2016, as part of the community vision process.
“By the numbers, Chattanooga-Hamilton County is very similar to Spartanburg County. Like Spartanburg, the spirit of partnership and collaboration is alive and well in Chattanooga-Hamilton County,” said Allen Smith, president and CEO of the Spartanburg Area Chamber. “We certainly don’t have all the answers and must continually seek new and innovative strategies. This, among many other reasons, is why we took a fact-finding trip to Tennessee. We could learn a lot from some of their economic development successes and many of their approaches could be easily duplicated here in Spartanburg.”
The research and strategic planning process of the Spartanburg Vision Plan is being led by Market Street Services, an Atlanta-based consulting firm, with a steering committee comprised of representatives from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, who are guiding this process to ensure that it lays a foundation that allows people and businesses to thrive. The six-phase process began in February 2016 and will last approximately nine months.
Market Street has already undergone four phases of the process, including Stakeholder Input and Community Assessment, with a community survey that resulted in over 3,100 responses. This is the third highest survey response rate on record for Market Street Services, who have done similar assessments for communities such as Austin, TX and Nashville, TN.
The Spartanburg Community Assessment will be officially presented to the community at a public event on Tuesday, June 14, called “One Vision. One Spartanburg.” The event will be held at Spartanburg Methodist College’s Gibbs Auditorium from 5:00 – 6:30 pm. The event is free and open to the public; however, seating is limited so registration is required.
John Miller, CEO of Denny’s Corporation and one of the steering committee’s tri-chairs, stated: “We now have a clear understanding of the needs of Spartanburg County, and the information from the community assessment is important to the overall goal of having a defined vision and implementation plan. We would not have such critical data to move forward if not for the input of our dedicated community, and the steering committee is eager to share Market Street’s conclusions at the event on June 14.”
View the community assessment and ongoing progress of the Spartanburg Vision Plan at www.spartanburgplan.com.
Registration for the “One Vision. One Spartanburg.” community event is now open at www.spartanburgchamber.com.
About the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce
The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit organization supported through membership investment and strategic partnerships. Our mission is to enhance the economic vitality and lifestyle environment of Spartanburg County. For more information, visit www.spartanburgchamber.com.
