Urban Land Institute Fellow Ed McMahon to speak on “The Economics of Uniqueness”
August 17, 2015
UPSTATE, SC – Ten at the Top (TATT) will focus the third Our Upstate Vision Forum of 2015 on the topic of Growing Economic Vibrancy in Downtowns and Rural Communities. The September 22nd forum, to be held at USC Upstate in Spartanburg, will feature Ed McMahon, Senior Fellow for Sustainable Development with the Urban Land Institute (ULI), as the keynote speaker.
McMahon leads ULI’s worldwide efforts to conduct research and educational activities related to environmentally sensitive development policies and practices. He is also a senior staff adviser for ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative, and is a sought-after speaker and thinker on health and real estate.
McMahon’s presentation “The Economics of Uniqueness” will focus on the idea that communities who are not able to differentiate and distinguish themselves from others have no competitive advantage. The forum will also include presentations from the Lower Savannah Council of Governments and the town of Pendleton to highlight work being done to use built environment and community initiatives to increase vibrancy and sense of place to better set the region apart.
This forum is a part of the Shaping Our Future Speaker Series in partnership with Upstate Forever, Ten at the Top, the Riley Institute at Furman University, the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors and the Upstate SC Alliance. The goal of the series is to inspire dialogue regarding the connections between land use decisions, transportation options, housing choices and quality of life. This is also the third event in Upstate Forever’s 2015 Active Living Event Series sponsored primarily by the Mary Black Foundation. The series is designed to encourage community dialog about policies and infrastructure to support active, healthy communities.
The forum is being held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22nd at USC Upstate – Sansbury Campus Life Center (800 University Way, Spartanburg, SC 29303) with a networking reception to immediately follow the forum. The cost to attend is $10 and advance registration is required. Register at www.tenatthetop.org. For more information call 864.283.2313.
Greenlink Transit will also be providing complimentary transportation for any interested guests to and from Greenville. The bus will depart from Greenville County Square (301 University Ridge, Greenville, SC) at 2PM and return at approximately 6:30PM.
About Ten at the Top
Comprised of public, private and civic leaders from across the ten-county Upstate South Carolina Region, Ten at the Top was created to connect and encourage regional collaboration through data-driven research and regular convening of leaders and citizens to address key issues facing the region. Ten at the Top works with regional partners to foster collaboration and strategic planning to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for Upstate residents both today and as the region continues to grow. For more information, visit www.tenatthetop.org.
