economic development

Officials tout data centers’ economic benefits

Amazon said its facilities in Virginia paid more than $300 million in taxes last year alone, and local leaders said the campuses contribute to economic development.

  • By Chris Teale

Eliminating the speedbumps in EV charging station buildout

COMMENTARY | Energy management as a service gives EV charging station operators cloud-based tools for remote asset management and will help ensure they have the data to comply with the government’s 97% station uptime requirement.

  • By Frederick Reynolds

How regions can pivot from carbon- to tech-based economies

Shifting a regional economy is a long-term commitment that requires data-based strategies, economic and racial inclusion and significant, sustained investment in education, a recent report says.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

How local governments can rise to the infrastructure complexity challenge

To take advantage of the federal government’s $2 trillion in investments, municipalities must think big, start small and scale fast.

  • By William D. Eggers and Kevin Pollari

The other digital divide

Jobs using technology are more common in some parts of the country than in others, according to a recent study. The divide is leading to a widening wage and skills gap.

  • By Kery Murakami

Lessons from the metaverse

Even if early supporters are backing away from the immersive platform, states should keep thinking about new ways to provide services.

  • By Susan Miller

Every state sees tech workforce gains, report says

Net employment in tech grew by 3.2% last year, with more than 9 million people now employed in the sector across technical and non-technical roles, according to new CompTIA research.

  • By Chris Teale

How data insights can solve geographic inequity, build regional economies

The Commerce Department’s Regional Economic Research Initiative will provide accessible data tools, visualizations and expert services help to federal, state, local and tribal decision-makers better understand what kind of projects will promote growth.

  • By Susan Miller

Gambling is a tech industry. Are Nevada regulators up for the challenge?

Nevada, the self-professed regulatory ‘gold standard,’ is slow to enact tech advancements common in other states.

  • By Dana Gentry, Nevada Current

City building a talent pipeline for a quantum-enabled workforce

The Gig City Goes Quantum initiative is Chattanooga’s plan for student education, workforce preparation and business support to accelerate the local commercialization of quantum technologies.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

States debate whether to restrict—or invite—crypto mining

Cryptocurrency mining is coming under fire as some officials raise concerns over its effect on climate goals. But others argue cryptocurrency's potential for economic development should not be overlooked.

  • By Alex Brown, Stateline

We’re back! Our grand return to live events

GCN and Route Fifty will hit the road with a new free event series to explore how cities across the country are building their future today.

  • By GCN Staff

One state’s grant management breakthrough

With the One Stop portal, organizations in Massachusetts can apply for economic development grants across three agencies, and grant administrators can more easily manage programs and ensure regional equity.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Feds seek input on how to create semiconductor hubs

The Commerce Department wants stakeholders’ “best ideas” for new research and manufacturing hubs for computer chips that could transform communities nationwide.

  • By Kery Murakami
Featured eBooks

Innovation thrives when governments embrace next-gen public-private partnerships

By rethinking how sectors collaborate and encouraging long-term institutional relationships, communities can get the most out of technology projects, one expert said.

  • By Chris Teale

Data-based decision-making is flawed when the data is flawed

There are many reasons the quality of state and local data can be poor. Using that information can lead to unfortunate results.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Microsoft to expand program that grows economic development in rural areas

The tech giant is set to expand TechSpark to all 50 states as it looks to grow place-based economic development opportunities through digital skills training.

  • By Kristi Eaton, The Daily Yonder

The worker shortage is real. Could tech help governors close gaps?

Business leaders pointed to high-tech job training and tools like artificial intelligence as possible solutions to the historic shortage of workers.

  • By Kery Murakami

Energy Department wants national labs to drive regional innovation

DOE is looking for ideas on how regional ecosystems could leverage a nearby national lab to power innovation and economic prosperity.

  • By Susan Miller

State eyes sports betting kiosks

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission wants to know if and how it can safely and profitably introduce sports betting machines at retailers.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

The places seeing growth in the semiconductor sector so far

With a major federal push underway to boost production of microchips in the U.S., a trade group for the industry highlights over 40 major projects nationwide.

  • By Bill Lucia