David's BlogMonday, August 25, 2014Our Competitive AdvantageDuluth is increasingly being recognized as a remarkably beautiful place to live and work. Outside Magazine’s recent crowning of Duluth as America’s Best Place to Live will fortify our expanding national stature as a destination city. The nation is discovering what visitors to Duluth have known for decades. In 1986, a book entitled Resettling Duluth contained an eloquent quote by Gary Coates, who vividly described his first visit to Duluth: “I was overwhelmed by the beauty of this natural setting, the power, the presence and grandeur of Lake Superior and the ancient hills that frame it to the west. Next, as an architect, I was struck by Duluth’s diverse and rich architectural heritage which stands as a living testimony to a long tradition of pride in place and hope for the future. But most of all, I was taken by the way fingers of wilderness still reach down through the fabric of distinctive and beautiful neighborhoods – a garden city woven harmoniously into a fabric of a primal wilderness.”
Perspectives
like Gary’s reaffirm the decision that many of us made to work and live in
Duluth. We understand how Duluth’s beautiful natural surroundings make it
unique and should not be taken for granted. Duluth’s natural and architectural
beauty is also what is becoming our distinct competitive advantage as we work
to attract and retain community members.
More people
are choosing the company they will work for based upon where that employer is
located. The crucial factor separating communities which will flourish from
those which will decline is a citizenry that understands the need to offer a
high quality of life. The negative aspects of many other cities – increasing
traffic congestion, degraded environmental conditions, and nondescript
downtowns – are unwittingly motivating individuals and families to become a
part of communities like ours.
Duluth’s
star is rising. Our elected officials are making decisions that are fortifying
our community’s attractiveness to prospective employers and families. Our
community is in an ideal position to protect and savor our unique competitive
advantage – Duluth’s breathtaking natural beauty.
Our
ancestors have bequeathed to us a long tradition of pride in this place that we
call the Zenith City. It is incumbent upon us to carry this sense of place and
sense of pride forward while concurrently making decisions that will provide future
generations of Duluthians hope for the future.
The
Chamber’s leadership seeks to partner with other groups and individuals in a
unified effort to make wise use of our unique resources.
 David Ross, President & CEO
posted by David Ross
at
1:56 PM
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