How Louisville is Leading

Possibilities, Can-Do Attitudes, New Brand Identities and CONNECTING

- Eric Patrick Marr

It's so interesting, this journey I'm on.  I share ideas and information with Lexingtonians across our city's spectrum, and 70% of the time, I receive quite positive feedback.  Smart people like having meaningful discussions on relevant topics.

I explain to Lexingtonians our economic need to reidentify or "rebrand" ourselves to the rest of the world, kinda like Possibility City is doing - and good discussions ensue.  Some totally agree and share collaborative ideas, some agree to an extent, and others dismiss the idea as nonsense.  "We're plenty good enough as we are," that crowd insists, often ignoring facts.

I also share the immense economic value of better CONNECTING our people - as shown by both Gallup and Harvard - and again, most smart people "get it."  But there's definitely a contingency here in Lex that rolls their eyes and fashions me silly.  And, unfortunately, today, that good ol' contingency calls most of the shots.

It's interesting, however, how our own neighbor - Louisville - doesn't label these needs "silly" at all.  In fact, they are purposefully doing THESE TWO EXACT THINGS, already!

They have begun emphasizing both the importance of PEOPLE (remember, Louisville is the famous home of the Kentucky Derby horse race) as well as CONNECTING their people.

Check out Louisville's own words from Possibility City: otherwise known as "Can-Do-Opolis"

Louisville’s a place where just about anyone with enthusiasm, talent, gumption, brains, or just a good old-fashioned work ethic can make a go of it.

... Possibility City is a haven for people who are going places and who enjoy making life better for everyone else on the way.

Louisville not only welcomes folks who make things happen, it actively promotes the process. Case in point, the new Leadership Louisville Connector Project.

Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana are committed to growing into the finest region possible....

Then check out Lead Louisville's CONNECTOR Project - something I've been doing by myself in Lexington since February of 2008, now called "Connect Lex."

Funny how the words "lead" and "connect" are inextricably linked.

From Lead Louisville - "Definition of a Connector"

In his book "The Tipping Point", best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell called the people who make it possible to bring great ideas into fruition Connectors, for their ability to create and impact change in their communities by serving as a pocket of trust. Connectors are not always in positions of authority but have a great ability to lead and influence others through their informal networks.

And it's funny how Louisville and Lexington are in the same State of Kentucky, but one city is indeed LEADING by CONNECTING its people - for a more opportunistic future - while good ol' Lexington prefers sticking to its state of denial.

Our below national average income levels prove it - Our Lexington needs new thoughts, new leadership, and new values.  Starting with valuing and engaging our brilliant PEOPLE, first and foremost.

Lexington's "Naysayers"

Time for Us to "Leave Them Behind"

- Eric Patrick Marr

"Some of the things you say hurt our cause, Eric.  And hurt our feelings."

- Words spoken to me inside Commerce Lexington, this spring.

Personally, I believe not addressing Lexington's below-national-average income levels HURTS EVERYONE'S CAUSE.

Many know of Commerce Lexington's (our city's so-called branch of "Economic Development") hiring the Madison, Wisconsin consultant, Rebecca Ryan, to advise Lexington's "leaders" how to progress Lexington into the future.
 
Ms. Ryan is cool.  And Ms. Ryan has a lot of good ideas.  In fact, many of her ideas are VERY good.  I even told her, when I spoke with her personally at UK, that SHE should be Lexington's Mayor - I like her approach that much.  She's cool, smart, experienced and very personable. Quite "real."

I'm inspired by Ms. Ryan's entrepreneurial spirit and I hope her business continues to kick ass, all over the world.

I only have a contention with much of the same crowd who paid for Ms. Ryan's advice simultaneously ignoring many of Lexington's own citizens.  Citizens who have voiced many of the exact same ideas, in fact.

When studies show community engagement leads to brain GAIN, subsequently creating GDP growth - to pay for OUTSIDE ideas while ignoring YOUR OWN PEOPLES' ideas is downright negligent.  It's the same mentality, for example, that paid $24,000 for a Santa Monica, California firm to build LFUCG's website, overlooking all the web designers HERE in Lexington.

If we can't even value our own people, how can we expect the rest of the world to???

And since Ms. Ryan preached how Lexington needs to leave its "naysayers" behind (as seen in Beverly Fortune's nice Herald-Leader column,) we need to know EXACTLY WHO ARE Lexington's "naysayers."

Who are those saying "no" to our peoples' good ideas?

Ahhhh, a topic of debate, most definitely.  Especially if you know how Old Lex operates.  (Dare to criticize the King and see what names YOU get called!)

Since the Chamber of Commerce paid for this (partially with local taxpayer dollars, in fact), since Rebecca Ryan stated it, since the Chamber tweeted it, since the paper covered it, let us look at this list of Lexingtonian ideas that have met the dreaded "naysayers" inside our own city:

21c Museum Hotel vs. CentrePointe
While Lexington Vice Mayor Jim Gray helped conceive Louisville's world-class 21c Museum Hotel, did CentrePointe's developers listen to his advice last year?  No.  Instead, they said "nay" to the Chairman & CEO of a leading American construction firm, Gray Construction.

So while Louisville has revitalized their Main Street into one of America's Top Ten Streets, the Chairman of Lexington's Chamber of Commerce, with the Mayor's repeated support, allowed HIS COMPANY to create a vacant lot on Lexington's Main Street, his uncle publicly mocking the value of socio-economic fabric.

Or what about the Webbs, and the Mayor, saying "nay" to all the Historical Preservationists advocating better ideas for that downtown block?

Also of note - after some initial wrangling, the Webb Companies did say "yay" to Vice Mayor Gray's request to seed CentrePointe's empty lot, even going the extra mile of adding the pretty horse farm fence.  Certainly an improvement.  I wonder what would have happened if they had said "yay" to good ideas, earlier on?

Rebranding Lexington  (Another of Rebecca's own suggestions)
Anyone who's followed my own work knows this topic extremely well. This particular battle, one I've fought personally for many a month, brings out the "naysayers" in full force - despite mounting evidence that Lexington's brand (or complete lack thereof) is a major hindrance to our economy and culture.  And notice again how Louisville has progressed ahead of us, proactively.

Buried Utilities:
Someone has been consistently saying "nay" to burying utilities in our city for years and years.  And who inside City Government, or KU, has ever spoken up?   Nobody, it appears.  Just recently, with Newtown Pike "on the verge of revitalization," the Mayor's office knew of the planned "ugly utes" for OVER TWO YEARS, and never lifted a finger to tell a soul.

Idea Festival:
Rebecca rightly encouraged Lexingtonians to attend this awesome annual event held in Louisville.  Did you know Idea Festival actually STARTED in Lexington, is still headquartered here, actually - but because of the "naysayers," lost $180,000 in three years here, and had to move?  While cities like Durham and Louisville welcomed it with open arms?

The Bluegrass Another Silicon Valley?
Councilman Julian Beard adamantly proclaimed, "we will never be Silicon Valley, we need to stop trying to emulate them."  Meanwhile, Alltech's Pearse Lyons has been investing millions and millions of dollars into THAT EXACT GOAL, openly declaring our vast agricultural base provides us that precise opportunity.

Vancouver's Transformation:
Not surprisingly, the Chamber of Commerce and Mayor's office said "nay" to Ian Smith's visit to Lexington this spring - not even showing up for the discussions.  I guess Ian's 20+ years of helping to transform Vancouver into the world's most livable city is something to say "nay" to.  Not to mention the 6+ years that UK Professor (and Board of Trustees Member) Ernie Yanarella has spent documenting Vancouver's transformation.
-
-
This list could go on, but you get my point.  But just to hammer it home, listen to downtown developer Phil Holoubek's take on Lexington:
-
"Unfortunately, it's easier to do what's worse for Lexington, than what's best.  We must stop settling, and instead, demand the best.
-
We have to stop patting ourselves on the back for doing SOMETHING, and only pat ourselves on the back when we've ACHIEVED something.  Just because it is "better than it was" doesn't mean it is acceptable to the next generation.
-
We must stop being so risk averse.  We cannot be afraid of failure. We won't always succeed, but every attempt must STRIVE for excellence.  If we fail while striving for that, that's ok."

Now THERE IS a new "yay-way" to believe in.

Our New Lexington - "The Gold Standard"

Kentucky Basketball and 21c Museum Hotel Prove Lexington's Potential

- Eric Patrick Marr

Photo by Ed Reinke - AP

As I wrote this week, Lexington is experiencing a growing divide between two leadership camps.  The "whatever is Good Enough" camp vs. the "Vision and Demand for World-Class Excellence"camp.

Then, right on cue, two of Lexington's foremost leaders stepped up and hammered the point home.  Kentucky Basketball Coach, John Calipari, and Lexington's Vice Mayor, Jim Gray, demonstrated how EXTRAORDINARY our Lexington is capable of being.

Coach John Calipari's vision for Our Kentucky Basketball:

"I look at this team behind me and the passion in front of me and I see the foundation for my vision for our program.

It’s a vision where we are THE GOLD STANDARD not just for College Basketball but for ALL College athletics.

That means SUPERIORITY in everything from our academic standards, to our facilities, to our living spaces.  We will be a program rooted in integrity and run with class, and we will always remember that we represent this great commonwealth.

With those principles guiding us, we will earn the privilege of being held to A HIGHER STANDARD both as players and coaches.  And that's exactly what it is  – A PRIVILEGE to represent all of big blue nation in everything that we do."

Imagine that.  A leader talking of HIGHER STANDARDS, of being THE GOLD STANDARD.  And able to back it up with RESULTS (our #1 recruiting class speaks for itself.)


Right here, inside Fayette County, Kentucky.

Then trek over to Louisville, just a short drive west, and discover yet another world-class, GOLD STANDARD example of Kentucky's, and Lexington's, potential.

21c Photos by Kenneth Hayden

21c Museum Hotel  was just named the #1 hotel in the United States, and the #6 hotel in the entire world, by Conde Nast readers.  The same 21c Museum Hotel I wrote about two months ago, its impact on downtown Louisville, and how a similar vision could be "A True Lexington Transformation."

And guess who worked with Louisville's Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown in designing and building their transformative, world-class destination?

Lexington's very own Jim Gray, Chairman and CEO of Gray Construction, headquartered in downtown Lexington.

Who also happens to be Lexington's Vice Mayor - often caught in the battle, himself, of fighting against Lexington's trend toward mediocrity.  (See Lex's below average Median Household Incomes, as just one example of poor leadership...)

Then go see The Gray Way to see a NEW VISION for our Lexington, seen and being built by a different breed of Lexingtonians.

A vision where being #1 in the country - either in Basketball or in a City's overall development - is not only the goal, but the REALITY.

Proving, once and for all, that Our Lexington DOES INDEED hold world-class talent and potential, and can indeed be "atop the mountain."

It simply requires THE RIGHT PEOPLE LEADING.

And now we have the cases of Gillispie v. Calipari and CentrePointe v. 21c as living proof. 

Lex's Great Divide

THE Crux of the Issue
- Eric Patrick Marr

"The way you confront the brutal facts

can mean the difference between good and great."

- Jim Collins, Bestselling author of Good to Great and Built to Last

Perhaps because Lexington's local government is non-partisan, we do not see many distinct Democrat vs. Republican battles.  Not like the turf wars you see out of D.C., at least.

But if you pay attention at all, you quickly see Lexington is just as divided.  And growing moreso.

And while much of my LeXenomics Strategic Plan is built on community-wide collaboration, in a unique twist, I'm actually very THANKFUL for our growing philosophical divide.

One party is the stale sales club of "we're doing so great as we are... everyone should celebrate our so special city."

That stale old party, however, survives on self-congratulations, ignoring real data, spinning or avoiding whatever "brutal facts" crop up, disdaining those who question their awesomeness, and banking on an uninformed public.  And this party has succeeded over the last generation - largely because information simply hasn't travelled well in our sprawling suburbs.

And this old way of thinking has produced below-average income levels, $556M in unfunded community needs, a dearth of world-class leadership and an inability to retain the top-notch talent our schools and families groom.

The other "party," by contrast, is today's growing number of citizens speaking up for excellence.

While I've seen this "partisan" divide grow over the last 19 months, it twice showed itself again, just this week.  Once concerning Lexington's economic spin vs. realities, the other addressing the (mis)management of South Limestone's reconstruction.  See for yourself, below:

Economic Spin vs. Economic Reality
Spin:

•  "...Lexington can reasonably protect the income of its residents, at least when compared to other benchmark cities." - from our "economic development experts," Commerce Lexington
• Lexington hailed as America's 6th best "Mid-Sized City" to launch a business

Reality:

• Lexington's Below National Average "Median Household Incomes"
• Lexington's Below Par "Per Capita Incomes" and 17-Year Trends
• "The Rise of the Mega-Region," a new Wall Street Journal column

South Limestone's Spin vs. Reality
Spin

• "This project has had an unprecedented amount of coordination, never seen (before) in an LFUCG project..." - 10th District Councilman Doug Martin, praising LFUCG's management and efforts
• "This project has had a level of management I've never experienced (before)..." - Sam Williams, a South Limestone Project Manager and Public Works Commissioner, Mike Webb, speaking about their weekly management meetings

Reality:

• Estimated negative impact on Lexington's downtown businesses: $88 - $92M
• Original project contract budget: $9M.  Latest budget: $13-$14M.  About a 50% cost increase, paid by Lexington's taxpayers.
• Council has taken no action, whatsoever, to speed up South Limestone's timeline

Now contrast the words of Councilmember Doug Martin with the opinion of Vice Mayor Jim Gray, CEO and Chairman of Gray Construction -

"For three years now, I've been talking about deficiences in our capacities to execute projects.  And I don't think public policy is served by praising and sanitizing problems.  Nobody's saying that people aren't working hard, nobody's ever said that... but to suggest that weekly meetings are 'unusual' is simply an extraordinary exaggeration of responsible management.  Any responsible construction project is going to have weekly meetings.  If that's an exception, then that's amazing to me.  That alone tells me too much."

I could go on, highlighting a plethora of further examples, but I think you get the picture.  As long as old, stagnant, stale thinking is dominating the need for new ideas, better policies, better leadership and better RESULTS, Our Lexington is going to continue dwelling in mediocrity.

If we avoid the brutal facts while continually singing our own praises, we are NOT serving our own best interests.

We must find a new courage with a new model of leadership.  One that builds a truly excellent Lexington, and then we can all celebrate with a REAL party!

Lex's Businesses - Inappropriate? Or Vital?

Focus Should be Less on Rules, More on RESULTS
- Eric Patrick Marr

Is Lexington its People?  Its businesses?  Its natural resources?  Its government?  All of the above?  Just some of the above?  Something else?

During yesterday's Council Work Session - beyond the other important debates (which I'll write about later today) - these very questions arose. Albeit unexpectedly.

Who exactly IS Lexington?  Or WHAT is Lexington, when it all boils down? And while I've been witnessing this war of values and beliefs for quite some time, these questions again took center stage yesterday.

To me, Lexington's very existence, economic vitality and entire quality of life BEGINS AND ENDS with our people.  Smart people foster good ideas that create good businesses, organizations, neighborhoods and projects.  Good businesses pay many of our bills and salaries.  Our businesses (and hence, our people) then fund our government through taxes and fees - which then fund our parks, schools, roads, clean water, police officers, firefighters, etc...  Good businesses also pay for many of our city's events and non-profit organizations.

So here's a quick recap of yesterday's turn of events -

A Lexington native and small business owner, Mr. Rob Morris, spent all weekend preparing his analysis of Lexington's well-documented South Limestone project.  His twelve minute PowerPoint presentation, however, portrayed his business logo (Lowell's Independent Automotive, downtown on Mechanic Street) on each PowerPoint slide, prompting Councilman George Meyers (with Mayor Newberry's consent) to squelch Rob's presentation - until the logos were removed.

Councilman Meyers' exact words - "I'm disturbed by the fact you've got your business advertisement on all your slides.  A half-hour advertisement for your business is inappropriate..."

Prompting me to ponder the question - is it REALLY "inappropriate and disturbing" for a Lexington taxpayer... a Lexington business owner who looks out for the well-being of his customers and employees (see his nickel Cokes and free oil changes!)... a Lexington business owner whose own income has been reduced by 10% due to this South Limestone project... is it really "inappropriate" for him to portray his logo in his own government's setting?

In my eyes, something ELSE is "inappropriate" and "disturbing," but I'll get to that later.  I first want to share what all of YOU said, in response to my twitter question - "Should Lexington businesses be allowed to portray their logos in their local government's setting?"

Your diverse answers are so beautiful, from "yay" to "nay."  I am, however, not sorting these into "pro" and "con" columns.  I want you to experience the diversity as I did, as your answers streamed in.  Then, at the end, I'll give you the "vote tally" and my own opinion.
-

"What was that quote about gnats and camels? CM Meyers may have just swallowed a camel... typical short-sighted LFUCG.  When Lowell's, or any other Lex business, is negatively affected by its OWN gov't, then YES (the logo should be allowed)!  Anyone who says Rob Morris is spending HIS time doing research that LFUCG should have done, for a free ad on GTV, is missing the point!! - @LShevawn

"Here's a logical extension of LFUCG chamber policy: do I have to take off my logo shirt when I enter too?  And notice the logos on the GTV3 site pictures...need to blur those too?" - @three50one

"Perhaps one should ask if there is an existing law that prohibits logos in presentations? Don't plans include the logos?" - @AzurInsider (I've yet to find any Council Rules on this issue, Azur.)

"When corporations/architects do planning presentations to LFUCG, their logos are posted." - @LaminSwann

"Yes, but give us guidelines to limit logos to one slide, maybe." - @Fountaineer

"Yes, any biz should be able to portray its logo if issue being discussed effects said biz. Lexington is the output of the intermingling of all those inputs u mentioned: govt, taxpaying citizens, businesses" - @EmilySandford

"No. Adds potential distracting layer & invites LFUCG meeting to become marketing forum vs. issues forum. Still a Rob fan!"  - @CyberHodge

"Yes. The impact on Rob Morris' business is precisely the issue. Why should he deidentify?" - @MasonDyer

"Are McDonald's employees straight from work now prohibited from speaking to LFUCG?" - @JetInLex

"GTV3 is promoting downtown bizs, why not?  It's not like Rob had an indecent or offensive graphic in his presentation. Just the logo of his company affected by SoLime construction.  Companies are allowed to display their logo on posters, art, renderings in front of LFUCG council. Architects do this all the time." - @Fountaineer

"Yes. It is their identity in the community.... I'm interested in hearing why one would NOT be allowed to." - @AMartinDesign

"Only if presentation is based on their business expertise. CM Myers made a great point on that. It bothered me last week." - @Irish_1

"No. I think Rob is speaking for many affected by the construction; the presentation should be generic. He spoke eloquently last week." - @AdLex

"... I hadn't thought about Rob's identity though. I was thinking about what's best for the whole."- @AdLex again

"I don't think Rob was presenting for marketing purposes. There are a lot of less painful ways to market his business. Lowell's is directly affected by the project's mismanagement, therefore Lowell's logo is extremely relevant to the conversation/presentation." - Confidential

The final count?

Those in favor of allowing Lexington's businesses to portray their logos: 10.

Those against: 3.

My opinion - because LFUCG depends ENTIRELY on Lexington's economy, what is "inappropriate" or "disturbing" is our government NOT helping the South Limestone, North Limestone and ALL of Lexington's businesses even more.

What is actually inappropriate?  As Shevawn Akers touched on - focusing on peripheral issues like logos, when hundreds of millions of dollars and several downtown businesses and families are being hurt, every single day, for almost a year.  Good leaders focus on the PEOPLE of Lexington, including our businesses, doing everything they can to PROMOTE them, not limiting them with imaginary rules.

But this is what Old Lexington has always done - they focus incessantly on rules, while usually ignoring actual results.  At the end of the day, our Council and Mayor did absolutely nothing to change South Limestone's construction schedule, or its effect on our downtown.  In fact, Councilmember Doug Martin even PRAISED the "unprecedented" (superb) management of the construction project.  (Vice Mayor Gray, CEO of Gray Construction, clearly disagreed however, but that's my next post.)

It's long seemed to me that Lexington's businesses, community advocates and citizens have been forced to fend for themselves with little help at all from their "leaders."  Hence, our mediocre local economy throughout the last 17 years.

And with that being the case, kudos to Rob Morris (as owner of Lowell's Automotive) for standing up and using his rightful time.  The same (too small amount of) time afforded to EVERY citizen, equally.

SOMEBODY'S gotta build our economy and city.  Isn't THAT what really matters?

Yesterday, One of Lex's Best Days

Community Engagement = Brain GAIN
= GDP Growth
- Eric Patrick Marr

Yesterday, our Lexington grew up.  We evolved.  We moved forward.

Yesterday, I had the distinct pleasure of saying nothing, yet watching tremendous progress sprout before me.

During yesterday's Council Work Session, (Herald-Leader story here, or Ace Weekly's recap here) I witnessed an all-too unique event in Our Lexington.

Regular citizens took charge. SMART, dedicated citizens took charge.  And considering our highly-educated population, yesterday's events need to become THE NORM, not the exception.

Rob Morris, Owner of Lowell's Auto in downtown Lexington and a former Lexmark leader, shared a powerful presentation on the true economic cost of South Limestone's continued closure. (Rob's estimate: it's costing downtown Lexington $84M - $92M.)  In reality, however, he confronted the same poor planning process that plagues SO MANY of Lexington's projects.  Projects that time and time again go unchecked, without proper evaluation and analysis, and without excellent implementation - despite years and years of mediocrity.

But yesterday, Lexington advanced.

How?  So simple.

Yesterday, some of Lexington's smartest people actually led.  Although, as usual, they had to invite themselves. Yesterday, Rob presented a 12 minute PowerPoint slideshow that took probably 30+ hours to create.  All for free.  All without being solicited.  (Our smart citizens are RARELY solicited in Old Lex's "system of things."  Just ask Graham or Clive Pohl.)

But what was MOST exciting?  The fact that five other - all previously unrelated - people came WITH Rob to lend support and donate their time.  Again, all for free, if not at their own personal expense.  All due to a desire to FINALLY move Lexington forward and transcend mediocrity.  All due to months and months of building new relationships across the community.

And largely because of the internet's power (think of blogs like Lowell's Under the Hood, Ace Weekly, this blog and all the other really good ones, plus twitter and facebook, etc...).

Yesterday, Russell Sitter, Caitlin Neal, Beth Hanna, Lori Vaught and I briefly unified to change "how Lexington operates."  Great Lexingtonians I did not know even a few months ago.  People I would never know, in all likelihood, if tenacious efforts weren't being made to better CONNECT Lexington.

And these new connections worked exceedingly well.

Rob's presentation was practically perfect.  (OK, maybe if Council Chambers had better lighting, it'd be even more perfect).  His presentation was very professional, yet also very authentic.  Really human, yet built on real numbers, real data, and real research.

And our Council knew it.  Everyone intuitively knew it.  In my 18+ months of attending many of these meetings, I've never seen our Council so quiet.  It was palpable.

It was real.

And it demonstrated that "New" Lexington is not standing idly by.  A new, courageous, more proactive force is alive and well, and IT WILL BE leading our Lexington into the future.

The end result - next week Council will decide to either speed up South Limestone's construction, or leave it alone.  Council will now, finally, MOVE WITH URGENCY.  Something they rarely do.

What will shake out?  Who knows.

But yesterday, what came forth was clear.  There's a new voice in Lexington.  A new, effective voice demanding EXCELLENCE, not accepting "same ol', same ol'." A new voice that's beginning to improve our government, open our culture of idea expression, and therefore grow our economy.

Smart people - like Rob, Russell, Caitlin, Beth and Lori - they gravitate to the most opportunistic environments.  Where their ideas count, where their opinions matter.  And smart people - who are encouraged, embraced and engaged - create SMART RESULTS.
-
And THERE is our new economy.  THERE is our "New Lexington." A world-class city built on world-class brainpower, which has been all around us, all this time.

Yesterday, our brainpower just found its way to the table - and I've never been more hopeful.

LeXenomics

I've created three new webpages at EricPatrickMarr.com

1. Lexington's Economic Realities (including data, charts, graphs)
2. Lexington's Tax Structure
3. My Plan for a New Lexington Economy

Our Income Levels, Comparatively

Between 1990 and 2007, Our Competitive Cities Outgrew Us

- Eric Patrick Marr

-

Earlier, I've shared Lexington's 2007 "income levels" compared to other cities, showing how citizens in other cities make more real money than we do.  For instance, Louisville's citizens enjoy about 10% more real money than Lexingtonians do, in Atlanta that number is 37%, in Pittsburgh it's 20%, in Charlotte it's 17%.

But two ultra-important questions are - "how did this happen, and WHEN?"

So I've compiled more data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis to see "trendlines" (data over time) from 1990 to 2007.  To see WHEN other cities really began to outgain our Lexington.

In each chart, the big red number shows how much Nashville, Pittsburgh, Austin, Madison, Atlanta and Louisville outgrew us, percentage-wise.  For example, between 1990 and 2007, Lexington's economy grew 91%.  But Nashville's grew 112%, a net difference of 21% more than us.

-
Yes, Lexingtonians' income levels have been increasing, but that's typical of almost every city (perhaps excluding Flint or Detroit.)  The real question is HOW MUCH?  If other cities are growing at faster rates, then Lexington is actually LOSING ground, not gaining.

All to my longstanding point - we cannot merely look internally, we do not live in a bubble.  We must compete with other cities.  Other cities and other opportunities DO EXIST in the world, even in our backyard...

And to be "world-class" we have to at least compete with our closest neighbors, right?

Nashville vs. Lexington

Pittsburgh vs. Lexington

Atlanta vs. Lexington

Madison vs. Lexington

Austin vs. Lexington

Louisville vs. Lexington

Notes:

Data points from 1990, 2000 and 2007 were used to reflect "longer term" trends.  Data for each individual year is also available for more microscopic studies, if you desire.

Cost of Living is not included in this data - this study is only to illustrate our recent income trends.

New vs. Old. What It Means.

New Ideas, New Practices, New RESULTS

- Eric Patrick Marr

I believe it was last winter when I first used the term "New Lexington."  In the beginning, when only a few questioned every detail, this "new" Lexington didn't raise many eyebrows - its implied meaning was straightforward and simple.

As the phrase grew in usage, however, some confusion grew too. Specifically, some thought the terms "new" and "old" were age-related.

Which, of course, is a misunderstanding.

New vs. old is wholly about new (better) ideas vs. old (failed) traditional thinking. New (better) practices vs. "same ol', same ol'."  New results vs. what we've always gotten.  New vs. old is about good, new policies as opposed to the same ol' (bad) politics.  As one Lexington Councilman so accurately pointed out, "if we do what we've always done, we'll get what we've always gotten."

Also of note - many of my role models are considerably older than I am, chronologically. And their ideas for Our World-Class Lexington are steeped in years of global experiences, fine-tuned skillsets and lifelong observations. They've been advocating for "new" results for much longer than I, without question.

So no, "New Lexington" has nothing to do with one's age.

Our New Lexington is about NEW ideas, NEW ways of thinking, NEW leadership practices, and NEW RESULTS that make life in Our Lexington BETTER. 

Examples of what a NEW (World-Class) Lexington can have:

• SOUND economic growth strategies, with measurable results and accountability
• THOUGHTFUL city planning
• HELPFUL governmental practices that value our citizenry
• SUPPORTIVE systems empowering entrepreneurship and creativity

Of course there are more, but you get the jist.  (For glimpses into how other cities are also advancing, see the New Knoxville culture, the New Pittsburgh Economy, or some New West Politics.)

Lexington is now 280,000 heartbeats in a global, knowledge economy. We are not a one-horse town isolated from the rest of the world. This means we need new (more helpful) community leadership that is responsible and accountable to its own citizens and businesses - the very lifeblood of our city.

Old Lexington thinks too small, and typically too much about themselves.  New Lexington is about all of us - recognizing that we (and all of our families) need a brighter, better future.

Yes, a New Lexington may sound far-fetched to some because the status quo has become so familiar. We are used to doing "what we've always done."

But we must consider new possibilities - mainly, the idea that a World-Class Lexington is indeed within our reach.

"Invisible and Irrelevant"

Our Lexington Has No Shot at Being GREAT, or World-Class, if We're Either of These

-
- Eric Patrick Marr

-

"Would you be interested in moving to Lexington, to help me run a city-wide campaign?"

- Me, asking one of my best friends and his girlfriend - who is English, has travelled much of the U.S., lived in Hong Kong then, and now in Singapore

"Lexington, Kentucky?  Where is that?"
- Michelle's response

"Well, THAT sums it up..."
- My response back, shaking my head

Did you know that Louisville has had to confront the reality of their city being "invisible and irrelevant?"
-
And... they are roughly twice as big as Our Lex - 556,000 citizens compared to our 280,000.

Here are the facts, look 'em up (ask me for the Annual Report's PDF, I'll be glad to e-mail it to you).

In 2005 some thoughtful Louisville leaders realized they needed to change.  They realized Louisville's IMAGE needed to change, specifically.  Their image among businesses, talented individuals and visitors - any city's main economic engines.

But the key there though - THEY ARE dealing with it.  They're doing something about it.

We Are Not.

But why did Louisville's changes come about - with all of the collaboration and investments made between private and public leaders???

Primarily because they discovered three overwhelmingly "sobering" truths:

1. Only 11% of professional Americans, between the ages of 22-41, knew enough about Louisville to begin with to even offer an informed opinion
2. Only 18% of Convention Planners had ever considered Louisville as a host city
3. Only 8% of business "Site Selection Specialists" had considered Louisville as a place to relocate

So, for all intents and purposes, Louisville was invisible and irrelevant.  Now imagine running a business - or growing a community's economy - if you are invisible and irrelevant.

Now, of course, the immediate question is how does this translate to Lexington's reality?  (My own 16 years of personal experience away from Lex have provided endless observations, one of which I share at this blog's end...)
-
This "invisible and irrelevant" point is a good question - one I've been trying to get "Old Lex" to address since April (that's over five months now - in some of the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression - with practically NO help from our current decision-makers).

So, since no one in Old Lexington has thought deep enough to pursue our own data, I think we have to extrapolate what we can from Louisville.  Remembering that:

A) they are also in Kentucky
B) they are twice as large as us
C) they are home to the Derby, with all of that national attention
D) our college basketball + bourbon scenes (arguably) compare
E) they also have major interstates intersecting their city

Bottom line - if Louisville's numbers were that "sobering" as they put it, then we have to assume (without spending $500,000 on our own survey) that Our Lexington's numbers are pretty damn close.  If they were invisible and irrelevant, then I'll bet the proverbial farm that we are too.

And THAT, my friends, is a problem.  For our economy and culture, especially.

Louisville certainly thought so.  Hence, they've since created, funded and launched an entire initiative to put Louisville on the map... in today's new world.  Hello Louisville Branding Project.

And whenever I think about this, I immediately remember my freshman year at Purdue - just a few hours northwest of here.  It's the very first day of summer vacation, the day after my Physics' final exam.  It's the first Saturday in May.  I'm ONLY 3 hours north of Louisville.

I go the whole, entire day.  NOT ONE PERSON (not even my girlfriend who KNEW I was a "redneck from Kentucky") even mentioned our beloved day's "big event."  In fact, much to my utter shock and surprise, my Purdue Engineering professors (who I assumed were halfway intelligent) did not even know what was happening!

I was aghast!
-
Then they had the utter nerve... the gall... to ask - after I finally raised the topic late into the afternoon - "so when is the Kentucky Derby, is it on a specific day or something?"

Once again, THAT sums it all up.

But the question is, what are WE going to do about it???