Build & Grow Relationships

The best policies are based on data-driven research, using engaged, diverse stakeholders and by fostering thought that motivates people to think regionally. It is a process that CREC has done successfully since 2009, and it has helped expand our client base and grow communities. Clients vary from single municipalities and private-sector firms:

• Cities	• Think tanks
• States	• National organizations

Client Profile

East Tennessee Regional Planning

In collaboration with Wallace Roberts Todd and other partners, the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness assisted PlanET in creating and implementing an ambitious multi-jurisdictional plan that will integrate economic development, environment, infrastructure, and public health considerations into a comprehensive plan that addresses area needs.

Led by the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission, PlanET was a three-phase regional planning process aimed at developing capacity to improve the quality of life for residents in the Knoxville region.

During Phase 1, CREC worked closely with the partners to examine what has already been accomplished in the region pertaining to:

Strategic economic planning

Assess information needs to guide future development

Engage the region’s business and political leadership to participate in the design of a regional economic vision that supports a broader sustainability agenda

In Phase 2, CREC worked closely with the CLT and a specially designated E&W Working Group to review the research findings generated in Phase 1 and identify the most critical actions for the region to take moving forward.

In the final stage, CREC:

Collaborated with the rest of the project team to document the results of Phase 2

Integrate the information into a broader regional sustainability plan

Determine which regional economic strategy metrics ought to be incorporated into the larger strategy’s performance monitoring efforts

Website: http://www.planeasttn.org