SPECIAL REPORT
By Duane Ramsey
Toledo Free Press Staff Writer
news@toledofreepress.com
Article published June 22, 2007
(Note: the following is an excerpt from the complete article which can be found here.)
Research of the impact local universities have on economic development, conducted at BGSU's Center for Regional Development, shows that institutions of higher education contribute a total of $2 billion annually to Northwest Ohio's economy.
The business side of universities and colleges includes the purchasing of goods and services by the schools and spending by faculty and students, according to that research.
The Center for Regional Development is an interdisciplinary research unit chartered by BGSU for regional economic and community development. The center's mission is to design and implement pragmatic solutions to a wide variety of regional challenges for the betterment of the people in Northwest Ohio.
"We are working with other research centers in our region and around the globe to explore and share development and research opportunities. With research partners in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the CRD is working hard to provide world-class ideas and move them from our campus to your community," said Michael Carroll, director of the center and an associate professor of economics.
The regional center has conducted a study of the arts in Northwest Ohio to measure the economic significance of the region's arts and art-related industries such as ad agencies in 27 Northwest Ohio counties.
The research revealed that the arts community generates $981 million directly with 16,406 jobs. The total of direct, indirect and induced impact results in $1.63 billion and 26,982 jobs, according to the study.
The Center for Regional Development at BGSU signed a three-year agreement with the Urban Affairs Center at UT in April to collaborate on identifying and pursuing funds for joint research projects.
The CRD and UT's Urban Affairs Center are working with 30-plus agencies that participate in economic development to concentrate a collaborative effort to take a global perspective for economic growth and apply it to Northwest Ohio, Carroll said.
Carroll and Neil Reid, Urban Affairs Center director, have been working together for three years on economic "cluster" projects to unite similar businesses within the region to promote their industries. A notable example is the Maumee Valley Growers, a consortium of local greenhouse owners and suppliers.
Their original research indicated Northwest Ohio's greenhouse industry was one of the nation's largest producers of greenhouse nursery crops, with Lucas County ranking in the top 5 percent among counties nationwide. It had an economic impact of almost $100 million on the region's economy with more than 750 jobs.
Kaptur secured funds for an economic study of Northwest Ohio's greenhouse industry. The study showed that the local industry faced heavy competition from foreign sources, especially from southern Ontario.
The cluster concept was developed to promote collaboration among growers to compete internationally. The local cluster created the brand label, Maumee Valley Growers, and is developing a comprehensive marketing strategy to capitalize on the newly established brand.
Research identified solutions to the high-energy costs that were threatening the profitability of many individual greenhouses. The collaborative effort of the cluster included group energy purchases that saved $250,000 in energy costs in one year.
The center is working with Lake Township and the village of Walbridge to develop an economic strategy to control the expected commercial growth in those areas when the Veterans' Glass City Skyway bridge and Interstate 280 open.
It is also working with the Maumee Valley Planning Organization comprised of five Northwest Ohio counties to create an economic development strategy to qualify for federal funds toward developing the U.S. 24 corridor from Wood County to the Indiana border.