Gridiron regionalism

Call this regionalism by other means... tentative steps have been made to allow the NFL's Buffalo Bills to play at least one of their regular home games in... Toronto? See:


http://washington.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2007/10/15/daily44.html


It's also been suggested that the two cities may swap sports teams. I probably should know, but is there a common moniker for the name of the region that would encompass both cities and environs. Is Buffalo really thinking of itself as a suburb of Toronto, or vice versa. Trans national regions are nothing new. The obvious example of the Oreusund region not only crosses national boundaries, but the North Sea as well encompassing the Copenhagen metro region and Southern Sweeden. It took the building of the multi-billion Oresund Bridge to make that work. Which makes me wonder, in this post-9/11 world, is it easier to commute from Malmo (Sweeden) into Copenhagen (Denmark) than it is to get between Toronto and Buffalo.

first ever voluntary school merger in PA

Outside Pittsburgh is news that two school districts have voted to move forward with what would be the first ever voluntary school board board merger in Pennsylvania history. Not a done deal by far, but a big step. I have to admit I am dubious of the qualifier that this really is the first ever as this article asserts. Maybe the first in a long time, but first ever? really?

regional alliance?

The Alliance for Regional Stewardship is sort of the meta-regional organization out there.... or at least it was. Looking at its web site http://www.regionlink.org/ it looks like there was some abrupt end of new content earlier this year. Maybe it's just the web site budget that has been cut, but has something happened to their program?

NE Louisiana

Via Edpro is a note about this news item in the Shreveport Times on progress toward creating a multi-county economic development agency in NE Louisiana.

"regionalized" criminals

Excellent, readers already. Ron G. pointed out to me this story in the Sep 16, edition of the York (PA) Sunday Record: Urge police to merge Metro-York's consolidation plan sounds promising. The key quote:

Criminals don't respect - or probably even know - where the municipal boundaries lie. They've already “regionalized” - in that sense, they're more progressive than our municipal systems.

Although I am reminded of this old cartoon from the 1920's in Pittsburgh where the rallying cry as "Microbes know no municipal boundaries"





more tips please.

a zero-sum game?

From the Charlotte Observer is a short oped by Ronnie Bryant, President & CEO, Charlotte Regional Partnership: A test for Charlotte USA: Other areas in region shouldn't try to lure speedway from Cabarrus. Ronnie points out how intra-regional competition can be a zero-sum game when it comes to attract new investment.

tax sharing in Cleveland

Does this get filed under regionalism or transit-based economic development. In Cleveland, municipalities have agreed to share incremental tax revenues generated by a new exchange to be built for I-90. Read more in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.