Economic Development – TheMinotVoice.com

Riders Wanted: Study looks at ND potential for motorcycle tourism

by: MinotVoice | May 18, 2025

Motorcycles aren’t just for joyrides—they’re economic engines, too. That’s the focus of a new research project led by Minot State professor Andrew Bertsch, who’s surveying riders to understand how motorcycle tourism could benefit North Dakota. With rallies, road trips, and off-road adventures all part of the mix, the potential impact stretches well beyond scenic highways.

Read & Share sourced from: Minot Daily News

Manitoba steps up to complete Prairie Innovation Centre in Brandon

by: MinotVoice | May 16, 2025

When agriculture thrives, rural communities do too—and Manitoba is betting big on that connection. With $120 million in combined funding and bridge financing, the province is jumpstarting construction on Assiniboine College’s Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture. It’s more than a building—it’s a workforce pipeline for tomorrow’s ag jobs, tailored to Manitoba’s growing needs. From

Read & Share sourced from: Discover Westman

North Omaha ‘Innovation District’ funded by $30M from state is topic of May 21 public input meeting

by: Josh Wolsky | May 16, 2025

Omaha’s North Side is being invited to help shape its own future—and this time, voices from the community will be heard from the start. A $30 million state grant is backing a new Innovation District aimed at spurring inclusive economic growth, and planners want public input before the first blueprint is drawn. With past projects

Read & Share sourced from: Nebraska Examiner

The Exceedingly Dumb Politics of Data Center Subsidies

by: MinotVoice | May 10, 2025

Colorado lawmakers are weighing whether to join a growing—and costly—trend: offering big tax breaks to lure data center construction. Proponents say the state must “stay competitive,” but critics argue it’s a race to the bottom that largely benefits large tech corporations at public expense. A recent report shows some states already lose hundreds of millions

Read & Share sourced from: Boondoggle

North Dakota gas pipeline subsidy potential set to grow to $500M

by: MinotVoice | May 1, 2025

North Dakota lawmakers are poised to double down on natural gas, backing a pipeline project with up to $500 million in state guarantees over the next decade. The goal: move excess gas from the Bakken oilfields to markets in the east — and support booming demand from AI data centers. Supporters call it a smart

Read & Share sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

Chattanooga to establish nation’s first quantum tech center

by: MinotVoice | April 30, 2025

Chattanooga is positioning itself at the forefront of quantum innovation. Through a new partnership with IonQ, the city’s utility provider EPB will launch the nation’s first commercial-access quantum technology center. The effort builds on Chattanooga’s early investment in a citywide quantum network and aims to develop real-world applications in cybersecurity, energy, and logistics. While other

Read & Share sourced from: Route Fifty

North Dakota House passes Department of Commerce budget after debate over amendments

by: MinotVoice | April 28, 2025

After two days of heated debate, the North Dakota House passed the Department of Commerce budget last Thursday with a 61-31 vote. Lawmakers clashed over late additions, including funding for drones, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, and a $75 million development fund line of credit. Critics warned the bill risked violating the state’s single-subject rule,

Read & Share sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

Mandan to begin gift card program to boost Memorial Highway businesses during construction

by: MinotVoice | April 26, 2025

With a $119 million highway project underway, Mandan businesses along the Strip are bracing for a bumpy few years — but help is on the way. The city is launching a new gift card program in late May, offering residents a 25% bonus on purchases to encourage shopping local during construction. Funded through the Mandan

Read & Share sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota House passes $30 million incentive for ag facilities, moves to governor’s desk

by: MinotVoice | April 23, 2025

North Dakota is rolling out the welcome mat for major ag development, with the Legislature approving a $30 million incentive bill aimed at jumpstarting projects like the proposed Agristo potato processing plant in Grand Forks. The funding would come in two stages—after construction and once production hits halfway. With an emergency clause included, the measure

Read & Share sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

North Dakota Legislature advances bill to back rural improvement projects, strikes another

by: Josh Wolsky | April 16, 2025

A long-term vision for rural North Dakota didn’t survive the legislative gauntlet — but lawmakers didn’t walk away from the issue entirely. Senate Bill 2097, a bold plan to create a $50 million endowment fund, was scrapped after House members balked at its scale and timing. In its place, a more modest option advanced: a

Read & Share sourced from: InForum

From Abandoned Church to Community Anchor: How Small-Scale Development Revives Neighborhoods

By: Strong Towns, Strong Towns | April 16, 2025

“Turn what you have into what your neighborhood needs.” That’s the spirit behind the transformation of a church in Duncanville, Texas—captured in a new video from Jon Jon Wesolowski. Once a quiet property with an aging sanctuary and empty classrooms, this space now hums with activity thanks to a bold, incremental redevelopment effort led by

Read & Share sourced from: Strong Towns

Econ. Development Review committee considers value of economic incentives

by: MinotVoice | April 12, 2025

Minot’s leaders are leaning toward keeping tax incentive programs as part of the city’s economic development strategy — but they want to be smart about it. A review committee signaled support for tools like the Renaissance Zone and property tax exemptions for builders and homeowners, noting their role in revitalizing downtown and supporting new projects.

Read & Share sourced from: Minot Daily News

Listen: The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Designing Prosperous Places

by: Josh Wolsky | April 11, 2025

Good places don’t happen by accident — they’re built by people who know how to shape them. In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, architect Will McCollum shares why teaching the next generation of citymakers matters more than ever. From his early inspiration wandering the medieval streets of Toledo, Spain, to launching a new summer

Read & Share sourced from: Strong Towns

Turning a Neglected State Roadway Into an Economic Engine

by: MinotVoice | April 11, 2025

Most people drive past places like Columbia, Missouri’s Business Loop 70 without a second thought — four lanes of traffic, scattered businesses, and not much reason to stop. But thanks to Carrie Gartner and the Loop Community Improvement District, this once-forgotten stretch of highway is becoming something rare: a local hub for makers, entrepreneurs, and

Read & Share sourced from: Next City

Small Town America vs Big Box Stores

by: Josh Wolsky | April 10, 2025

In Washington, Maine, a small-town store owner is fighting to protect more than just his business — he’s defending a way of life. Across the country, communities like his are pushing back against Dollar General, not just because of what these stores sell, but because of what they take. Local grocers and hardware stores close.

Read & Share sourced from: Strong Towns

Mayor of Grand Forks tours potato processing plants in Belgium

by: MinotVoice | April 1, 2025

What was once a site of controversy may soon become a hub of opportunity. After a Chinese-owned corn milling project was scrapped over national security concerns, a new partner is eyeing the same land—this time, from Belgium. Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski is touring potato plants abroad as Agristo considers building a U.S. facility that

Read & Share sourced from: WDAY