Joplin Region - Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma

Regional Economic Development Strategy

The Joplin Region has endured significant challenges in the past year – as it began to surface slowly from the national recession that crippled most U.S. metros and regions, its principal city was slammed by an EF-5 tornado in late May 2011. Approximately six months after this disaster, the cities of Joplin and Duquesne are emerging successfully from initial recovery efforts. Leaders want to ensure that as local rebuilding takes place over the next several years, economic development actions moving forward are regional in scope and pursue efforts in the seven-county, three-state Joplin Region comprised of Barton, Jasper, and Newton counties in southwest Missouri; Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties in southeast Kansas; and Ottawa County in northeast Oklahoma.

Market Street Services is proud to have previously partnered with the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce’s leadership to establish the building blocks for post-tornado business recovery through our firm’s pro bono assistance to the Joplin Business Recovery and Expansion Initiative. This regional process builds off of ongoing recovery and development efforts in Joplin to see the entire seven-county region prosper for many years to come.

The regional economic development strategy process is comprised of four phases. Two research phases, the Competitive Snapshot and the Target Business Analysis, will leverage current data as well as qualitative input from a broad base of stakeholders in the seven counties. The strategic phases of the Strategy document and the Implementation Plan will incorporate the findings of the research phases, the vision of community leaders and citizens, and national best practices to define an action plan for the region over the next five years, including strategies to maintain the momentum of post-tornado business recovery initiatives and to transition these activities into long-term, regional economic development programs.

 

For more information, please see project website.