INDIANAPOLIS — The Great Miami Riverway was honored at the International Economic Development Council’s (IEDC) annual conference held in Indianapolis on Oct. 15.
The Riverway received IEDC’s Silver Award for Excellence in Economic Development for Regionalism & Cross-Border Collaboration. A press release from the Great Miami Riverway said the honor signifies the Riverway is making its mark on innovative approaches to regionalism and its efforts to drive economic development, business retention and expansion, marketing, trade and tourism.
“We are honored to be recognized by the IEDC,” Janet Bly, general manager of the Miami Conservancy District said in the release. “The Great Miami Riverway makes every one of our communities a better and more prosperous place to live and work. We are using river assets to attract private investment, promote tourism and create a quality of life that helps attract a talented workforce the area needs.”
The Great Miami Riverway is a 99-mile, regional destination linking cities, counties, park districts and other organizations along the Great Miami River from Hamilton through the Greater Dayton region to Sidney.
“The riverfront communities agree on common goals and pool their resources, expertise, and passion to leverage greater awareness of and engagement with the assets along the Great Miami River. One of the most exciting engagement initiatives is Tour de Way, a passport program that launched in April 2019.,” the release said. “Tour de Way encourages visitors and residents alike to explore the region by visiting 10 unique locations — from restaurants to art installations, small businesses to breweries — in each of the 10 Riverway communities.“
“We are tied together by a common thread — the Great Miami Riverway,” said Riverway coalition member Mallory Greenham, of the city of Hamilton. “By bringing our communities together, we have seen a number of innovative ideas emerge to promote and better the region and not just ourselves.”
The Great Miami Riverway supports more than 9,000 jobs and represents a $773 million economic impact.
IEDC) is the world’s largest membership organization for economic development professionals. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life in their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, members represent the entire range of economic development. Learn more at iedconline.org.
