Today begins a journey of 10 hidden gems within the borders of the state of Tennessee. Ten communities were recently selected to be a part of a brand new program the Tennessee Department of Economic Development rolled out a few months ago called "Tennessee Downtowns". (Read about it HERE). This innovative program was designed to introduce and assist communities through the steps of launching a downtown revitalization effort. This program was designed to dust off the jewels that have been hidden for so long in communities across the state of Tennessee.
How many times have I driven through an old downtown that is dusty and old and run down and looked at the potential of the buildings but seen no signs of any "work in progress." Many times it's due to a lack of local government support. Other times it's due to a lack of private sector support. But what is exciting about these brand new communities is that they have both the local government and the private sector ready to roll up their sleeves and do something about their downtown. They are ready to move forward. They are ready to blow off the dust and get to work. They are energized with a love for their downtown and a will to succeed that will take them far.
I'm excited to be a part of this adventure, and excited to be surrounded by a team that is all about encouraging and providing tools to help these communities succeed. Here's to the journey, and here's to the historic sights and energized people that we will be seeing and meeting along the way!
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