Erie has great road access to a major population within a 500 mile radius, a local web site indicates that population approaches 50
% of the population of the United States, Erie has over 5,000 hotel rooms that mostly serve an ever increasing tourist business that visit its beaches and many attractions. Since the state of Pennsylvania chose Erie as its gambling capital and the owners of the Casino/Race Track has invested over $250 million dollars, the gross revenue is in the range of $40 million dollars every week and the net revenue to the state of Pennsylvania is approximately $1.5 million dollars a week.
There are strong rumors currently generating around the Casino that the Jacob’s family who have many gambling and real estate holdings and at one time had an interest in the Chicago Cubs have added to their substantial stock holding in MTR, the owners of the Casino, by buying out the current President Ted Arsenault, who has been on record to retire in December this year. This is seen to be good news for the Casino and Race Track interests because the reputation of the Jacobs family is very favorable with the racing industry.

GE Transportation is on a path of global growth and Erie has the attention of GE and undoubtedly will expand and grow in the future as GE is focusing on the divisions that are most profitable. A major industrial group meets at our Convention Center on August 5 and will tour a number of successful sites located in this area.

The Cancer Institute will continue research on human trials and Erie is being considered as one area to hold this research, this will place Erie in the national and internation spotlight and be a potential economic boost to our economy and visability. Our manufacturing base is substantial, our tourist business is expanding, insurance business is on solid ground, our universities are successful, our real estate market is steady and healthy, unlike many areas of this country, and the state of Pennsylvania is encouraging re-development of our community and taking a regional approach to our area. This is not my ideal of a “little city”, yet it is not New York, Boston, Los Angeses or Chicago but to some of us, “it’s all good!”.

The current economy with the price of gas, food inflation, stock market down, and rising natural gas prices, soon to be increased electric rates will impact all of us, maybe with Houston and certain sub markets excepted, as the global economy slows, but overall the Erie area with it’s abundance of water, low propensity for natural disasters, relative clean air, low traffic and less than normal commuting times will become more and more attractifve to more and more people.

The lack of a more cooperative regional approach of maximizing our assets has limited growth, the County and the state of Pennsylvania recognize that Erie is an important hub that is the engine to growth and has show support to re-vitalize our area.

Now is the time for residents and citizens of this area to come together
and impact a comprehensive approach to the future.

The area will grow because of the critical mass already here, the question is the quality of that growth. Community input and direction is needed, It is your community, help shape its future.

I greatly appreciate how you distilled the report in order to open it up for some constructive dialog. Since the RBB Summit in Erie, I’ve been mulling over a regional economy that lets cities fill a niche. What does each industrial city do best?

Niche #4 is what I have in mind for Erie. Erie as centerpiece for a global transportation corridor, a la Jim Berlin’s suggestion, leverages unique geographic assets. Furthermore, I see Erie as the inter-regional hub for tourism and recreation. Anyone remember Youngstown “bosses” vacationing in Erie?

The shame is that every city wants a convention center or to be a major tourist destination. I think this economy would be better set in Erie. But no city is going to surrender this industry. Erie can and should win this battle of the marketplace by attracting the business of emerging economies around the world.

Erie should be the mega-region’s link to the places experiencing the most growth. This dovetails nicely with niche #6. Because of anti-immigration sentiment, there is considerable opportunity to act as the mega-region’s gateway for the foreign-born. And the proximity to Canada (Toronto airport) is a great asset.

That’s my vision for Erie.

Myself, the opportunity to live in a beautiful country area, enjoy the open space, small town country living and yet have access to the attractions of Erie in 15-25 minutes was beyond my expectations. I prefer a small town atmosphere and rural living but want to near the attractions of a small city like Erie. A small town and city allow a more intimate feel than a larger city would offer, people in this area have a community
sense and feel and belonging that is often not found in larger cities.

Erie was once called “unfashionable” by a London reporter, but one area’s fashion is another area’s pretense. The glitter of high end shopping of shopping in London, New York, San Francisco and other places would seem pretentious in the country and to the people who
want that type of “fashion” would most likely not enjoy living in the country. It is not a good or bad it is just a personal choice.

I purchased a two hundred acre farm for less than I would have to pay for a two bedroom condo in San Diego. I am able to sell off part of the land and if I chose to, I could live on a large parcel of land with trees, creek, free gas and the real estate taxes on the land are less than two hundred ($200) per year because the land is over ten acres and qualifies as Clean and Green. The City of Erie and all the attractions are 15-20 minutes away, it does not get any better from my opinion.
When I reach the age that I need to be in a more controlled setting
Erie has great hospitals and facilities and all levels of care facilities within minutes.

Erie has a manufacturing base, tourist economy, medical facilities,
educational facilities, beaches, convention center and over 5,000 hotel rooms, many attractions, theatres, plays, art community, 45 minutes from Chautauque Institute and within 500 miles of 50% of the population of the United States, according to one of the local web sites.
Those, in my opinion, are great demographics for a “small town” community, but it will never be New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and a lot of us say “Thank God”.