Looking For The Next Big Score

By Mark Forsythe The Kansas City Post We need a major franchise in Kansas City. Not an NHL or NBA franchise but something drastically different with a much more positive effect on the community. I understand the need to be a "major league" city. It does help with economic development when out-of-state investors have actually heard of us. However, there are organizations out there that can bring just as much, if not more cachet to a community by their presence. I realize businesses aren't champing at the bit to expand these days. Every day I read a story about how some company has shelved or canceled plans for an expansion. Opportunities always exist though. You just have to dig a little harder. Companies may not be looking to expand, but they're certainly looking for ways to lower costs. What better way to lower costs than to move from an expensive location to a more fiscally advantageous one? We continue to hear news about working to attract a franchise to the Sprint Center. It makes you wonder what kind of results could be obtained if we pursued businesses with good manufacturing jobs in the same manner we pursue teams with a dominant power forward. It seems like our priorities have gotten out of whack. Sure we take the occasional swipe at a company like Bombardier when they're looking to use a hapless mark as a bargaining chip, but do we ever really do the cold calling and stalk the trade shows looking for the next Nanosolar or Clipper Wind Power? At any given moment throughout the US there are conventions and trade shows taking place where decision makers tout their products and sometimes let it be known they're looking for a new home. Very few companies advertise their intent to move or expand in trade publications. Most business leaders don't want every economic development official in North America calling them. No, sometimes a simple conversation in the hallway can reveal a major opportunity where none was known to exist. We should be using these events as networking and recruitment opportunities. After all, nothing says "we're open for business" like actually being there and saying "we're open for business!" Hopefully the next big announcement of a major move to Kansas City will be broadcast on CNN instead of ESPN. That would be something we could all get excited about.