Keeping MEM Competitive
We continue our MEM theme this week by looking at some other peer cities’ airports: Jacksonville Raleigh Orlando ...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 21, 2012 | Economic Development, Transportation
We continue our MEM theme this week by looking at some other peer cities’ airports: Jacksonville Raleigh Orlando ...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 19, 2012 | City of Memphis Government, Economic Development, Planning and Urban Design, Uncategorized
In the past 15 years, Memphis has pursued an NBA team and spent $250 million for Pyramid improvements and construction of the FedExForum to lure the Grizzlies. We have devoted years to considering how to make our convention...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 16, 2012 | Economic Development, Transportation
There is an emerging sense of frustration by some members of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority that may make it more assertive about dealing with the economic...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 14, 2012 | Economic Development, Education, Memphis City Schools, Poverty
“We are a nation of idiots about infancy.” It was unquestionably a slap-in-the-face wake-up call, but there was no rebuttal to offer after recently listening to the convincing...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 12, 2012 | City of Memphis Government, Education, Politics and Government, Shelby County government
The two most impactful public processes in recent history aren’t judged as complete successes, but it’s hard to think of any citizen-driven processes that have...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 8, 2012 | Politics and Government
It seems like a good time to swear off the Memphis-Detroit comparisons once and for all. They are a staple of online comments and the ultimate self-loathing putdowns. Although Memphis...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 7, 2012 | Planning and Urban Design, Uncategorized
We’ve promised to swear off – if not viscerally reject – any comparisons of Memphis to Detroit, but a recent post in Detroit caught our eye because it offered some warning...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 5, 2012 | Planning and Urban Design
Memphians’ lack of self-worth has resulted in some projects that give new meaning to the phrase, penny wise and pound foolish. Too often, it’s been as if we are the ultimate...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 2, 2012 | Civil Rights, Politics and Government
It seems almost daily that our young grandchildren appear to have more self-control than the ultra-conservatives suffering from Nashville fever. It’s...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Mar 1, 2012 | Livability, Planning and Urban Design, Transportation
The madness continues. The following is a message from our friends at Livable Memphis sent by Sarah Newstok and here’s our earlier post on the 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan: Dear partners, Last week, we submitted...
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by Bill Day. Memphian Bill Day is two-time winner of the RFK Journalism Award in Cartooning. His cartoons are syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons. Cartoons Archive →
Since 2005, this has been Smart City Consulting’s blog with the aim of connecting the dots and providing perspective on issues and policies shaping Memphis. Editor and primary author is Tom Jones, City Journal columnist at Memphis magazine, author of two books and a museum exhibition, and consultant on public policy and strategic planning. He has written articles for MLK50, The Commercial Appeal, and USA Today. The blog was called one of the most intriguing blogs in the U.S. by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change; The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal said it “provides some of the most well-thought-out thinking about Memphis’ past, present, and future you’ll find anywhere,” and the Memphis Flyer said: “This incredibly well-written blog sets out to solve the city’s ills – from the mayor to MATA – with out-of-the-box thinking, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ideas.” If you have questions, submissions, or ideas for posts, please email Tom Jones, at tjones@smartcityconsulting.com.