Cobb’s Competitive EDGE
Economic Development for a Growing Economy
Cobb’s Competitive EDGE, an initiative of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and its community-wide partners, is Cobb County’s first holistic, transformational economic development strategy and implementation plan designed to aggressively generate high-wage job growth, strengthen our quality of life, education and infrastructure assets, and market Cobb County to the world. The four-phase initiative is estimated to cost approximately $180,000.
Leading the process is one of the nation’s leading economic development consultants, Market Street Services and its founder and CEO Mac Holladay. With nearly 40 years of experience, Holladay served at three chambers of commerce over a 13-year period and is the only individual to head state-level economic development organizations in three different states. His firm also led game-changing economic development strategies for Austin, Texas, Nashville, Tenn., Gwinnett County, Ga., and others.
The six-month strategy includes significant stakeholder input including one-on-one interviews, focus groups and community surveys and a long-term communications strategy in four phases:
Competitive Assessment
A thorough Competitive Assessment of the county’s position in the economy has been completed using the best data sources available and honest feedback from key constituencies in the county. This phase captures the most recent trends and current realities of Cobb’s demographic and economic structure. It also compares Cobb to three benchmark communities across the country in three areas crucial to economic development competitiveness: people, prosperity and place. This phase will cost $60,125, paid for by the private sector.
To view the completed Competitive Assessment, click here.
Target Cluster Analysis
A Target Cluster Analysis will be conducted to identify the most important existing and the most promising emerging targets for Cobb’s leaders to pursue. This will include an analysis of current business concentrations, future projections and an assessment of Cobb’s current workforce development capacity for each sector. A Marketing Review component will be included in this phase to determine if the marketing efforts of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and the Cobb County Office of Economic Development reflect best practice methods for increasing awareness and investment in the area. This phase will cost $41,525, paid for by the private sector. Based on this data, the steering committee will determine its next steps and the decision point in moving forward to create a strategy.
Economic and Community Development Strategy
The new information revealed by the research phases will provide the foundation for the development of a holistic five-year Cobb Economic and Community Development Strategy. This strategy will serve as the blueprint for Cobb’s immediate and long-term job creation goals. This phase will cost $41,175, with funding sources to be determined.
Economic and Community Development Implementation Plan
A detailed Implementation Plan will clearly identify the “next steps” that will enable the Cobb Chamber, county and city leaders to hit the ground running with the strategy’s goals. This plan will prioritize action steps, assess key implementation entities, build timelines and research current and political funding sources. This phase will cost $37,175, with funding sources to be determined.
At the end of the process, the Cobb Chamber and its community partners will have a strategy focused on the community’s most pressing needs and opportunities and the action steps, guidelines and resources needed to achieve success.
Competitive EDGE Scope of Work
Questions about EDGE? Call 770-859-2326.