Duggins tells Redevelopment that Toyota got away.

Unintentionally (could it be otherwise?), Duggins may have stumbled upon the best economic development strategy yet: Allocate our scarce resources in New Albany to the encouragement of businesses that are fundamentally different from those seemingly predestined to fill River Ridge space, which enjoys numerous advantages and subsidies designed to please the oligarch class.

We have Iu Southeast and the Purdue Center. Tie them to incubators and entrepreneurs; adjust infrastructure to Speck proportions so as to attract potential workers; spread the investment (and the risk) among the many; and run with it.

The point is not being shovel ready. The point is to be idea ready. But in order for this shift to occur, the ruling class must be receptive to ideas, and not dependent on kickbacks from the shovels.

River Ridge may gain Toyota instead of New Albany, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)

 ... While the talk updated New Albany Redevelopment Commission members on some potential improvements to the city, it also unveiled that Toyota won’t be constructing two 62,000 square-foot distribution facilities in Grant Line Industrial Park West.

Instead, Toyota may be headed to River Ridge Commerce Center in Clark County.

... David Duggins, director of economic development and redevelopment for New Albany, said Toyota has declined the Grant Line West site. During the redevelopment meeting, a city official referenced that Toyota would instead be opening a facility in River Ridge.

Following the meeting late Tuesday afternoon, Duggins declined to comment on whether Toyota is moving to River Ridge, but he did infer the company would be locating in the area.

“The most important thing is keeping those jobs in the region,” he said ...

 ... Duggins said the city continues to seek industries to occupy the industrial park, and will look to expand the site.

“It’s important for us to continue to the development there, and also to be shovel ready,” he said.