Just in case you have not noticed, there is an economic building boom going on at WMU & Kzoo – Can Kzoo Lure New Factories? https://lnkd.in/gXRx4tYE
An on-campus pub is planned. https://lnkd.in/g4Q-5mve
Live shot: https://lnkd.in/eVAymYz
$500M in new WMU construction almost done…
https://lnkd.in/esD2Wfm
https://lnkd.in/erDrMmb
More game changer construction at WMU (w/ live shots):
https://lnkd.in/eVAymYz
https://lnkd.in/e6nNaMY
https://lnkd.in/eQMKQXV
https://lnkd.in/eGe8UT5
First someone gives WMU $550M, then someone gives Kalamazoo City $400M. Wow. What an amazing community. https://lnkd.in/e6w7Br9
Kalamazoo announces $400M donation to support city’s Foundation for Excellence. The gift represents the largest to a municipality in U.S. history. https://lnkd.in/e8Gi-Hh
This Michigan school just landed a record gift for a public university: $550 million (Hint: WMU) https://lnkd.in/dVdMRXP
WMU unveils $36M Valley Dining Center home to 9 micro-restaurants
https://lnkd.in/gfiTRvWh
New WMU Dining planned
https://lnkd.in/gbbpzifG.
Also, the WMU Haworth College of Business (HCoB) is one of the best business colleges in the world.
https://lnkd.in/dn9-BCg
Hard Rock-brand hotel coming to Kalamazoo’s historic Gibson guitar manufacturing site. https://lnkd.in/eVkjvCb
Graphic Packaging plans $600 million expansion in Kalamazoo. https://lnkd.in/eBcgkXD
The dream of an arena, event center coming to Kalamazoo inches closer to reality.
https://lnkd.in/gyNV8eHZ
https://lnkd.in/eN54sph
Kalamazoo City Commissioners Approve Creation of $500 Million Fund
https://lnkd.in/emme2mA
Renovated masonic temple home to Kalamazoo’s new downtown hotel
https://lnkd.in/eGyHJyV
City in Michigan ranked the No. 1 coolest place in U.S. with lowest cost of living
https://lnkd.in/eQJ8E8n
Exclusive look 300 feet above Kalamazoo from inside the new Exchange building. https://lnkd.in/eJ2Dw7c
Great read on reshoring MFG back to the U.S. How about Kalamazoo (let’s build some state of the art MFG)?
https://lnkd.in/gXRx4tYE
Remember, Kzoo was once the MFG domain for Checker cabs, Gibson guitars, Kalamazoo stoves, Shakespeare fishing rods & reels, & the Roamer automobile. Parchment paper, made from vegetable byproducts (also in Kzoo).
Your covid vaccine & booster was likely made in Kzoo at Pfizer’s largest MFG facility in the world.
Can Kzoo Lure New Factories? https://lnkd.in/ejEwDhh
Selling points include: see comments section.
Kzoo selling points include:
1. Access to trade skills through a world class community college (KVCC).
2. I-94 has been widened through Kzoo.
3. Kzoo is equi-distant from the tool & die industry (South bend & GR, & also Detroit & Chicago, & a gateway to Canada). 131 to GR has been developed & there will be a bypass to South Bend. A factory would need quick & easy access to such tooling & equipment suppliers.
4. A LACK of UAW/union presence & culture. Metro Detroit is close by but we are not Metro Detroit & we also have a much more diversified economy. We are a Right to Work state (2013).
5. Good supply of homes all over the area for future employees & the Kzoo Promise (100% free college for their kids).
6. Kzoo ranked as having the best quality of life & low cost of living balance.
7. A conveniently located regional airport that has been expanded.
8. An easily accessible railway system.
9. Several business parks that house logistics services (e.g., warehousing, distribution, etc.).
10. An abundance of cheap real estate located closely to I-94, 131, railways, business parks, & the airport.
11. Most suppliers would likely be located VERY close by.
12. A local & state government that is becoming more tax friendly.
Given the growth of several orgs & need for future investment in the largest economy in the world (U.S.A.), could Kzoo lure some of that investment (e.g., a new car or battery or chip plant)? WMU has ranked programs in world class mfg techniques. In fact, our Supply Chain & Engineering Mgmt majors build upon world class mfg techniques (we even lean 6 sigma certify our students). Orgs could benefit greatly by recruiting our students for positions related to SCM. Both the business & engineering colleges are accredited & serve employers with numerous fields of specialization (e.g., human resources, accounting, finance, sales, SCM, engineering, etc.). We also have an accredited MBA program that is very convenient for full-time workers in the area from companies such as Stryker, Denso, Kellogg, Pfizer, Flowserve, Whirlpool, etc., and potentially a new company in town. They could benefit immensely from our students & faculty that specialize in what is likely their core competency (e.g., engineering & mfg). They would be hard pressed to find this sort of mfg, engineering, SCM, & business talent pool any place else.