The 55th Annual Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) Conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina May 1-3, 2016. Nearly 300 people were in attendance for the annual gathering. The theme for the conference was The Economic Dynamics of Live, Work and Play.
The conference focused on the requirements for planning and executing the right mixture of quality-of-life amenities’ for attraction, employees, residents and visitors. Pamela Ruff, executive director of MEDA said, “Every community possesses recreational, cultural and entertainment assets that offer a lifestyle that appeals to employers, employees and residents. Our conference emphasized best practices for partnerships and practices that highlight those assets”
The Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development hosted a Revitalization Tour of downtown Cambridge. Panel experts included Brett Summers, NOVO Properties; John Renner, Cross Street Partners and Stanley Keyser, Keyser Development Corporation. They shared information on their Cambridge Projects and insights on what incentives work best to bring in private investment.
The presenters focused on identifying and constructing the key elements crucial to creating a dynamic and vibrant community. Keynote speakers included Peter Kageyama, author of the book, For the love of Cities: The Love Affair Between People and their Places and Matt Carmichael, editor of Livability.com. Anirban Basu presented the annual Economic Outlook and provided Maryland’s business climate. The Vibrant Community Panel brought together experts to discuss what makes a community vibrant focusing on the tools that promote business, expanding the tax base, increasing property values, and improving the quality of life for residents, workforce and visitors.
For more information please visit www.medamd.com.