Further investment in the Eastwood Towne Center site has Lansing and Lansing Township officials on opposite sides - again.

At immediate issue is the idea of a $100 million complex of hotels, conference rooms and water parks. At heart, the dispute is the same old one: The future of a community separated by political lines drawn ages ago.

And, again, the best policy is one of continued negotiation, continued engagement, continued exploration of what steps each government can take to best advance the region's interests. David Hollister and the Prima Civitas group have been working to foster talks, more of which should occur without delay.

To the passing eye, the hotel proposal appears exciting. Two more hotels in the north-central part of the metro area, conference rooms, an indoor water park and an outdoor water park.

Investment is investment. More lodging choices rightly earn rapt attention. A Great Wolf Lodge-style year-round water park - who wouldn't want that?

As is typical with big proposals, the questions crop up in the details, particularly the finances.

When Lansing Township officials outlined a hotel/conference/entertainment project to the LSJ Editorial Board earlier this spring, it was presented as a matter of letting the marketplace work.

Hotel firms and developers were eager to get in, all the township had to do, really, was get out of the way - ensuring zoning, utility and regulatory issues were squared away.

Businesses don't target locales where money won't be made. Everyone wants some of that.

The township, itself, through its Downtown Development Authority, may have to consider issuing bonds to bolster the project. Under this scenario, Lansing Township would become a partner, a subsidizer, in the project.

That story line carries much more doubt. Yes, governmental assistance, via tax abatements and property improvements, is commonplace these days. The city of Lansing, which is so upset right now about this hotel idea, routinely offers up tax assistance to businesses and developers within its boundaries.

But the financing here, like so much with Lansing Township, would have an unusual history. The township claimed the Eastwood area under its Downtown Development Authority - a taxing and public improvement idea originally enacted by the state to help revive decaying urban cores.

At Eastwood's creation, the township fought with the county, Lansing Community College and the Capital Area District Library over the taking of taxes meant for them. Those groups said they had the choice under the law on whether to agree to tax diversions; the township argued that under the old version of the downtown development law, it alone decided. An agreement eventually was brokered, but a sour taste - a loss of trust and cooperation - resulted.

The city of Lansing also has a legal history with the township over Eastwood. Mayor Virg Bernero's administration is not the first to see Eastwood as detrimental to Lansing's interests; this hotel dispute is the latest manifestation of the argument. Lansing sees new hotels and conference space damaging the publicly subsidized Lansing Center

And even a consultant hired by the township admits in a report that new hotels at Eastwood would trim occupancy rates at other Lansing-area hotels - at least in the short term.

Lansing Township and Lansing officials have responsibilities to their constituents. But that responsibility extends to the health of the entire region.

Lansing Township is wise to pursue private investment. But the township board should be most hesitant to spend public dollars unless absolutely necessary. Private dollars drive growth. Public dollars should simply help guide it.

The city of Lansing is being responsible in questioning the larger impacts and the use of government aid. The key is for everyone to keep talking. Lansing and the township need to strike a deal to share the benefits without hurting the core city. It is possible. And it would benefit the entire region.

For Full Article: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080514/NEWS01/805140360

LANSING TWP. - Lansing Township's study into possible construction of new hotels, a conference center, and a water park has the potential to shake the region this summer.

Renewed ties between the township and the city of Lansing could be severed entirely by the proposed developments - possibly to be funded by the township itself - that would add to the popular Eastwood Towne Center.

Promising more than 600 on-site and spinoff jobs, the $100 million project would include 250 hotel rooms; 27,500 square feet of meeting space and a 65,000-square-foot indoor-and-outdoor water park the size of a football field and then some.

City officials are concerned that the development could threaten the Lansing Center, which serves the entire region.

And, "there's a history of distrust," said former Mayor David Hollister, who brokered the recent agreement between the city and the township to allow the township to use more of the city's sewer system.

Thursday, Steven Hayward, the township's planning and development director, meets with the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau, one of several attempts to rally public support for the proposed developments.

Hayward also hopes to meet with the Ingham County Board of Commissioners and the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority.

The Michigan Association of School Boards has rotated its annual conference between the Detroit Marriott, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Grand Traverse Resort in Grand Traverse County and the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing.

Kathy Hayes, a director, said that downtown hotel rooms are an issue whenever the conference comes to Lansing, requiring a rental bus to shuttle school officials between the convention center and local hotels.

"We, of course, would welcome more hotel space," Hayes said. "That is one of the problems with downtown Lansing."

A Cleveland-based firm's study acknowledges that new hotels, meeting space and water parks in the township could threaten the Lansing Center. City officials said the Lansing Center has about 120,000 square feet of rentable space and relies on an annual city subsidy of about $800,000.

The township paid $40,000 for the study.

"We project the (proposed development) will capture some smaller groups and events from the Lansing Center," the study reads, "which would, in turn, allow Lansing Center to target larger groups.

"We recommend that the developer consider Lansing Center and the subject conference center be operated by a professional management company that would jointly market both the facilities."

Regional leaders have concerns.

"Will it bring new business into the area or will it just pull from our existing hotel space?" asked Marc Thomas, chairman of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. "It worries me that - instead of bringing in new economic development - what this will do will take away from our already-struggling economy."

Eric Hart, who oversees the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority, which oversees the Lansing Center, has his own questions.

"It's kind of hard to say what the bigger concern is," he said. "How do we protect the Lansing Center, ... because it does support the entire region and how do we grow the region instead of pick off of it?"

"My hope is the whole region can get behind something that benefits everyone," said Hayward, noting that he wants the proposed developments to have the least negative impact on the region.

The market, he added, is driving the interest in hotels at Eastwood.

Lansing Township's involvement in the building and perhaps leasing - two things Hayward said the DDA can do to control the scope and impact of the project - "is going to come down to the financial feasibility, and it's going to come down to the partnerships to be formed between everyone," he said.

It might take some time, Hayward said, before township officials decide how much they want to control the proposed developments.

A partnership sealed with a tax-sharing agreement extending greater tax revenues to both the township and the city is Hollister's recommendation.

He runs the Prima Civitas Foundation, a regional community and economic development collaborative organization. He has been working with the township and city on several regional issues, including hotels, sidewalks and emergency services.

Lansing City Council President Brian Jeffries concurred that a tax-sharing agreement could grow the city's tax base.

But city and township leaders have angered each other in the past.

"It takes a lot of time to build trust in relationships," Jeffries said. "We just haven't done that yet."

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero acknowledged the impact development in Lansing Township has on the city.

"We know we're affected by the development of Lansing Township," Bernero said. "We ought to just work together."

Right now, Hayward said a tax-sharing agreement isn't his priority, although he said that could be a consideration.

"If there's a tangible benefit for both parties, I wouldn't just limit it to tax sharing," he said.

Some city residents hope Bernero recognizes both the positive and negative impact of the Eastwood development.

They say that it's already tough to ease their vehicles onto Lake Lansing Road around noon and after 3:30 p.m. during the workweek.

"You either plan extra time for travel along that road or you just don't go," north Lansing resident Wendie Karpinski said.

But she's rather fatalistic about Eastwood's future expansion.

"It's going to happen, so what do you want?" she challenged. "A water park would be fun. Anything that would generate revenues for Lansing that is a positive growth, ... that's good for Lansing."

Contact Susan Vela at 702-4248 or svela@lsj.com.

Trouble is, Liquid Web Inc. needs help to clear the obstacles blocking whichever tax abatements, grants and loans it might need to grow, according to Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge.

"These are exactly the sort of jobs we need in mid-Michigan," Jones said. "This is what we have to do; we have to work together for Greater Lansing."

Enter the Capital Caucus, a group of mid-Michigan lawmakers whose districts include or touch parts of Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties with the goal of securing state resources to grow the Lansing area.

Jones said he plans to bring Liquid Web's case before the caucus. Other projects currently under consideration include allowing community colleges to ask voters for bond money to fund educational programs, helping grow local alternative energy companies and securing money for every high school student in the tri-county area to take a work-readiness certification exam.

The caucus was formed in early 2007 but, so far, has yet to see many tangible results.

The group's first actions were to include matching grants in a capital outlay bill that would partially fund a new runway at Capital City Airport and help renovate part of Lansing Community College.

That bill has stalled because of disagreements between the House and Senate on the cost of the legislation.

A role model

The Capital Caucus is formed in the mold of the Lansing Caucus, a group of local lawmakers during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.

Former state Rep. David Hollister said the group was instrumental in getting many projects approved, including the building of the Hall of Justice and Anderson House Office Building, as well as keeping General Motors in the Lansing area.

"There were a lot of things we needed to do legislatively to keep GM, and they were able to ensure that every single vote that was taken on the state and local level passed unanimously," he said.

Hollister left the state House to become Lansing's mayor in 1994, an office he held until 2002.

During that time, he said, he called a few meetings - most regarding the Keep GM campaign - but the group eventually fizzled out of existence.

Kelly Rossman-McKinney, president of the public relations firm The Rossman Group, said she foresees the Capital Caucus driving more and more projects and funding to the Lansing area than legislators acting independently ever could.

"What a caucus does is really bring together a sometimes disparate group of lawmakers together for a common goal," Rossman-McKinney said.

"You don't have to build a new coalition over every issue, you already have one in place."

The Dutch Mafia

Arguably the most famous example is the Dutch Mafia, a group of West Michigan lawmakers, many of Dutch ancestry, who for years have wielded considerable power in state politics.

Examples of their success are legion, analysts said, including such development projects as Michigan State University's new medical college, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and the expansion of Grand Valley State University.

"The fact that Grand Valley was started is because the West Michigan delegation thought it was important to have a four-year institution over there," said Bill Rustem, president of the policy research firm Public Sector Consulting.

Copying the Dutch Mafia's success is "exactly the point," said Rep. Barb Byrum, D-Onondaga.

The makeup of the Capital Caucus is crucial, legislators and analysts said, because having members in both parties will help the group navigate legislation through the Democratic-led House and Republican-led Senate.

"I think it's extra important to have sponsors from both parties," said Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, because the legislature is an extremely partisan place.

"We may not always agree on all issues, but we can work together on many."

Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, whose office is coordinating the group, agreed.

"I think there's a recognition that there are issues that are bipartisan and bicameral that we can work on," Meadows said.

Return of Hollister

Hollister, now president of the Prima Civitas Foundation, a mid-Michigan community and economic development group, has returned to the group by facilitating meetings with local business and community leaders and the group.

It's the same blueprint the Dutch Mafia has used for years.

"We would say to local leaders, 'Give me your top three priorities,' so we would have in hand a list of 'to do's' that we could work on at opportune times," said former Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming.

Travis Stoliker, spokesman for Liquid Web, said he couldn't discuss the details of the company's planned expansion because of state grant regulations prohibiting it, but said "it's going to be huge."

Stoliker said he thinks the caucus will be able to help local businesses get tax abatements, grants and low-interest loans so they can grow.

"I think it's very helpful, especially for smaller companies looking to expand. That's when it's really needed," he said.

Lawmakers said the group is open to any ideas the community can throw its way.

"The question is: If you would have an agenda, what would it be?" Hollister said. "We're still working on that."

Contact Derek Wallbank at 267-1301 or dwallbank@lsj.com.

Published April 22th, 2008

Universities lead way on healthy-planet technology

Full Article: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/OPINION02/804220332

Today, Earth Day, Wayne State University is joining WWJ News Radio 950, the University of Michigan and Michigan State University to highlight the work being done in our state to encourage the development of environmentally sound technology.

This event -- Carbon Culture at the Crossroads: Embracing a Green Michigan -- combines a business forum, policy discussion, and daylong radio broadcast.

In 2006, Wayne State, U-M and MSU formed the University Research Corridor, a partnership designed to help turn around Michigan's bleak economy. The URC member institutions promote scientific discovery and create jobs by attracting billions of dollars in research funding to Michigan, developing new technologies, and nurturing emerging businesses. Each of these major research universities has significant initiatives in the environmental sciences and alternative energy research.

The Small Business Foundation of Michigan's 2007-2008 Entrepreneurship Score Card notes that our state "lags well behind a growing number of other states in the clean tech market," which is expected to grow by "many tens of billions of dollars over the next 20 years."

Each of the three URC universities is affiliated with business incubators that support the expansion of clean tech start-ups. TechTown in Detroit, Ann Arbor Spark and Prima Civitas and Leap in East Lansing are helping train the talent and develop the technology to support a secure and stable clean-tech economy in Michigan.

Here in Detroit, TechTown's foremost alternative energy tenant is NextEnergy, a 45,000-square-foot think tank and laboratory center. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Energy provided a $2.5-million grant to develop a biofuels technology lab at NextEnergy. This first-of-its kind lab has the task of developing and strengthening alternative fuel specifications and standards.

In 2003, the Wayne State University College of Engineering became a leader in teaching and promoting environmental sustainability when it launched a master's degree program in alternative energy technology. Today, a graduate certification and undergraduate concentration also are offered.

The college and its students have won national competitions in alternative fuel vehicle development, and collaborated with NextEnergy and Chrysler LLC in developing a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle now used by our police department.

Sustainable environmental practices are not a new concept at Wayne State; we have historically implemented measures to cut waste and encourage ecologically responsible behavior. Through our Task Force on Environmental Issues, we are examining our environmental stewardship across the board.

Wayne State has helped place Detroit at the forefront of environmental research and education. We are committed to sharing our expertise and research and to setting an example for other institutions through responsible energy use. We have set ambitious goals for recycling, green purchasing, sound waste-stream management, and construction that stresses energy, water and materials efficiency.

Sustainability must be much more than a philosophy or a trendy label: It also must be a way of life.

IRVIN D. REID is outgoing president of Wayne State University and the first holder of the Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement. Write to him in care of the Free Press Editorial Page, 615 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226 or at oped@freepress.com.

Published April 15th, 2008

21st Century Jobs Fund 2008 Business Plan Competition

Welcome potential applicants, media and other interested parties to the one stop Web portal for:

The most up to date information regarding the 2008 21st Century Jobs Fund Commercialization Business Plan Competition, including time lines and FAQs (listed below)
The single point of posting for the official competition RFP. Follow this link to open the RFP in PDF format.
The single portal for use of the Awards Management System to complete the application and submit a business plan per the requirements of the official competition RFP
The most up to date competition time line available. view time line (PDF format)
Other useful tips and informational documents
The official, frequently updated, FAQs related to the RFP and competition
The most up to date information and press releases related to the competition as well as links to past and current stories on the competition and the 21st Century Jobs Fund Program in general.

Some key highlights from this year's competition include:

$30 million dedicated to the Business Plan Competition.
Focused on for-profit companies that can demonstrate a viable, sustainable business opportunity with near term job creation-five years or less.
Technology focus within advanced automotive, manufacturing and materials; alternative energy; homeland security and defense; and/or life sciences.
Matching funds are required.
Proposals are submitted electronically in the form of a 25-page or less business plan that can be attached as a pdf file.
A $500 application fee is due at the time of proposal submission.
Proposals will be evaluated by independent peer review experts on the four legislatively mandated criteria of: commercialization merit; personnel expertise; ability to leverage additional funds; and scientific and technical merit.

For more detailed highlights view this PDF file.

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Official 2008 Competition RFP

Below is the official 2008 Competition RFP. All applicants should review the RFP thoroughly before proceeding with an application. There is also a 2008 Competition General Tips document provided below to give a higher level outline of competition basics.

Commercialization Business Plan RFP (PDF format)
2008 Competition General Tips (PDF format)

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Competition Application

The Awards Management System (AMS) is the official tool for applying to the competition and submitting business plans per the requirements of the competition RFP. The AMS was designed to ease the burden and provide seamless connections between all useful information resources for applicants, as well as an easy to use interface for entering an application. Please read the RFP thoroughly before starting an application.

For quick reference before entering the AMS and starting the application, please use the AMS Quick Tips document provided below for useful information on how to use the system as well as overall flow related to entering the application and submitting a business plan. The tips include information on how to acquire technical support when using the AMS.

AMS Quick Tips (PDF format)

Apply Now (Link to AMS)

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has created an official 2008 21st Century Jobs Fund Business Plan Competition FAQs. We aim to answer questions or concerns sent to 21stcenturyjobs@michigan.org within 48 hours through a response posting on this section of the official competition Web site within the FAQs document.

The current deadline for competition or RFP related questions to the above e-mail is May 28, 2008. No answers will be posted to the FAQs after May 30, 2008.

To support equitable treatment of applicants during the competition process, no questions or concerns will be answered directly via this e-mail or the phone.

If your question or concern is not related to the 2008 21st Century Jobs Fund Business Plan Competition or RFP but is regarding the use of the Awards Management System software to enter your application please refer to the Quick Tips document provided in the Application section of this portal for more information.

FAQ Document April 14, 2008

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Time Lines

The most up to date competition time line available. view time line (PDF format)

Media Section

To cover the latest regarding the competition, please use the materials below.

Key Points

Press Release - 9th April 2008

Media contact:

Bridget Beckman
Public Relations Officer,
Marketing & Communications
517.335.4590
beckmanb1@michigan.org

Hotel dispute: Lansing, Lansing Township can find an equitable agreement

Bipartisan caucus hopes to grow area

Legislators seek resources to aid Greater Lansing

A role model

The Dutch Mafia

Return of Hollister

Universities lead way on healthy-planet technology

Published April 15th, 2008

21st Century Jobs Fund 2008 Business Plan Competition

Welcome potential applicants, media and other interested parties to the one stop Web portal for:

Official 2008 Competition RFP

Competition Application

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Time Lines

Media Section